Group Tour & Lunch Request

St. Ferdinand Shrine is available for tours any day of the week.  Tours are by appointment only. 

We welcome you to Old St. Ferdinand Shrine. We know you will enjoy your visit.

Old St. Ferdinand Shrine is the oldest Catholic church west of the Mississippi. When you walk through the buildings you will be walking on the same floors, walking the same stairs and sitting in the same pews that residents in 1819 used. You will be amazed at the original condition of the Shrine Campus.   

Each visit consists of an informative tour of the Church, a tour of the Convent (all   three floors) which was the home of St. Philippine Duchesne for approximately 15 years, and a tour of the rectory – both floors.  The tour is conducted with knowledgeable docents.

After the tour of the Church, Convent and Rectory,  with time permitting, you will be able to visit the schoolhouse and enjoy our Book Fair.  Also available is our Heart of the Oak Book Store. All tours take approximately one and a half hours. 

The cost of the tour is a $3.00 minimum donation per person for any size group. Our tours can be conducted for all ages – we give tours from first graders to senior citizens. 

Lunch Available

We are also able to provide a lunch for you in the Shrine Scoolhouse.  The cost of the tour and lunch is $15.00 per person. Lunch includes a deli sandwich, pasta salad, green salad, dessert and beverages.

Please Note: Limited Handicapped Access

The Church, the Rectory and the Convent are first floor handicapped accessible. The second and third floors are not.