This story is part of our weekly Hidden Gems feature series as the USA TODAY Network – Florida takes readers around the state to highlight some of our most interesting attractions Catholics journeyed annually from Canada to a pastoral site a few miles east of Lake Wales drawn in part by a relic — what church leaders considered a physical vestige of St the once-thriving community encircling a small lake is itself a relic While only fragments of the original settlement remain There is no marker along State Road 60 to indicate a historic site though some drivers might notice the green sign denoting St you will pass between watermelon fields before coming to a narrow two-lane road that encircles a 15-acre lake a pair of coquina-covered railings covering some 30 feet along both sides of the road a stone structure stands at the edge of the lake — a conical enclosure set atop four pillars standing upon two flat slabs said that two visitors have stopped at the site on a recent day “I’m the unofficial director of where the shrine is I'll go out and introduce myself and then tell them where the shrine is that the gentleman that built the shrine also built the bridge and the monument out in the lake and anything with this type of stonework around the lake.” In the house they’ve occupied for about 30 years including vintage postcards and photocopies of news articles dating to the 1920s which recall the once vaunted status of the St Founded by French CanadianHere is the history as captured in contemporaneous news reporting documents from the Lake Wales History Center and previous Ledger articles: The boy recovered in the balmier climate of Hesperides leading other Canadians to begin making winter pilgrimages as a small colony arose around what was then called Lake Helena and is now St Hesperides is now recognized only by a road marker along SR 60 A Catholic bishop soon gave permission for construction of the Church of Ste A photo from a 1930 edition of the defunct Lake Wales Highlander newspaper shows a small An account describes the church as standing “in a grove of tall pines.” stone platform that held a statue of Jesus They also constructed the coquina-ringed structure that bore a statue of St described in Christian and Islamic tradition as the mother of Mary who gave birth to Jesus and also known as Our Lady of Lourdes Congregants posted statues depicting the Stations of the Cross in the woods surrounding the lake The faithful also constructed a grotto behind the church where a girl claimed to have 18 visits from the Virgin Mary in a cave in 1858 an assemblage of coquina rocks perhaps 20 feet fall according to a 1979 article in the Polk County Historical Quarterly The church gained an official connection with what is now the Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré in Quebec believed to be a piece of a finger bone from St stored in a “beautifully carved golden reliquary,” the Highlander reported Anne des Lacs was drawing hundreds of annual visitors from Canada The church held masses on Sundays during the winter months Catholic pilgrims also visited the site each February to celebrate the anniversary of the Virgin Mary's apparition at Lourdes and in July for St describes a service in which the High Mass was sung in Latin “The procession of the Blessed Sacrament moved from the church to the altar Anne society and the golden casket by young women of the parish,” the report says Priests and bishops from as far away as St Augustine and New Smyrna Beach presided over ceremonies at the site a congregant at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Lake Wales said she is one of the few living links to the St Joseph and Stella Gravel (pronounced gra-VELL) were among the French Canadians who once lived along the lake and attended the church “The church was a beautiful little church.” after Pettus had left the area for college the wooden church burned down and was replaced by another structure and you could look inside and see a slab with a cloth on it representing where Jesus had been buried,” she said “And the cloth indicated that he had arisen I remember playing bingo in the little social hall — well apparently operated by nuns who lived at the site Rick Smith indicated Pelletier’s former home a two-story house on the lake’s western shore along with houses previously occupied by priests and nuns Pettus offered an explanation for the church’s demise “It eventually got to the point that there were people who were selling all kinds of items “It became so commercial that the bishop finally had to close it down.” Augustine de-sanctified the church in the 1960s Pettus said that she does not know what happened to any remnants that were taken The stone platform for the statue of Jesus still stands on the inside of the road circling the lake The base bears a red cross on all four sides while the slab above bears inscriptions in Latin: Adveniat Regnum Tuum (“Thy kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven”) and Cor Jesu All that remains of the church is a set of three steps that once led to its entrance the steps sit disconnectedly in the front yard of a private home easily missed by drivers as it is set back from the road and concealed behind a stand of oak and palm trees one notices a marble ground slab inscribed The slab declares that Pelletier was born in Canada 1857 describing him as the “zealous propagator” of the St “which he built and maintained himself.” Pelletier died and was buried at the site in March 7 Pelletier's remains were interred at the site of the former church Pelletier’s family eventually had his remains transported to Canada constructed from pieces of coquina mortared together Circular tiles set into the bridge bear Pelletier’s initials in blue (though the “P” is shaped more like a “D”) a small statue of the Virgin Mary occupies a curved niche opposite a statue of a woman praying to her Easter services were held at the grotto for years and we’d get about 100 to 150 people,” he said a priest set up a folding table as an altar until Smith and other members of the Knights of Columbus poured concrete to make a permanent altar But the custom of holding masses at the grotto faded amid complaints from residents the tile-lined altar platform held small religious figures and a collection of artificial flowers Prayer candles stood on a ledge at the back of the grotto a circular rock formation rises upward to hold a figure of St known as “Little Flower.” White tiles set into the concrete between the grotto and the ringed structure spell out the nickname While the rest of the land around the lake is now residential the Diocese of Orlando still owns the grotto tract Smith said that the ecclesiastical district does not maintain the site so he and a pair of neighbors mow the grass and keep the altar area tidy The diocese did not respond to a voicemail from The Ledger “We kind of put these two pieces of fence up,” Smith said And if there's anybody back here praying or meditating we thought that they would not want to be interrupted.” Anne Shrine no longer draws religious pilgrims from Canada but enough historical mystery remains to lure periodic visitors “We've had busloads come up from Miami,” he said “This one bus had their youth group there; they were going on up to And they came up (State Road) 60 and stopped here at the shrine and had lunch.” Gary White can be reached at gary.white@theledger.com or 863-802-7518. Follow on X @garywhite13 windy Monday outside Detroit's oldest Catholic parish a Border Patrol car rolled by as a group of worshippers strolled toward the chapel for a meeting It was the third time that morning a green and white vehicle with the federal immigration agency drove around the historic neo-Gothic church in the Hubbard Richard neighborhood as the group assembled to discuss ways to support immigrants facing deportation The scene at Basilica of Sainte Anne de Detroit illustrated how the Catholic church and others like it are responding to the crackdown on immigrants as their congregations become increasingly diverse and attract foreign-born members from Latin America French immigrants established Sainte Anne on July 26 just two days after Frenchman Antoine Cadillac became the first European to establish a settlement in Detroit They named the church after the mother of Mary and grandmother of Jesus Irish immigrants later started attending the parish and which has a Spanish-language Mass every week drawing hundreds Attendance is down this year at some of the church's ceremonies over fears of being targeted by Border Patrol or U.S which have offices near the church that sits near the Ambassador Bridge to Canada close to southwest Detroit's Mexicantown neighborhood "They're afraid of driving to church out of fear of being stopped by immigrant agents and being targeted at church as well now that the administration of President Donald Trump has ended previous 'sensitive locations' policies that prevented the Department of Homeland Security from arresting immigrants at houses of worship and schools The growing anxiety in parts of the congregation comes as the Archdiocese of Detroit recently announced that Sainte Anne will be owned by a new nonprofit called The Catholic Initiative, created by the Florida-based Pulte Family Charitable Foundation but effectively lease it back to the parish for the next 200 years the foundation will oversee a $30 million restoration of the aging church building that opened in 1887 and is in need of repairs from painting to refurbishing the wooden pews to installing a new heating system making it more green to continue attracting visitors and public events a $20 million endowment created by the foundation will kick in and help fund the church's operations More: Jackson County is first Michigan municipality to sign warrant agreement with ICE More: Wrong turn at Ambassador Bridge exit leads to detention for Detroit immigrant mom, kids one way of how the Archdiocese of Detroit is trying to come up with new solutions as it faces declining membership and aging parishes this is the first time in United States history that the Vatican has approved a shift in ownership of a parish church to a dedicated nonprofit,” Kevin Doyle president of The Catholic Initiative and COO of the Pulte Family Charitable Foundation The exclusive lease deal protects the rights of parishioners "to use the church and property" and has what's called "a reverter clause that the foundation no longer wants to own it for some reason then it reverts back to the parish," explained the Rev He's also the pastor at nearby Most Holy Trinity Parish in Corktown moderator of the Southwest Detroit Family of Parishes and regional moderator of the Central Region of the Archdiocese of Detroit "It was a no-lose proposition for the parish," Kosanke said of the deal The deal has not yet been formally closed yet they're the ones who are actually going to do the restoration with our guidance," Kosanke said of the Pulte Foundation and its Catholic Initiative The Archdiocese of Detroit said "the agreement legally ensures that the Sainte Anne Parish community retains exclusive and permanent rights to use the property as a Catholic parish and property were owned by the Archbishop of Detroit as part of the "corporate sole" model of property ownership "Corporate sole" refers to a legal entity that is one person and is often used by religious groups to establish rights of properties the archdiocese started to transfer a number of parishes it owned to Mooney Real Estate Holdings Sainte Anne was incorporated and assumed ownership of the property but it will now be owned by the Pulte foundation's nonprofit Bill O'Brien led a group of Catholics inside the chapel at Sainte Anne to discuss ways to assist immigrants he wrote on a poster-size pad in capital letters: "Triage," "First Steps," and "Family Comm Mtg," outlining how they could rapidly respond to cases of immigrants who face deportation the group has been working for years on ways to assist foreign-born people in need With reports increasing of immigration agencies targeting people "This is what our faith is about," said Kim Redigan, a member of Strangers No Longer who's the director of campus ministry at Detroit Cristo Rey High School. Redigan quoted the views of Jesus mentioned in the Bible's Gospel of Matthew 25:35 to explain why she's with the group: "I was a stranger and you welcomed me Our principles of social Catholic teaching are rooted in the dignity of the human person This (immigration) is what makes our country great And with the cruelty of this current administration The group of about 20 people from across southeast Michigan sang together and held a moment of silence in support of a Detroit woman who was attending an immigrant hearing at an ICE office that day In the front of the chapel where they gathered is a statue depicting Sainte Anne and Joseph with Mary expecting a child "Because Sainte Anne's is in southwest Detroit there certainly is concern like there is in other Latino parishes" with the crackdown on immigrants federal immigration agents conducted a raid when Barack Obama was president outside Sainte Anne "No one should be afraid to come to church," said Sainte Anne's pastor at the time There's a concern that the detainment and deportations will reduce the vitality and population of communities in metro Detroit with sizable immigrant communities, such as the area around Sainte Anne. O'Brien and others are pleased to see the new Archbishop of Detroit, Edward Weisenburger The day after he was installed as archbishop last month Weisenburger visited the home of an immigrant facing deportation expressing sympathy for metro Detroiters being forced to leave the U.S "His wife wept no few tears, explaining what this will mean to their children and grandchildren, especially as (he) must now be gone for 10 years before he can make application to return," Weisenburger wrote of his meeting with the family "They also spoke of the terror they witness in every gathering of the immigrant community His concerns are echoed by the Michigan Catholic Conference, the official voice of the Catholic Church in Michigan on public policy. The cover of the spring edition of their newsletter, Focus, is headlined: "Seeing Christ in the Immigrant." the membership at Sainte Anne has spiked 40% There are now 720 families who are members of the church up from 515 when Kosanke became the church's pastor nine years ago we're close to 1,000 people" attending services The Spanish-language Mass on Sunday draws the biggest crowds and an additional 200 to 300 at Sunday's English-language Mass it's expected to again draw some of its biggest crowds of the year "It really is a vibrant parish," Kosanke said Pope Benedict XVI named Sainte Anne as the patroness of the Archdiocese of Detroit the second oldest continuously operating parish in the U.S. one of only three churches in Michigan with that designation As Detroit tries to revitalize itself with growth in nearby Corktown with Ford's development and other projects Kosanke said: "With all the restoration of old buildings in Detroit including the Michigan Central train station by Ford which is right down the street from the parish it really is going to be included in the revival of Detroit by having such an iconic church be restored for the next 200 years." Contact Niraj Warikoo: nwarikoo@freepress.com or X @nwarikoo Picture by Tim de Waele/Getty ImagesBy Matt NelsenWhile the heat of summer gives way to the mild days of autumn, the world’s best mountain bikers are preparing to end the UCI Mountain Bike World Series with one final blaze of glory in Mone Sainte-Anne from 3-6 October. The venue, nestled amongst the gorgeous Laurentian mountains of Quebec, Canada, will host the UCI Mountain Bike World Series for a record setting 29th time. The familiarity of its wooded trails will be a welcome sight to athletes worn out from a long season, even if it puts the focus squarely on racing rather than exploring. Olympic champions, World Series winners and rising stars will all be in attendance, with vital world cup points on offer across cross-country short track (XCC), cross-country Olympic (XCO), and downhill formats. With multiple titles up for grabs, there’s bound to be plenty of action during the final round of the 2024 UCI Mountain Bike World Series. Read on to find out more about the 2024 UCI Mountain Bike World Series Mont Sainte-Anne, including the schedule, key athletes to follow, and how to watch mountain bike action live from the mountains of Quebec. The 2024 UCI Mountain Bike World Series wound its way through the jungles of South America mountains of Central Europe and rugged backcountry of North America to arrive at the final race weekend of the season One of the most compelling battles heading into the final weekend of racing this season is the men’s cross-country Olympic (XCO) World Cup title fight South Africa’s Alan Hatherly leads the XCO world cup rankings but he’s yet to seal the deal ahead of the season finale A win in the short course (XCC) race would be enough for him to claim the XCO world cup title the title fight could come down to the final XCO race of the season if Hatherly is beaten in the short course race on Friday France sits second in rankings behind Hatherly and will need to ride superbly in Mont Sainte-Anne to stand any chance of beating the South African Nonetheless, Koretzky will be encouraged by his recent XCO victory in Lake Placid, and boosted by his silver medal performance at Paris 2024. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Alan Hatherly (@alanhatherly) The women’s XCO world cup title fight is much more straightforward. Switzerland’s Alessandra Keller will leave Mont Sainte-Anne with the title if she finishes 34th or better in the short course on Friday Switzerland has yet to win an XCO world cup race this season but her consistency and steadfast attendance at world series events has been rewarded with a massive points haul The season finale in Mont Sainte-Anne represents a dual opportunity for Keller who could snag the XCO title and win her first XCO race of the season in the same weekend She’ll certainly be among the favourites for victory in Mont Sainte-Anne but it won’t be a ride through the park for the Swiss rider who are the only riders mathematically capable of snatching the XCO world title away from Keller While the possibility of Keller losing the title fight remains slim the pair will certainly fancy their chances at victory in the XCO race on Sunday Team USA’s Savilia Blunk has produced strong results throughout the season while South Africa’s Candice Lill has found her best form late in the season Both riders finished off the podium at Paris 2024 and missed the podium once more at the 2024 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Vallnord making victory at the season finale all the more appealing Richards recently won the short course event at the world championships, while Stigger has a history of victory at Mont Sainte-Anne. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Alessandra Keller (@alessandrakeller) Legend: XCC – cross-country short track; XCO – cross-country Olympic discipline These two things are true during Carnival: 1.) Float riders will throw beads 2.) Beautifully handcrafted costumes will fill the streets on Mardi Gras Scenes from St. Anne: Wrestling ring, karaoke, giant insects and a New Orleans 'peep show' The Society of Saint Anne walks down Burgundy Street in the Bywater neighborhood during Mardi Gras in New Orleans The Society de Sainte Anne walks down Burgundy Street in the Bywater neighborhood during Mardi Gras in New Orleans The Societe de Sainte Anne walks down Burgundy Street in the Bywater neighborhood during Mardi Gras in New Orleans Drew Scanlan poses as Scrim the dog in the Marigny neighborhood during Mardi Gras in New Orleans Andrew Hunter and Emily Rosenzweig pose in their costumes in the Bywater neighborhood during Mardi Gras in New Orleans Revelers dance in the Marigny neighborhood during Mardi Gras in New Orleans Revelers walk through the Marigny neighborhood in costumes during Mardi Gras in New Orleans Revelers wrestle in the Marigny neighborhood during Mardi Gras in New Orleans Revelers walk down Royal Street in the Marigny neighborhood during Mardi Gras in New Orleans Revelers walk through the Bywater neighborhood during Mardi Gras in New Orleans People gather outside R Bar during Mardi Gras in New Orleans Frankie Vegas offers tickets to Mardi Gras in the Marigny neighborhood during Mardi Gras in New Orleans Revelers shoot confetti for a crowd on Royal Street in the Marigny neighborhood during Mardi Gras in New Orleans Henry Lipkis poses in the Bywater neighborhood during Mardi Gras in New Orleans Revelers pose in the Marigny neighborhood during Mardi Gras in New Orleans Kids pose in the Marigny neighborhood on Fat Tuesday in New Orleans Allen Staub poses as Scrim the dog during Mardi Gras in the Bywater neighborhood of New Orleans David Belk holds 9-month-old Lydia Belk-Choy on Mardi Gras morning in the Marigny neighborhood of New Orleans Julia Lang and Dan Wally Lang dance in the Bywater neighborhood on Fat Tuesday in New Orleans Revelers play a Mardi Gras themed pinball game on the street during Mardi Gras in New Orleans Revelers make their way down Burgundy Street in the Bywater neighborhood during Mardi Gras in New Orleans Email notifications are only sent once a day The massive outdoor costume party at the corner of Royal and Franklin streets on the border … News Tips:nolanewstips@theadvocate.com Other questions:subscriberservices@theadvocate.com Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: The Archdiocese of Detroit announced on Sunday that Ste Anne Parish in Detroit will get a $30 million restoration for the historic basilica a nonprofit created by The Pulte Family Charitable Foundation will provide the funds to restore the basilica the initiative will create a $20 million endowment to provide for future capital needs and operational support maintenance and the support of a priest on site “Due to the Basilica’s age and significance Anne Parish would have needed to enter a state of perpetual fundraising often at the expense of its missionary efforts to undertake the extensive renovations and costly maintenance work required,” Detroit Archbishop Allen Vigneron said in a statement “I am deeply grateful to the Pulte Family Charitable Foundation and The Catholic Initiative for answering the call to help preserve the Basilica and thereby strengthen the parish’s ability to further its missionary presence in the community.” ownership of the church building and campus will shift to a newly-formed nonprofit organization with The Catholic Initiative assuming all responsibilities for the project Anne is more than a building; it is a community hub President of The Catholic Initiative and COO of the Pulte Family Charitable Foundation “This innovative partnership ensures the Basilica of Ste will continue to thrive for generations to come." The basilica's restoration is expected to take three years and will include a new outdoor pavilion landscaping and lighting and a prayer wall for reflection “I am both honored and inspired to continue the legacy of Archbishop Vigneron’s leadership through my support of this partnership between Ste It is a remarkable example of how creative and faithful stewardship can ensure the preservation of our sacred heritage while advancing our mission,” Archbishop-designate Weisenburger said “I look forward to seeing this collaboration bear fruit for the glory of God and provide the resources needed to sustain the Basilica of Ste This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page and Stoneham.  Planned updates to the mountain include installation of modern ski lifts throughout the area modernization of the snowmaking system that increases snowmaking capacity by 30% and reduces energy consumption by 30% Year round improvements include construction of a mountain coaster (alpine luge) and improvement of access to cross-country skiing The project also entails an ambitious commercial and residential real estate project to transform the mountain's base village According to the mountain's press release this could generate additional investments of up to $450 million and a central square for the mountain to host events. Resorts of the Canadian Rockies and Mont-Sainte-Anne predict that the mountain's update will bring regional economic benefits of $140 million per year."We are proud to be able to count on the Government of Quebec to carry out this major project which will bring significant economic benefits These investments demonstrate our commitment to offering a top-notch tourism experience that will attract visitors from all four corners of the world,” said Maxime Cretin of Resorts of the Canadian Rockies (RCR) in a press release A gondola cabin crashed to the ground at Mont-Sainte-Anne in December of 2022 Mont-Sainte-Anne received a host of bad press after several unfortunate incidents at the mountain Nearly two dozen guests were injured in 2020 when a mechanical failure caused a gondola car to stop abruptly that one was empty but it still had guests raising questions and complaints about the safety of the lifts at Monte-Sainte-Anne The resort was allegedly for sale before the deal between RCR and the Quebec government came to fruition. In peak condition Mont-Sainte-Anne is a fantastic Canadian ski destination for those of us who are die-hard imperial system folks) The mountain serves 547 acres of skiable terrain with a vertical drop of more than 2,000ft it's also a well known downhill bike destination and hosts the final stop of the UCI Downhill World Cup annually From ski resort news to profiles of the world’s best skiers we are committed to keeping you informed.   we’ve come to the end of the 2024 MTB World Cup season Cross Country racing kicked off the circuit in Brazil nearly six months ago we’ve experienced one of the most exhausting and exhaustive seasons ever with the Olympic games breaking up a slate that featured 16 different World Cup weekends encompassing eight XC rounds and seven downhill rounds Mont-Sainte-Anne will feature both disciplines — the third World Cup to do so this year Many riders argue it’s the best race of the season Fireworks on a naturally technical track for both XC and DH Trek’s MTB squads will be going all out to end the season on a high If you’ve somehow missed the racing to this point just tune in this weekend to pack in a year’s worth of drama especially on Saturday when junior and elite DH finals will take place Mont-Sainte-Anne is mean enough without any interference from Mother Nature. The Olympic-distance course is steep and twisty, with roughly 170 meters of elevation gain within a 3.52-kilometer loop. The fact that Jolanda Neff has thrived here in the past should tell you everything about how demanding this course is The DH course is also one of the steepest of the year with nearly 650 meters of elevation drop in a 2.48-kilometer run Only the hardiest technicians will be in contention for the win There may be no better test of riders’ skill and mettle on the World Cup circuit Name a more dynamic duo than Isabella Holmgren and Madigan Munro The Trek Factory Racing-Pirelli XC is in position to rack up multiple overall podiums with another big weekend Riley Amos has a commanding lead in the U23 men’s XCO and XCC standings and will be looking to cap a breakout season in style Madigan Munro is third in both the U23 women’s XCO and XCC standings and can solidify her first ever overall podium finish the elite women’s XCC World Champion is in a battle to take the final podium spot in the discipline just six points behind Rebecca Henderson in the standings Loris Vergier looks GOOD in rainbow stripes Trek Future Racing’s two North American stars are also eyeing up season-long rewards on their home continent. Bjorn Riley missed last weekend’s race in Lake Placid due to illness, but he’s expecting to race in Mont-Sainte-Anne to consolidate a pair of overall silvers and currently leads Munro by 52 points for second place in the standings This quartet is going to be a blast to watch Bjorn Riley took his first career World Cup XCO win in Les Gets Trek also features two of the best junior women’s riders in the sport TFR’s Sacha Earnest has her sights set on her first World Cup win in an incredibly consistent season The Union’s Ellie Hulsebosch is in third overall just five points behind second place Heather Wilson The cherry on top? Hattie Harnden is joining the elite women’s fray. She just completed a dream enduro season that featured two World Cup wins and the overall title. Last year, she took the podium in Mont-Sainte-Anne in just her second elite downhill World Cup start ever We can’t wait to watch her try to top the feat The rocket man Bodhi Kuhn toying with the camera in Mont-Sainte-Anne Racing will stream on Max in the United States, Flosports in Canada, Eurosport Channels and discovery+ in Europe, and Claro in Mexico, Central America, and South America. If you don’t see your country listed, or for more information, click this link to the UCI MTB World Series website All of this weekend’s XC racing — both U23 and Elite, short track and XCO — will be broadcasted. For DH racing, you’ll be able to watch all of Saturday’s finals. You can follow live timing for qualis and semi-finals on the UCI website For results and a glimpse behind the scenes for both squads, be sure to follow Trek Factory Racing-Pirelli XC and Trek Factory Racing Downhill on Instagram. Here’s the schedule for both disciplines this weekend: Jolanda Neff is looking to close a tough season on a high at one of her favorite venues. Lachie Stevens-McNab has been one of the breakout riders of 2024. After her bronze medal at the Worlds in Zurich, the Italian champion cemented her desire to end an already great season, and her time with Lidl-Trek as a whole, in the best possible way You'll now receive updates based on what you follow Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors If you have done all of this and still can't find the email Mont-Sainte-Anne is one of the most most beloved mountain bike venues in the world especially in the fall when the foliage creates a golden backdrop for the last World Cup race of the season finishing with nine final overall podium spots and five podiums just from the weekend’s racing The Union’s Lachie Stevens-McNab highlighted the weekend. Men’s Elite downhill racing experienced arguably its most competitive season yet, and Stevens-McNab still managed to stand out from the crowd. He finished second on Saturday by 0.062 seconds — let’s add some emphasis that’s just barely over six-hundredths of a second — behind winner Troy Brosnan It was his second World Cup podium of the season and came just one week after he won the U.S The 20-year-old has firmly staked his place as one of the sharpest riders in the game Evie Richards grinding out another short track podium in her World Champs jersey Evie Richards capped an excellent second half of her season especially coming off of an early season injury Her strong stretch run began with a fifth place finish in the Olympics peaked with a short track World Championship in Andorra and concluded with two third-place finishes in XCC racing while wearing the rainbow stripes Those final two efforts pushed up to second overall on the final Elite Women’s XCC overall standings She added a sixth-place XCO finish on Sunday as a cherry on top “I knew I had to have a good race to do well in the overall especially because I missed races with the concussion,” Richards said after short track racing Friday And to start the year on the podium and finish the year on the podium I feel like I’ve been pretty consistent with the short tracks and I’m stoked on that.” and Riley Amos of Trek Factory Racing-Pirelli XC atop the final U23 Men's overall XCO podium Bubbly and pyrotechnics for Madigan Munro's U23 Women's XCO third place overall finish Trek’s U23 XC riders also capped banner seasons Riley Amos polished off a season in which he dominated both the short track and XCO Men’s U23 standings He didn’t have the performance he wanted in MSA taking seventh in short track and 13th in XCO but that didn’t take any shine off a season in which he racked up nine World Cup wins and a seventh place finish at the Paris Olympics that was the best ever performance by an American men’s mountain biker Amos will be moving up to the Elite level for good starting in 2025 He became emotional discussing his short track performance on Thursday “I fought and tried to be as smart as I could with the legs I had and it wasn’t quite enough to be in it at the very end,” Amos said “But it meant a lot [to be lifting the overall trophy] until I realized it was gonna be my last U23 short track of the year — I mean So it’s kind of a big graduation moment for me It was kind of weird and a little sad to close the U23 chapter but I’m pretty damn happy with what we accomplished.” Sacha Earnest capped off the season with a second-place World Cup finish on track and third place on the overall Isabella Holmgren was damn near unstoppable on a mountain bike all season Amos’ teammate Madigan Munro also stood on two overall podiums finishing third in both U23 Women’s short track and XCO She had the most consistent season of her career finishing Top 5 in a World Cup race nine times this season including a fifth place finish in short track on Thursday leaving her hungry to begin her step up into the Elite ranks I honestly gave it all I got,” Munro said “I feel really confident in my descending I think I still have to work on some of my climbing and there’s some really strong girls out there So I definitely left it all out on the course and that’s really all you can ask for.” Trek Future Racing racked up three overall podiums of their own. The ambitious development squad also has two budding men’s and women’s stars in Bjorn Riley and Emilly Johnston in the two U23 Men’s classifications and Johnston took second in the U23 Women’s short track classification Riley was also second in short track racing on Thursday for one last World Cup podium to close his U23 career Jolanda Neff riding into the stunning scenery After getting on the podium in Loudenvielle Reece Wilson took his third Top 20 World Cup finish of the season Lidl-Trek’s Isabella Holmgren split her time with the road team this season otherwise she likely would have been a much bigger factor in the U23 Women’s overall competitions She finished fourth in the short track classification but took first or second in every World Cup race she completed She took second in short track in Mont-Sainte-Anne but suffered a crash during her XCO that took her out of the race with a minor shoulder separation She was gunning for perfect 5-for-5 in XCOs after winning all of her previous four starts Last, but very much not least, Sacha Earnest finished her final year of Junior downhill racing with a second place finish on the hill, and third place on the overall standings. She was the only rider to come within 14 seconds of winner Erice van Leuven, finishing just under five seconds back, and the two Kiwi riders absolutely drenched each other in bubbly to celebrate She was unable to race this past weekend due to injury winning in Val di Sole and finishing fourth overall Gwendalyn Gibson closed the season with a good performance to build on for 2025 Bodhi Kuhn rocked out in a custom kit and paint scheme TFR Enduro’s Hattie Harnden also threw her hat into the DH fray. She finished fifth in Mont-Sainte-Anne last season, but just missed finals qualification this season, taking 12th in semis after placing sixth during qualifications. The result doesn’t take any luster off a season highlighted by her first ever overall Elite Women’s Enduro World Cup title Hattie Harnden *just* missed out on finals qualification but capped the year with an overall Enduro World Cup title Not much went right for Anton Cooper in 2024 For TFR XC, Gwendalyn Gibson closed the season with a strong ride to take 19th in the Elite Women’s XCO, after struggling to 31st in short track. Jolanda Neff took 25th in short track to finish off a season largely spent battling breathing issues. Unfortunately, a rough crash forced her to end her XCO bid early. Anton Cooper was 53rd in the Men’s Elite XCO, putting to rest a difficult season disrupted by illness Part of racing is learning to accept that not every race can go as hoped Gibson was upbeat about what 2025 will hold especially after how I felt in short track when the body was a bit tired I think today was better than I expected,” Gibson said and next year I’ll show up and be even better.” Before Casey Brown competed in the first women's Rampage and passion collide as top athletes take on demanding terrain in pursuit of victory The latest stories of your favourite teams and athletes Follow their journey to the Olympic Winter Games in Italy Please note that this is an automated translation and it will not be perfect All articles have been written in English and if anything appears to not make sense Even as other World Cup venues come and go hosting 29 World Cup rounds and three World Championships since 1991 Already have an account? Sign in Anne Parish in Detroit and The Catholic Initiative has announced a transformative partnership to restore the historic Basilica of Ste Anne and secure its future as a place of sacred worship and historical landmark in southeast Michigan The announcement was made to parishioners on Sunday by Msgr rector of the Basilica and Moderator of the Priests In Solidum responsible for the parish The Catholic Initiative will embark upon a $30 million rehabilitation of the basilica building and property and create a $20 million endowment to provide for future capital needs and operational support in perpetuity and the financial support of a priest on site A significant part of the restoration funding will come from a $111 million commitment the Pulte Family Charitable Foundation announced today toward providing funding for its “Legacy of Hope” Projects The remaining funds will be raised from donors across the U.S Vigneron expressed his gratitude for the partnership a creative solution to the familiar problem of parishes struggling to maintain their historic worship spaces “Due to the basilica’s age and significance to undertake the extensive renovations and costly maintenance work required,” says Vigneron As part of the Vatican-approved partnership the ownership of the church building and campus will shift to a newly formed nonprofit organization created solely for this purpose with The Catholic Initiative assuming all responsibilities associated with restoring and maintaining the property going forward Anne Parish community retains exclusive and permanent rights to use the property as a Catholic parish will continue to thrive for generations to come this is the first time in United States history that the Vatican has approved a shift in ownership of a parish church to a dedicated nonprofit We are pioneering a new model of investing in vibrant churches securing their long-term viability and strengthening their ability to serve their communities We hope we can shift the conversation for priests and parishioners — from one of constant fundraising to one of renewal Restoration of the basilica is expected to take three years In addition to the complete restoration of the basilica and parish facilities the project will include a new outdoor pavilion The $50 million restoration and endowment secure the building’s preservation freeing up priests and church leaders to focus on providing spiritual guidance and fostering a sense of community among the parishioners who will be installed as the sixth Archbishop of Detroit on March 18 also expressed his enthusiastic support of the effort It is a remarkable example of how creative and faithful stewardship can ensure the preservation of our sacred heritage while advancing our mission.” 1701 —  two days after Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac and his companions established the settlement of Fort Ponchartrain du Détroit — making it the second oldest continuously operating parish in the United States is the eighth church constructed for the use of the parish community The building was granted the title of “minor basilica” by Pope Francis in 2020 in recognition of its heightened liturgical activity and its architectural stature It stands today as the home of an active parish bilingual neighborhood in southeast Detroit by the Pulte Family Charitable Foundation is a Vatican-approved funding model created to restore and endow vibrant Catholic churches The model is the first of its kind in the world in faith-based fundraising and shifts ownership of church buildings and campuses to a newly created nonprofit organization created solely for this purpose with The Catholic Initiative assuming responsibility for renovating and maintaining the property going forward while the parishes or schools retain exclusive and permanent rights to use the property without risk of vital funds being redirected to other purposes The model also creates a dedicated endowment to guarantee a reliable For more information, visit  thecatholicinitiative.org FALL RIVER — St. Anne’s Shrine is not only moving ahead with ongoing renovations; they want the historic Roman Catholic monument whose twin spires punctuate Fall River’s skyline to be lauded as an international tourist destination It’s a stunning space that has one of the largest pipe organs in New England,” Gauvin said Historic diner: Fall River's Nite Owl soars to next round for preservation funding. Here's where it stands. The ‘last phase’ of restoration is underwayIn a productive meeting with CPC members Anne’s Shrine Preservation Society secured funding to restore and repoint the shrine’s original Vermont marble exterior walls “We’re in the process of restoring the north side,” Gauvin said, which is adjacent to the former Dominican Academy on Park Street “is being paid for by somebody who left us half of their estate.” Restoration of the building's north side should wrap up by late November or early December “I've never restored a $100 million building,” Gauvin said citing the significance of this makeover and the legacy of the structure commending his team of inspectors and the craftsmanship dating back to the early 20th century Gauvin added that the upper church space and towers are in “perfect” condition, and have been since 1906, when the shrine atop the hill — then, a parish — opened for worship Once sealant is reapplied to the exterior to prevent weathering that could threaten the building's structural integrity the shrine will be protected for another 50 to 75 years Saving historic buildings: Two groups will figure out a plan for Fall River's Bank Street Armory that you’re putting it to use,” said John Brandt referring to previous funding the restoration project had garnered from the CPC Private funding will pay for additional costs. To supplement expenses, the shrine sells $6,000 worth of candles each month. The Rev. Kenneth Sicard, Providence College’s president and a Westport native funded the restoration of the lower-level chapel Commenting on widespread notoriety of the updates plus the shrine’s longstanding history and significance to the French Canadian community over the past century appointed member of the CPC for the Planning Board nudged discussion toward the prospect of international tourism during the meeting The aim to beautify the shrine coincides with the effort to create a sustainable working business model Farias mentioned the success and prestige of Notre-Dame Basilica’s musical performances and light shows Anne’s Shrine could host similar attractions The Notre-Dame Basilica is exemplar of a public-private partnership with the diocese that St 'Source of strength': Fall River Diocese turns 120 years old, serving its people Anne’s Shrine is on its way to becoming a destination for local and international tourism He said the upper church is believed to be able to seat 2,000 people The next meeting for projects eligible to receive funding is set for Jan with CPC’s deliberations concluding by Jan we would like to see that building still going strong,” said Brandt echoing the sentiments of many who are keen for a glimpse once the upper church is open Laura Stigger second in XCO while short-track winner Sina Frei comes third in final round of series "I made some space and I tried to attack when I was the best and it was in the steep part," said Lecomte in a series media release "It’s not the first climb of the lap but it was one of the first and she was a little bit more tired than me." The runner-up spot for Stigger was enough to put the Austrian into second place on the overall behind series winner Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon) who had an unassailable lead heading into the final round Results powered by FirstCycling She joined Cyclingnews as a Production Editor at the start of the 2021 season and has now moved into the role of Australia Editor Previously she worked as a freelance writer Australian Editor at Ella CyclingTips and as a correspondent for Reuters and Bloomberg Cycling was initially purely a leisure pursuit for Simone but in 2015 her career focus also shifted to the sport.