SEATS REMAIN FOR FREE ROAD TRIP

About 25 spots remain for a free bus trip to St. Mary's of the Barrens on Memorial Day.

The trip is part of the second annual French Heritage Festival scheduled Monday on the grounds of the Common Pleas Courthouse in Cape Girardeau.

Dr. Michael Roark, a professor at Southeast Missouri State University, will lead the bus trip.

He said the collections at St. Mary's of the Barrens in Perryville include antique furniture, Dresden porcelain and glass paperweights that can't be found anywhere else in the area.

One of the collections was the gift of a Los Angeles millionaire in the 1950s, he said. The Countess Estelle Doheny Museum is in the French Rococo style that flourished in France during the reigns of Louis XV and Louis XVI. There are about 200 glass paperweights that date back to the middle of the 19th century. There are also a number of pieces from the famous porcelain factory at Meissen, near Dresden.

Roark said the group will also visit the rare book room and see copies of pages of the Gutenberg Bible.

"There's also an illuminated manuscript from Paris in vellum. The pages are thin pieces of leather," he said. "This is really an amazing collection for this area."

The tour will last about 90 minutes, excluding travel time to and from Perryville.

St. Mary's of the Barrens is also home to the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. In 1832 when the first Medals were distributed in Paris, St. Mary's of the Barrens Church was being completed in the wilderness of Missouri.

The church and museums attract several thousand visitors each year, according to Sue Winkler, pilgrimage coordinator at St. Mary's.

"We have had visitors from all the states and several foreign countries," she said.

The church itself dates back to 1827, which makes it one of the oldest churches west of the Mississippi, she said. The church is on the National Register of Historic Places.

And while the church and grounds are open to the public every day of the year, a tour guide is needed to view the museums. That's why Monday's tour provides an unique opportunity for area residents, Winkler said.

Those interested in reserving a spot on the tour should call 1-800-777-0068 as soon as possible.

Financial assistance for the French Heritage Festival has been provided by the Missouri Arts Council, the Missouri Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities.