Beautiful Places Close By: Visiting the Basilicas of the U.S.

When Grady Connolly set out to visit all 94 basilicas in the United States, he didn’t expect the adventure to become a test of both personal faith and endurance. Along the way, he discovered that each church tells a unique story about the growth and history of the Catholic Church in America. He captured these stories in his new book, Basilicas: A Pilgrim’s Guide to America’s Most Remarkable Churches. Grady joins the show to reflect on how this pilgrimage became much more than a vacation or sightseeing trip. It was an opportunity to encounter the beauty and goodness of God in the sacred spaces of his own homeland—and to discover how the places close by can open our hearts to something greater.

Grady J. Connolly is a content creator, entrepreneur, and the founder of Social Thomist, a social media agency working with Catholic priests, apostolates, and thinkers to evangelize and shape culture online. He works on projects that use social media and technology for human flourishing. He is the author of Basilicas: A Pilgrim’s Guide to America’s Most Remarkable Catholic Churches.

Connolly has traveled to more than twenty countries—creating content, visiting sacred sites, and sharing the joy of the faith online. He is widely known for his Basilica Pilgrimage Across America social media series, which documents visits to America’s basilicas and showcases their beauty and spiritual significance. Connolly earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from The Catholic University of America. His work has been featured in the National Catholic Register and ChurchPOP, and he has appeared as a guest on The Katie McGrady Show on SiriusXM and Ave Explores. 

Connolly resides in Washington, D.C.