Belgian Heritage Center Highlights Adele Brice’s Role in Belgian Settlements and Shares Oral History Video

Brussels, WI — The Belgian Heritage Center (BHC) is encouraging the public to explore the deep historical and cultural connections between the Belgian immigrant settlements of Northeast Wisconsin and Adele Brice through a newly featured oral history video now available on its YouTube channel.

Link to Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SU4G_b6yfY

Adele Brice holds a central place in Belgian-American heritage. For many early Belgian settlers, “The Chapel” (formally, the National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion) served as a spiritual foundation and gathering place, shaping community life and religious devotion across the settlement region. The Center’s oral history video brings together stories that illustrate how faith, family, and cultural identity were closely interwoven for these immigrant communities.

The video includes bilingual elements in English and Walloon and features a moving testimonial from Julian Romuald, who recounts being cured of a large childhood tumor — one of several personal stories tied to the long-standing traditions of faith associated with the site.

BHC is sharing this resource as interest continues to grow around the life and legacy of Adele Brice, including ongoing canonization efforts recognizing her historical and religious significance. The Center sees this as an important opportunity to educate the public about how Adele’s story connects directly to the Belgian settlement experience in Wisconsin.

For more information, follow the Belgian Heritage Center on Facebook or visit www.belgianheritagecenter.org.