If you happen to be in the city known for Fenway Park, the Freedom Trail and a marathon that draws people from around the world, you might consider visiting a lesser-known but even more inspiring site.

Inside the bustling shopping center of Boston’s 52-floor Prudential Center, tucked away next to a Dunkin’ Donuts, is the St. Francis Chapel, run by the Oblates of the Virgin Mary.

The chapel’s mission is to provide a place of worship where people often find themselves, especially those who work or shop in the historic Back Bay of Boston. It is a place to find peace in the middle of a busy day, in a busy world.

Last year, I had the opportunity to visit, pray and attend Mass in the chapel.

Not only was I spiritually renewed through the graces that flow through the Blessed Sacrament, but I was encouraged to see the chapel quickly fill up for morning Mass. It was a joy to be surrounded by people who were putting Christ at the forefront of their day and taking a pause before the rest of the day’s activities.

The St. Francis Chapel also provides an opportunity to venerate the first class relics of three saints and ask for their intercession.

The chapel’s “Saints of Mercy” relics include a bone of St. Faustina as well as pieces of St. John Paul II’s and St. Maximilian Kolbe’s hair. This place of worship offers three daily Masses, 10 weekend Masses, more than four hours of reconciliation opportunities every day, and eucharistic adoration hours throughout the week.

This oasis of calm in a city center has counterparts in other cities — including Minneapolis-St. Paul.

Downtown Minneapolis is home to St. Olaf, with a mission that includes serving “as a living sign of Christ’s saving presence in the heart of the city.”

St. Olaf offers 17 Masses every week, is easily accessible and connected to the skyway system. Mass is celebrated at 7 a.m. and noon Monday through Friday, with the sacrament of reconciliation offered after each morning Mass and after the noon Mass on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.

If you’re in St. Paul, consider visiting the Church of St. Louis, King of France, which has been downtown for more than 125 years. The parish offers Masses Monday through Friday at 6:45 a.m. and 12:10 p.m., and daily confessions before Mass at 6:15 a.m. and 11:15 a.m.

Certainly, every parish around the world offers Masses, reconciliation — all the sacraments in our sacramental Church — as well as eucharistic adoration, faith formation, opportunities to advance social justice and form community.

But in the midst of a full day, in the middle of St. Paul, I recently paid a lunch-break visit to St. Louis for the sacrament of reconciliation.

I arrived right at the start of confession time and already there were 10 people in line ahead of me, and about half of them were young adults. By the time I made it through the line and left the chapel, at least five more people were in line behind me, including a co-worker.

That simple afternoon experience left me deeply grateful for the opportunity to dive into the graces of the Catholic Church and arrive back in my office within an hour.

The next time you find yourself in one of our restless city centers, look for one of these refuges.

As St. Francis de Sales said, “Every one of us needs half an hour of prayer a day, except when we are busy — then we need an hour.”

Where will you find space for your time of prayer?

Parent, a member of St. Mark in St. Paul, is a freelance writer and an evangelization manager in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis’ Office of Evangelization.