Grotto of Our Lady of
Lourdes
The Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes is the
largest shrine here at St. Bonaventure. It is located south of
Plassmann
Hall in the direction of the athletic fields.
In 1924 the clerics of St. Bonaventure decided to drain a swamp which was
located on campus, and turn it into a grotto. With
the help of the students at St. Bonaventure, they began collecting rocks from all over
campus, and built the Grotto piece by piece. Inspiration for the shrine came
from
Rev. Walter Hammon, O.F.M, author of
The First St. Bonaventure Men. Construction was
completed by 1925.
The grotto under construction in 1924
The grotto under construction in 1924
Within the shrine is a statue of
Mary, Our Lady of Lourdes, which is still being taken care of by maintenance crews;
but the shrine itself is no longer tended to as it once was. The trees
and bushes which surround the grotto are still growing strong, but the flowers
and ornaments which at one point decorated the grotto no longer exist.
The grotto has always been used for
outdoor ceremonies and masses, notably by the football teams before their games, and is still used
today.
Renovations for the Grotto began in Spring 2016 thanks to donations from the Class of 1964, 1965, and 2015. The renovations included new steps, wheelchair access, speaker connection, built in seating, birdhouses, the addition of a St. Francis statue and new landscaping. The stonework of the statue itself was also restored. The seating space was crafted from old steps of Butler Memorial Hall, and the stepped walkway was made from old stone taken from the University Chapel in Doyle Hall. The restoration work has made the Grotto a space for education, reflection, and prayer. It has become a place where classes and gatherings can be held.
Warynicia, Louis. "Grotto of our Lady of Lords" Shrines : 15.
Kulakowski, Edmund A. "Shrines of St. Bonaventure." Vox Regis.
March 1962: 8-9.
Last updated:
July 11, 2018
