A Place of Sanctuary
Bringing The Grotto to You
Daily Spiritual Reflection

“Peter said, “I have neither silver nor gold, but what I do have I give you: in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, rise and walk.” Acts 3:6

Earlier this week I learned that one of our Servite parishes has a group of parishioners making face masks for those that need them. I have viewed stories of families reaching out to elderly neighbors with offers of a home cooked meal. Priests are creating “make-shift” confessions in tool sheds. People are creating colorful chalk art to bring some beauty to their neighborhoods. Tired healthcare workers offer smiles and kind words to the ill. Families sharing the evening supper and playing boards games together.

All of us are no doubt feeling the weight of staying home. Our homes have become our church, our school and our workplace. In the midst of praying, learning and working we wonder what can we do to ward off the potential for boredom? The answer is easy. Find a way to safely reach out to others. Make a voice or video call to someone whom you have not spoken with in some time. Write a letter or card of encouragement to your healthcare provider or a first responder acknowledging their hard work these days. Call your priest and thank him for praying for you.

There are many ways that we can bring hope, joy and healing to others in these challenging days. It just takes the willingness to give what we have to another.

This what Peter did. He shared the gift of his faith and the crippled man walked. We have the same gift of faith. We can share it in many ways to bring healing to fearful and troubled souls. A smile and a kind word, an act of charity and the promise of prayer can lift tired souls. Like Peter, use your gift of faith. It will feel so good and lift you as well.

Fr. Don, Siple, OSM, Rector of The Grotto.
Light a Candle at The Grotto

Purchase a candle to be lighted at The Grotto.

Your candle will burn for seven days in the outdoor cradles by The Grotto.

Your support will help The Grotto continue its ministry through this difficult time.

Bringing The Grotto to You

We will continue to share a piece of The Grotto with you each day until Masses resume and our gardens open. We hope this feature brings you joy.

Please share our emails with friends and family. Help spread the word that The Grotto is here, and looking forward to the glorious day when we can reopen our gates.
Day 31: Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine
The Shrine to Our Lady of Guadalupe

This shrine is one of the newer shrines at The Grotto. Located in the Upper Gardens, the Shrine to Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Americas, is one of five wayside shrines found on the multicultural shrine path.

Other wayside shrines include the Lithuanian Shrine, Our Lady of Czestochowa Polish Shrine, Our Lady of Lavang Vietnamese Shrine, and Dambana, the Filipino Shrine.
Prayers to Our Lady of Guadalupe with Fr. Richard Boyle, OSM
A Prayer to Our Lady of Guadalupe in the time of Coronavirus.


Fr. Richard speaks about Our Lady of Guadalupe.


Espanol: A Prayer to Our Lady of Guadalupe with Fr. Richard.

The Mosaics Tell the Story

The mosaics in this shrine tell the story of Our Lady's appearance on December 12, 1531, to Juan Diego, an Aztec Indian who had converted to the Catholic faith. Mary asked that a church be built on the hill of Tepeyac. Juan Diego delivered the message to the bishop, who asked for a sign from the Virgin Mary.
The humble man returned to the place of the apparition, and once more Mary appeared to him. She told him to gather some roses in his cloak and take them to the bishop. When Juan Diego opened his cloak in front of the bishop, an image of the Virgin, just as he had seen her, appeared on the cloak. The bishop believed and a chapel was built, which marked the beginning of the devotion to Mary in the new world and the spread of the Christian faith.
Local mosaic artists Hector Hernandez and Mark Brody designed and assembled the mosaics at the shrine.
Building of the Shrine

Our Lady of Guadalupe is the Patroness of the Americas, and additionally the Patroness of the Knights of Columbus Organization.

Members of Knights Councils in Oregon coordinated the construction of this shrine in 2016, in cooperation with the local Hispanic community.
Dedication of the Shrine

The shrine was dedicated on October 29, 2016. Members of the Knights of Columbus were on hand for a special Mass and much celebration.
Cultural dancing highlighted the celebration after the Blessing and the Mass.

Click on the photos below to watch the dancing.
Prayer to Our Lady of Guadalupe  

O Virgin of Guadalupe, Mother of the Americas, grant to our homes the grace of loving and respecting life in its beginnings, with the same love with which you conceived in your womb the life of the Son of God.

Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Fair love, protect our families so that they may always be united and bless the upbringing of our children.

You are our hope, look upon us with pity, teach us to go continually to Jesus, and if we fall help us to rise again and return to him through the confession of our faults and our sins in the sacrament of penance, which gives peace to the soul.

We beg you to grant us a great love of all the holy sacraments, which are, as it were, the signs that your Son left us on earth.

Thus, Most Holy Mother, with the peace of God in our consciences, with our hearts free from evil and hatred, we will be able to bring to all others true joy and true peace, which come to us from your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns for ever and ever.

Amen.
A Lovely Spot to Stop

The shrine path is full of places to stop and reflect, or simply rest for a moment.

Across from each wayside shrine is a bench just waiting for you.
Please send us your photos

Do you have a favorite photo from The Grotto? We would love to see it.

Please send them to events@thegrotto.org . We will feature them in an upcoming edition of "Bringing The Grotto to You."
The Grotto Gift Shop

The Grotto Gift Shop is open for curbside pick-up or online shipping during our closure.

You can shop online now, or check out our new
Curbside Shopping  page on our website.

If you do not see an item in our online shop which you would like to purchase, or you would like to arrange a curbside pick-up, contact our director of retail sales by  clicking here .
Mass Enrollment Cards
Perpetual Enrollment in The Grotto’s Guild of Masses and Prayer honors yourself, your family or your loved ones, and provides support for The National Sanctuary of Our Sorrowful Mother.

The Series

We hope you are enjoying our daily feature A Place of Sanctuary: Bringing The Grotto to You.

Week 1
St. Francis of Assisi
Celebrating St. Patrick's Day
St. Anne's Chapel
St. Joseph's Grove
The Marilyn Moyer Meditation Chapel
Spring in the Garden
Our Lady's Grotto

Week 2
St. Jude Thaddeus
Statue of Mary, Our Mother
The Pollinator Garden
St. Philip Benizi's Retreat
Pathways of The Grotto
St. Peregrine Shrine
The Servites

Week 3
Here Light Shines
The Peace Garden
Dambana
Looking Up
Feast of Our Lady at the Foot of the Cross
The Rose Garden
Palm Sunday, The Christus Garden

Week 4
Crosses and Crucifixes
Sacred Heart Statue
Angels of The Grotto
Holy Thursday of The Lord's Supper
Good Friday, Stations of the Cross
Holy Saturday, Via Matris
Easter Sunday

Week 5
The Forest
Blessing of the Animals
Today : Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine
Tomorrow : Colors of The Grotto
The Grotto
The National Sanctuary of Our Sorrowful Mother

NE 85th & Sandy Blvd.
Portland, Oregon

503-254-7371