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When did you first come to The Grotto?
I first visited The Grotto sometime in the 1980s, though I had no idea at the time that there was an upper level. I returned in the 1990s to attend the Christmas Festival of Lights. The Festival was much smaller then, but I remember how incredible the acoustics in the Chapel were as I listened to a choir. It wasn't until 2008, not long before I began working at the sanctuary, that I discovered the Upper Gardens.
What was your first impression?
My first impression was a sense of awe. Looking up at the cliff, with the grotto below, it was breathtaking. But honestly, that sensation has never really disappeared. Some days I will have been working in my office and I will come out into the plaza to go to another building and I will look up ... it can still take my breath away.
What is your favorite place at The Grotto?
I think there are too many to choose from. My favorite place to sit is a bench overlooking the waterfall in the Peace Garden. My favorite statues are St. Francis of Assisi, the kneeling angels, and Bernadette beneath Our Lady of Lourdes. My favorite piece of art is one of the mosaics in the Shrine to Our Lady of Guadalupe. But you could ask me this question tomorrow and I would probably have different answers. That is one of things that is so wonderful about The Grotto, it has something for everyone and for every state of mind.
Do you have any special memories?
The greatest memories for me are the interactions I have had with our visitors. Over the course of the past 16 years, I have met or spoken to people from all over the world and from all walks of life. It has enriched my life in so many ways. A particular moment I will never forget is when two couples came to The Grotto together. They were from different parts of the country, but met at a Portland hospital where each man had received a kidney from the same donor. The fact that they had chosen The Grotto to spend such meaningful time together was extremely special and moving.
What do you love most about The Grotto?
What I love most is what I do. In 2008, I wanted to transition back into the workplace after having been a stay-home mom for some time. I had no idea when I applied for a temporary job at the Christmas Festival of Lights it would lead to me finding my dream job. I'm so blessed to work alongside such wonderful colleagues and spend my day in such an incredible setting, but the greatest part is contributing to the ministry here. During the pandemic, when the sanctuary was closed for many months, we started sending out these daily emails to stay connected and to assure you the sanctuary was still there for you. At reader request, we continued the emails after we reopened. Composing these daily emails and creating the content each day has been, and continues to be, the greatest honor of my life.
Thank you.
Below: By the statue of St. Francis of Assisi in the Upper Gardens.
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