March 3, 2010
New grotto honors Mary
On the feast of the Presentation of the Lord, Feb. 2, Archbishop Charles Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., dedicated a new Marian shrine outside the St. John Vianney Seminary wing at the John Paul II Center, 1300 S. Steele St. in Denver.
The shrine protects a statue of Mary that had stood exposed in a small garden. Labor on the grotto was donated by Horizon West Builders and Larson Incitti Architects. Donors who made the grotto materials available include the archbishop, seminarians of St. John Vianney Theological Seminary and Deacon John Neal, vice president of finance and operations for the seminary who contributed in memory of his late wife, Donnie.
“The archbishop and seminarians thought it would be nice to give Mary a more dignified setting during this Year for Priests,” Deacon Neal said, explaining that an earlier Marian shrine, which had been built by seminarians when the facility was called St. Thomas Seminary, was torn down several years ago during renovations to the campus.
Above: Deacon Charles Parker, left, seminarians and Archbishop Chaput sing a hymn honoring Mary during the grotto dedication.
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