St Raphael Community Comes Together To Build Grotto

Fr. Jose Valliparambil, pastor of St. Raphael's Catholic Church, had a vision. Five years ago, in 2018, he asked Perry Shorten if he could build a grotto to honor Jesus' mother, Mary. He said, "Yes," and the masonry project located east of St. Raphael Parish Center, was begun. It was completed by Aug. 15 the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in time for dedication by the Most Reverend Bishop Michael Warfel.

As you drive by the St. Raphael Church grounds on 3rd Avenue North your eyes may be drawn to a white marble statue against a bright blue sky, enshrouded in a cave of stone. The stone structure is called a"grotto" which is defined as "a small picturesque cave, especially an artificial one in a park or garden. It is a cavelike shrine." A shrine often has a particular focus of devotion, and our St. Raphael Grotto is meant to honor Mary and inspire deeper reflection. Our statue is of Our Lady of Lourdes who appeared to St. Bernadette in France. It was purchased by a parishioner. It is dedicated to all mothers. And all in our community are invited to follow the winding path leading to the grotto, and to rest on the benches in prayerful reflection to the the peaceful trickling of fountain water.

We began work on the grotto having no qualified masonry experience and we developed the necessary skills along the way. God qualified the called, just as the artisans in the time of Jesus learned from working with their hands. Shorten designed, engineered and built the grotto with his wife, Sheila, who assisted him as a stone mason and artist. A Grotto Squad of "hands on helpers" contributed their hard work and talent over the five years to create the cobbled walk, pour concrete, and lay stone. Our Grotto Squad includes: Nancy and Josie Braaten, Connie Cannon, Tom Grant, Terri and Ralph Ellsworth, Drake Molina, Rex, Dexter and Kim Monson, Matt Stevenson, Harry Murphy and Fern Vosen.

People in our community have wondered for years, "What is going on there?" as they watched the grotto work progress in stages from Spring through Fall. It has been a process! Shorten started the grotto project by creating a model, then we poured the formed sidewalk that winds its way to the grotto, the concrete slab base for the grotto was poured and the internal weight bearing wooden structure was created. Grotto stones, brought in from their fields by Parishioners, were set in grout layer upon layer, month after month, and the arch was created by the end of 2022. During the summer of 2023 the pads for the benches were poured, two benches were installed, a sidewalk was poured around the grotto, the inside of the arch was completed by sealing the stones and the artistic background was painted.

The final challenge was to move the 700 lb. marble statue from the garage to the front of the grotto, hoist it vertically to the height of the cave entrance, and move her horizontally into the grotto. Shorten designed and built an elevator scaffolding with chain hoists to elevate her. He built a second scaffolding that would enable the statue to be moved into the grotto cavity. We met as a group Saturday morning, Aug. 12, anticipating success and determined to overcome any setbacks. Shorten was assisted in the moving and installation of the statue by three essential team members: Tom Grant, Dexter Monson and Harry Murphy. There were some tense moments and with prayer, muscle and humor, Mary was set securely in her new home. Her official unveiling on the evening of Aug. 15 was a beautiful reward for all who participated in creating the grotto as a place for meditation and prayer that is open to all.