A significant historical and religious piece of Holley is poised to take on a new form as the rock grotto which graces St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church is undergoing the process of being disassembled. The grotto was erected in the late 1930s to early 1940s under the direction of then newly appointed pastor Father Felix McCabe. His appointment came June 29, 1938 and one of his first acts as pastor was to install a statue of Our Blessed Lady in the niche high over the main front doors of the church. The statue was a gift from Father James Ennis, one of the boys from the parish and Father McCabe. Later, with the help of parishioners, Father McCabe undertook the task of erecting a replica of the grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes, to whom he had a particular devotion and whose original shrine in France he had visited during a pilgrimage. The shrine was blessed many times over by both presiding and visiting priests and was a center point for spiritual ceremonies over the many years it has graced the building, notably May Crownings of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The grotto is built of hundreds of pocked limestone rocks and in the early part of its history was adorned with statues of St. Mary and St. Bernadette. Church officials and parishioners are now facing the task of disassembling the grotto as time has taken its toll. The statues perished due to vandalism years ago and the rocks of the grotto have become loose and are a safety hazard, according to church officials. Rocks from the grotto will be available for sale to the public with the funds raised being used toward church projects. The rocks would make a historic addition to any garden or landscape or could be kept as a keepsake of the memory of the grotto of the Lady of Lourdes. The rocks will be available to pick up on Saturday, May 1 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and come in sizes ranging from fist size to being large enough to be a focal point of garden landscaping. Prices begin at $1. "This is a great opportunity to take ownership of some of these beautiful pocked limestone rocks and to take ownership of a piece of history of St. Mary Church," a church spokesperson said. "It will also be an opportunity to donate to the maintenance fund to keep this beautiful carved stone church - a piece of notable historical significance, into the future of all who worship here and to the Holley community." Rocks will also be available after the May 1 pick up date. Information can be obtained by calling the rectory at 638-6718. The church is located at 11 South Main Street, Holley. |
