2007 Photo of Assumption Grotto by Jay McNallyThe Grotto has been a very popular pilgrimage site for 125 years, with stories being told of very long lines of visitors on feast days decades ago, and of some miraculous cures. Many colorful ceremonies, especially on Marian feast days are held at the grotto.
The parish celebrates its feast day on August 15, the Feast of the Assumption, with a full day of devotions, hourly Masses, and wonderful meals and social activities. Needless to say, there are no beer tents, bingo tables, and carnival rides at Assumption Grotto’s annual festival. The feast- day ceremonies at the outdoor Grotto are a major attraction, with usually more than 1,000 attending both outdoor Masses, at noon and at 7 p. m. The evening Mass is followed by a solemn candlelight procession around the cemetery and parish grounds. Attendance some years has topped 20,000.
For those familiar with The Wanderer, and those not familiar, they have finally dropped into the 21st century and are now providing the full weekly edition in their brand new website. You can read this, and many other articles, including an online archive.
However, it requires a paid subscription. You can get credit for 3 free online issues (including this May 31, 2007 edition) to see if it is of interest to you. You can apply the credits against any current issue, or from several past issues. All you do is sign up with an email address and password - no credit card is required for the 3 credits. Just follow the link below to the homepage and then click the link in the left sidebar for the "E-Edition" to try it out.
Fr. Zuhlsdorf - aka "Fr. Z" has been writing the column "What Does the Prayer Really Say?" for many years now in that small Catholic newspaper. He later took his articles to the internet via Catholic Online forums, and then it gave birth to his blog of the same name.
Go read Fr. Z's introduction to The Wanderer Online-Edition
