About Saint Mary Oratory in Rockford, Illinois:
As this geographic area began to lose population in the mid-20th century, this parish,. along with many others, was eventually slated to be closed. Saint Mary was confided to the care of the Institute of Christ the King, erecting it as Shrine. Having been already present in the Rockford Diocese for almost two years, Canon Rev. Brian A. T. Bovee, who was made the prior and rector, had been offering Mass for the Latin Mass Community in the chapel of the Poor Claires. In October 1997, St. Mary was officially given to the pastoral care of the Institute, with the privileges of all the ecclesiastical records. Mass was again offered on the First Sunday of Advent in the same year.
Since that time, much work has been accomplished in restoring the church to its original beauty. The sanctuary has been refurbished, the beautiful stained-glass windows re-leaded and reconditioned, the original altar rail restored to its original position, and two side altars dedicated to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, and to St. Joseph were constructed. The priory also received a complete renewal in the abstemious but elegant style of the Institute of Christ the King.
In early 2007, Bishop Doran, erected Saint Mary Shrine as a ‘public oratory’, which means that all faithful who are looking for the traditional extraordinary form of the Mass (Latin Mass), may attend the Oratory and receive the sacraments according to the 1962 rubrics. Saint Mary Oratory continues to be the spiritual home of many faithful from around Rockford and beyond, many as far away as Dixon, Pearl City, Crystal Lake, and Monroe, WI.
Saint Mary Grotto at Saint Mary Oratory in Rockford:
The Grotto was the dream of Mrs. Lena Chick, who with her husband, Thomas owned the Chick House, a hotel at South Main and Elm Streets from 1888 until 1925. After her death in 1928, members of her family carried out her wishes, and had the Grotto built in her memory.
Saint Mary Grotto is modeled after the Shrine in Lourdes, France where the Virgin Mary appeared to Bernadette Soubirous in 1858. The production of the cave-like interior of the Grotto was fashioned in the studios of the Daprate Company of Chicago; Mr. Bell of the Carian Company reconstructed the Grotto in Rockford. He was well known for his plasterwork from other public buildings in Rockford.
The windows of ruby and dark blue glass were made in the studios of the Flanigan Biedenweg Company of Chicago from fragments of glass, which Mr. Flanigan had collected in Europe from church windows destroyed during World War I.
Below the Shrine to Our Lady of Lourdes with Saint Bernadette in adoration, there is a flowing stream that is reminiscent of the miraculous stream in Lourdes. There are also shrines to Saint Theresa and Saint Anthony in the Grotto.
At the foot of the shrine, just in front of the fountain, is the tomb of the Reverend Michael E. McLaughlin: Saint Mary’s second pastor who died in 1892 at the age of 37.
Traveling to Saint Mary Oratory in Rockford, Illinois:
Rockford is in north central Illinois, about 90 miles west of Chicago. There is limited Amtrak train service from Chicago.
Address: 517 Elm St, Rockford, IL 61102
Tel: +1 815-965-5971
Email: stmaryrockford@institute-christ-king.org
Click here for the official website of Saint Mary Oratory in Rockford, Illinois.