October marked the 100th anniversary of Our Lady’s Grotto on the Seton Hill University (SHU) campus. To commemorate this event, faculty and staff gathered in front of Admin on Oct. 30, to proceed down to Our Lady’s Grotto while praying the rosary. Once gathered at the grotto, the group sang the alma mater.
Built October 1914, Our Lady’s Grotto is an exact replica of a grotto at the mother house of Elizabeth Seton in Emmetsburg, Maryland. Sister Angela, a member of the Sisters of Charity at Seton Hill, led the project.
The grotto has undergone several changes over the years. When first built, there was a fountain and kneeler at the grotto. In the late 1930s, a trellis was added, as were steps leading up to the grotto. In the early 1980s, these features were no longer present, and a concrete foundation replaced the dirt flooring. A concrete wall was also built, enclosing the grotto.
“The grotto has always been a place people respected,” said William Black, SHU archivist. People have been visiting Our Lady’s Grotto for a hundred years now, and visitors are not limited to the Seton Hill community; it is common to see citizens of Greensburg at the grotto as well, praying or reflecting before the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary.