One of the real treasures in Portland is the beautiful Sanctuary of Our Sorrowful Mother, commonly known as The Grotto, which opened in 1924. It was the dream of a Servite priest, Father Ambrose Mayer, who had promised God that, if his mother recovered from serious illness following the birth of a young daughter, he would do something great for the church when he grew up. When he became a Servite priest he kept looking for the opportunity to fulfill that promise. The Grotto is the happy result of that search.
Over the years the sanctuary, which is a national shrine, continued to stress devotion to Our Sorrowful Mother who is the patroness of the Servite Order (Servants of Mary) and of motherhood. St. Joseph is the co-patron of the Order, not surprisingly because of his concern and prayer for the Holy Family.
This year the Servite community worldwide is observing its 775th anniversary. A special celebration will be taking place at The Grotto on the evening of Aug. 15, the feast of Mary’s Assumption. There will be, of course, a celebration of the Holy Day Eucharist followed by a candlelight rosary ceremony. Servite Father Jack Topper continues in his role as director of the shrine, now in his 19th year.
The history of the Servants of Mary is an interesting one. Before the Order ever existed, seven prosperous men in the city of Florence, Italy gathered to honor Mary, the Mother of God. They eventually left their comfortable homes and went to live together in poor surroundings outside the city walls. Their obvious prayerful and penitential presence attracted many people. They decided to move away to more peaceful surroundings and established a hermitage at Monte Senario. These seven men eventually became known as “The Friar Servants of Mary.” The bishop of Florence later on approved the group as a religious order.
The Servites came to the United States in 1852 when one of the members began working among German-speaking Catholics on the East Coast. His name was Father Antoninus Grundner. At his death the community was still lacking a permanent foundation in our country, but eventually Chicago became the center of Servite activity and the American Province was established in 1909. Servites can be found today in nearly all the countries of this hemisphere. They also have established communities in Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia. Here in Portland we are especially grateful that through Father Mayer they found their way here. They have been a great gift for our church’s evangelizing mission.
Two of our parishes, one in Redland and the other in Creswell, are named after Servite Saint Philip Benizi. He was among the first followers of the seven holy founders and was eventually elected Prior General of the community. Because of his strong influence we are told that he was considered a “father of the Order.” His feast is celebrated on Aug. 23.
Another Servite saint, who has attracted the following of many, is St. Peregrine. The Servites promote and sustain the St. Peregrine ministry of healing and compassion. Here at our Portland Grotto a special St. Peregrine Mass is offered on the first Saturday of each month at noon in the Chapel of Mary. There the relic of St. Peregrine is offered for veneration. The Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick is made available to the chronically or seriously ill and to the elderly frail. People come from far and near, especially those suffering from cancer, and their families come to pray for healing.
Before joining the Servites, Peregrine Laziosi was an activist in the anti-papal movement in the Italian city of Forli. St. Philip Benizi at that time went to Forli to preach reconciliation. Peregrine even heckled Philip during his preaching but St. Philip forgave him. That encounter changed Peregrine dramatically. He turned to good works and finally joined the Servants of Mary in Siena, Italy. He spent the rest of his life in the service of the sick, the poor and the outcast.
Peregrine himself eventually was diagnosed with cancer. He suffered from a serious leg wound and the local surgeon decided to amputate his leg. Peregrine prayed before the image of the crucified Christ and on the morning of his surgery he was healed and his leg was saved. He actually lived another 20 years dying about the age of 80. He is officially designated as the patron saint of those suffering from cancer.
During this jubilee year the Servite presence continues at The Grotto. The friars live in a monastery off the sanctuary property on Beech Street. The priests and brothers in residence are the heart and soul of the evangelizing ministry of the sanctuary. Shrines like The Grotto are special places of prayer for pilgrims on a daily basis. I encourage you during this jubilee year to visit Portland’s Grotto. While you are there, say a prayer for the Servites themselves and ask the Lord for the greatest jubilee gift possible, an increase in vocations to their community.
I hope that many of our people will come to celebrate this jubilee with The Servites and me on the evening of the feast of the Assumption, Aug. 15, at 7:30 p.m. Congratulations, dear friars. You lift the hearts of many and lead us all to Jesus through Mary.
