Honoring sacred places

For Betty Lundby, the grotto resting on the site of the former parish of St. Boniface Parish is much more than just a breathtaking, immense stone structure. It is a testimony to the faith that has carried across generations, as well as a reminder of just how pious and tenacious our Catholic ancestors really were. Known as the “Grotto of St. Boniface,” this lovely mini-pilgrimage site rests next to St. Boniface Cemetery south of Grenora, a small town tucked away in the northwestern corner of the diocese.
           
“My father, Joe Gelter, was about nine years old when they built the grotto,” Betty shared. “He would talk about how he loved to ride on the ‘stone boats’ that they would load the stones on to bring them over to the grotto. When I was young, I went to CCD out there in the summers with nuns that traveled in from Bismarck. That was when St. Boniface Parish and rectory were there. I have such fond memories of that place!”
           
Truly, the grotto reminds us that, “The Lord shall reign forever: thy God, O Sion, unto generation and generation,” (Psalm 145:10).
           
“Over the years, I have brought my children and grandchildren out to visit the grotto, and I still go out there every summer when they have Mass,” she said. “It has been an important part of our family for a long time. My parents are buried behind the grotto as well. They were quiet people, but they had a lot of faith. They definitely lived it.”
           
Erected in 1931

The grotto was erected in 1931 in honor of the Blessed Mother. It was diligently constructed by farmers under the guidance of the Poeckes brothers, who were stone masons from Luxembourg, where they learned their trade.
           
“The grotto is a wonderful testament of the great dedication of those who came before us; of their beautiful faith and hard work,” observed Fr. Russ Kovash, pastor of St. Joseph in Williston, and the parishes of St. Boniface in Grenora and St. John the Baptist in Trenton. “The grotto was built during the years of the Depression as a prayer to God for help. By making it, they said, ‘Lord, we praise and glorify You, and we trust in Your providence.’”
           
According to Fr. Kovash, religious landmarks such as these are a critical reminder to us today of what it means to simply surrender our lives to Christ and follow Him with child-like spirits.
           
“These days, so many of us live really frantic, busy lives, filled with material goods and advancements,” Fr. Kovash said. “Life is more complicated now. I think it is harder for us to really rely on the providence of God nowadays because we have countless things going on, not to mention blessings coming out of our ears. We have so many things to rely on, other than God. This all makes it harder to believe in Him.”
           
The mere sight of it inspires the heart to sincere prayer and a sense of humble silence before God.
           
“Back then, they had such a genuine trust in God,” Fr. Kovash said. “When they built it, there was more poverty and simplicity in daily life, which encouraged people to really cling to God and say, ‘Lord, we have nothing but You.’ But today, people don’t think they need to pray as much, and they tend to fall into the attitude of, ‘God, I'll call you if I need you.’”
           
Impressively, the St. Boniface Grotto is just one of numerous shrines and grottoes located around our diocese which keep the torch of the traditional Catholic faith afire amid the darkness of the world around.
           
“These grottoes and shrines signify how important the faith really was to the Catholics before us, and how integral it was to their lives,” Fr. Kovash said. “They would gather at them to pray for the necessities of life and show their dependence on Him. By honoring these sacred places, we are carrying on the faith and traditions of our ancestors who established these beautiful places to be used.”
           
Each June on the Feast of St. Boniface, a Mass is offered inside the grotto, followed by a picnic.
           
“The grotto is enclosed, so we don't have to worry if it rains,” Fr. Kovash said. “And the picnic is held out on the middle of the open prairie. It's amazing! There is such peace that comes from being in God's creation, out in the middle of the prairie and in the beauty of nature.”
           
By taking care of spiritual riches such as these in our diocese, we will be able to share the heavenly wonders of our holy faith for years to come. As the psalmist said, “Thou hast taught me, O God, from my youth: and till now I will declare thy wonderful works. And unto old age and gray hairs: O God, forsake me not, until I shew forth thy arm to all the generation that is to come: Thy power,” (Psalm 70:17-18).

A brief history of St. Boniface Parish
           
Father S.J. Arsenault celebrated the very first Mass in Grenora in 1908, but because there was no church building at the time, it was offered at nearby houses and in the local school. Saint Boniface was a mission parish of St. Joseph in Williston from 1910 to 1914. On June 18, 1912, Bishop Vincent Wehrle and two lay trustees signed the articles of incorporation formally establishing St. Boniface Parish. In 1912, the construction of the church began at Gladys, a tiny village southeast of Grenora, near the current grotto and cemetery. At that location, the first Mass was celebrated in the fall of 1913. It served as the parish church until 1962, when the present church was built in the town of Grenora. The rectory was the first building constructed in 1950, and the church was added under the direction of the pastor, Fr. Al Leary. It remains a mission parish in our diocese today.