The beautiful and prayerful edifice, graced by the statue of Our Lady of Grace, was made possible by contributions of those who wish to share in the spiritual ownership through memorial gifts and the thousands of bricks engraved with the donor's names.   Bricks are always available for gift giving at $100.00 per brick. 

Contact us at stmarysgen9@aol.com

HOW IT ALL BEGAN...On August 15, 1988, the Feast of the Assumption of the blessed Mother into Heaven, Father Richard Gielow, C.M., a Vincentian Missioner, was speaking to the congregation at St. Mary Church. A devoted son of Mary, Father Dick let the words flow. He realized that the homily he was delivering was not what he had prepared. He was challenging the people there to erect a grotto in Our Lady's honor. In the congregation that day was a prominent businessman, who rarely attended mass there. He volunteered to see that funds would be available when the project began. Two coincidences? - Don’t think so! The wheels were in motion; the request lay at the door of the Pueblo Diocesan Finance Board for approval.

THE SEED WAS PLANTED...With some apparent indecision, the Pastor, Father Alan Schwab, OSB, asked the parish secretary, Bernice Krasovec and Father Gielow to seek some sign when they went to Medjugorje, Yugoslavia, that the grotto was meant to be. Caught up in the experience of that spirit-filled place, the request was almost forgotten until they attended an afternoon prayer service in Tihaljina. Father Jozo Svatko (the pastor of St. James Church at the time when the six young people professed to be having apparitions of the Blessed virgin Mary) said, "Go home and build a monument or shrine to our Lady, as those coming home from war build memorials to those who were away." It was an appropriate response. Another coincidence? The sign?

THE SEED WAS WATERED...With a basic idea and determination, six parishioners from St. Mary's, Ron Harsch, Agnes Glavich, Bernice Krasovec, Michael Occhiato, Paul Palermo, Geri Piserchio and Father Gielow, with his Provincial's approval, set out to make the project a reality. The original concept was given to an architectural firm. An employee of that firm, Tom Skul, who was also a young product of St. Mary Parish, brought fresh ideas into focus that were overwhelmingly accepted and ultimately purchased.

In order that a tangible picture of what the project would look like could be shown to the people, Committee Chairman, Ron Harsch asked Michael Trujillo to draw an artist's conception of the proposal. The picture included the layout of the walkway, the central location of our Lady's statue and the fifteen mysteries of the rosary that would be set into the brick wall encircling the prayer garden. Since the pictures of the mysteries, being created by the nationally famous artist, Dan Paulos, were not available at that time, Michael merely shaded in with the pencil the squares where the granite "mystery" slabs would be found. In one of these shaded areas clear and unexplainable appeared the Head of Christ - the perfect image of "The Crowning with Thorns" A coincidence or Jesus' signature of approval?

THE SEED WAS ROOTED...With Diocesan approval the plans were then placed in the capable hands of General Contractor, Joe Wodiuk. Groundbreaking was held on December 6th, 1992 and excavation and erection of the prayer garden began on February 23, 1993.

The majority of the construction was made possible through the major contributions of Michael and Joan Occhiato, Fred Gorsich and Louis Ursick. In addition devoted sons and daughters of Mary were given the opportunity to share in the spiritual ownership through memorial gifts of fifteen African sable granite slabs that depicted the mysteries of the rosary, fifteen bronze crosses and plaques denoting the stations of the cross, five marble meditation benches and over a thousand bricks with family or donor names engraved thereon. The statue of Our Lady that graces the center of the prayer garden was donated by the American Slovenian Catholic Union and its local branch St. Joseph Lodge KSKJ #7.

THE SEED NOW BLOOMS...On September 8, 1993, 300 faithful people gathered at St. Mary's to celebrate our Blessed Mother's birthday. Bishop Arthur Tafoya was principal celebrant at the Mass and once again Father Dick Gielow was the homilist. At the conclusion of Mass, a procession followed to the Holy Mary Mother of God Prayer Garden, where Bishop Tafoya formally blessed and dedicated the Garden.

PRAYER GARDEN UPDATE - THE YEAR 2003:
       Pope John Paul II opened the 25th year of his pontificate in October of 2002 by announcing the first major changes to the rosary in centuries.  He also urged all Christians to rediscover the "mystic profundity" the Rosary can offer in prayer and meditation; and proclaimed October 2002 to October 2003  the Year of the Holy Rosary.
       In his Apostolic Letter, Rosarium Virginis Mariae, the pope explains that a new set of five mysteries, Mystery of Light, will focus on Christ's public ministry and "bring out fully the Christological depth of the Rosary."
       The Mysteries of Light, to be added to the three existing sets of meditations, include Christ's Baptism, His self manifestation by turning water into wine at the wedding of Cana, His proclamation of the kingdom of God and call to conversion, His transfiguration, and His institution of the Eucharist.  the new meditations will follow the Joyful Mysteries recalling Christ's birth and infancy; they will precede the Sorrowful Mysteries of his suffering and death and the Glorious Mysteries of His Resurrection.
       Call the Rosary "a prayer for peace," John Paul says its revival is timely in response to last years terrorist attacks on the United States; the wave of violence that has followed; and the ongoing conflict in the Holy Land.
       The pope urges parents to teach the Rosary to children and encourage families to pray the Rosary to strengthen their relationship.
       The Rosary is divided among the days of the week, with Monday and Thursday dedicated to the Joyful Mysteries; Tuesday and Friday to the Sorrowful Mysteries; and Wednesday and Saturday and most Sundays to the Glorious Mysteries.  The pope suggests the second day of meditation on Joyful Mysteries be removed from Thursday to Saturday so that Thursday can be devoted to the new Mysteries of Light - the Luminous Mysteries.
       (condensed from Religious News Service Weekly Report 10/17/02)

       In keeping with this message from Pope John Paul II; and as a part of the Diocese of Pueblo, the Historic Southside Catholic Community and located on St. Mary's Parish grounds at 217 East Mesa Avenue, the Holy Mary Mother of God Prayer Garden erected a new brick wall to include these five new Luminous Mysteries.