They come seeking healing…of spiritual and emotional hurts. They come seeking hope…to add understanding to their lives. They leave…refreshed and renewed.

They have experienced the Shrine, an oasis of healing and hope amidst a bustling metropolitan area. The largest outdoor Marian Shrine in North America, it provides an atmosphere where people of all faiths can deepen their relationship with God and one another. More than a motto, healing and hope is the core of the ministry at the Shrine.

Back in 1958, two Missionary Oblate priests, Fr. Edwin J. Guild and Fr. Floyd Boeckman, began to dream. Devotion to Mary under the title of Our Lady of the Snows was attracting thousands of pilgrims to an annual novena at St. Henry’s Seminary in Belleville, Illinois. As this novena grew, they realized the seminary could not accommodate the throngs of worshippers. A new site was needed.
Eighty acres on bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River Valley were purchased in 1958, with help from the newly formed Layman’s Association. Landscaping began, to enhance the natural beauty of the site. Roads were graded and surfaced. Next came the job of translating architectural designs to stone and mortar which formed the Shrine Amphitheatre and Lourdes Grotto, two devotional areas enjoyed by pilgrims even today.

Over the ensuing 47 years, the Shrine has grown to its present 200 acres, offering healing and hope to visitors at many devotional sites. The Outdoor Amphitheatre hosts large crowds for special liturgies and events. Visitors tour the Way of the Cross with its 14 outdoor stations of the cross, stop to reflect at the Agony Garden, and attend services at the Shrine Church. They meditate at the Lourdes Grotto, which replicates the famous Sacred Grotto in France.
As Cardinal Francis George, O.M.I., has said, “The Shrine is a perfect icon of the Oblate Charism.” This is because beyond the inspirational sites, the Shrine ministries reach out toward the community. We get involved.

We minister to youth with age-appropriate events, to those with physical and visual disabilities, and to a growing Hispanic population. Through special events, we celebrate various holidays and cultures. Our support ministries meet the spiritual needs of those dealing with death, divorce, or separation.
Our Shrine ministry is based upon a deep belief in Jesus Christ and His ministry of healing and hope. Our mission is to ensure that visitors will experience a strengthening of their faith, a rekindling of their hope, and an increase of their love for God and neighbor. The dream of founders Fr. Guild and Fr. Boeckman, to provide healing and hope to the world, is being realized.