A Place of Sanctuary
Bringing The Grotto to You
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Daily Spiritual Reflection
Lord,
as I celebrate your Resurrection
grant me the the courage to be hopeful when I feel afraid,
calm when I am worried,
joyful when sad.
Speak loudly in my heart the words that you spoke to your disciples,
“Do not be afraid” and “I am with you always.”
Remind me frequently that your mercies are never exhausted,
but renewed every morning.
My Risen Lord, you are my hope.
Amen.
Daily Spiritual Reflections are provided by Fr. Don Siple, OSM, Rector of The Grotto. To view reflections for additional days,
please click here
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Light a Candle at The Grotto
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Purchase a candle to be lighted at The Grotto.
Your candle will burn for seven days in the outdoor cradles by The Grotto.
Your support will help The Grotto continue its ministry through this difficult time.
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Bringing The Grotto to You
We will continue to share a piece of The Grotto with you each day until Masses resume and our gardens open. We hope this feature brings you joy.
Please share our emails
with friends and family. Help spread the word that The Grotto is here, and looking forward to the glorious day when we can reopen our gates.
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Day 30: Blessing of the Animals
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Blessing of the Animals
Today we thought we would share one of our special events with you, the annual Blessing of the Animals.
This event began in 1984, in recognition of the joy that animals bring to human lives.
Every year on the third Sunday in July, we gather for a short service and a blessing. People and pets of all faiths are welcome.
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We give thanks
We give thanks for the joy, the beauty, the love, the fidelity, the encouragement and the comfort that our animal companions have given to us.
With joy we share these memories of blessings past, when we got to meet some wonderfully furry (and feathered and scaled) friends.
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A Prayer for All Creatures
Gracious and Ever-loving God,
In your infinite wisdom when you created the universe, you blessed us with all living creatures.
We especially thank you for giving us our pets who are our friends and who bring us so much joy in life.
Their presence very often helps us get through trying times.
Kindly bless my pet. May my pet continue giving me joy and remind me of your power.
May we realize that as our pets trust us to take care of them, so we should trust you to take care of us, and in taking care of them, we share in your love for all creatures.
Amen.
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Dogs and cats and many more ...
While there are definitely more dogs than any other animal at the annual blessing each year, over the years we have seen dozens of different species, including llamas, iguanas, and a skunk.
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A Prayer to Protect our Pets
O God, you have redeemed all creation through the incarnation of your eternal Word.
Protect our pets, your creatures, who provide us with joy and nonjudgmental companionship.
Give us respect for all of your creation, that we may care for creation as just and humble stewards.
We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.
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Pets allowed on lower level
Did you know that pets, property restrained, are allowed in the outdoor areas of The Grotto's lower level throughout the year?
The forested trails are a lovely place to go for a walk with your companion, especially in the warm months, under the shade of the tall firs.
We hope you will visit us as soon as we reopen.
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A Prayer to Learn from all Creatures
Help us, dear God, to learn from all of your beloved creatures wild and tame.
How to live in harmony with our land; how to deal with enemies; how to live in peace with those who are unlike us; how strong is the love of a parent; how the young must learn to grow up; how to enjoy the beauty of strength and life and how to accept death.
Amen.
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Photos to make you smile ...
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Photos to make you laugh ...
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Please send us your photos
Do you have a favorite photo of a time you brought your pet to The Grotto? We would love to see them. Please email them to
events@thegrotto.org
, and we will share the photos in an upcoming feature.
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The Grotto Gift Shop is open during our closure. View our "
Curbside Shopping
" page.
The Grotto has many items for your pet, including books, key chains, and St. Francis medals.
If you do not see an item in our online shop which you would like to purchase, feel free to contact our director of retail sales by
clicking here
.
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The Series
We hope you are enjoying our daily feature
A Place of Sanctuary: Bringing The Grotto to You.
Week 1
St. Francis of Assisi
Celebrating St. Patrick's Day
St. Anne's Chapel
St. Joseph's Grove
The Marilyn Moyer Meditation Chapel
Spring in the Garden
Our Lady's Grotto
Week 2
St. Jude Thaddeus
Statue of Mary, Our Mother
The Pollinator Garden
St. Philip Benizi's Retreat
Pathways of The Grotto
St. Peregrine Shrine
The Servites
Week 3
Here Light Shines
The Peace Garden
Dambana
Looking Up
Our Lady at the Foot of the Cross
The Rose Garden
Week 4
Palm Sunday, The Christus Garden
Crosses and Crucifixes
Sacred Heart of Jesus Statue
Angels
Good Friday, Stations of the Cross
Holy Saturday, Via Matris
Easter Sunday
Week 5
The Forest
Today:
Blessing of the Animals
Tomorrow:
Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine
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The Grotto
The National Sanctuary of Our Sorrowful Mother
NE 85th & Sandy Blvd.
Portland, Oregon
503-254-7371
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