A Place of Sanctuary
Bringing The Grotto to You
Daily Spiritual Reflection

“You follow me.” (John 21:22). Three words that will change a life forever.

The Apostles Peter, Andrew, James and John heard these words from Jesus and left everything to follow him. It was not the words, but the love behind the words that gave the four the courage to follow Jesus. They asked no questions or wanted time to put their affairs in order. He called and they immediately followed.

They never knew love like this. Jesus’ love went past the questions of their minds, through the doubts of their hearts and past the sin on their souls to the deep place where their faith resided. Here Jesus loved them deeply to see the potential of their lives which they could not see. In following Jesus, they wanted what He could give though it would take Jesus’s death and resurrection for them to see in themselves what Jesus saw. When they saw what Jesus saw, their lives were never the same.

Don’t we all yearn for the same experience of love? A love that reaches deeply into our lives that we can see and believe the potential which lies there? Following Jesus is the adventure of growing into the best version of ourselves. When we follow Jesus through our questions, giving him our doubts and repenting of our sins then our best self can brightly shine.

The journey which Jesus takes with us is on the road of love which reminds us that our goodness lies in God in whose image and likeness we are created. The potential of Jesus’s love resides deep within our lives. Today he says to us “you follow me”. He calls us to a journey of love that renews, empowers and strengths us in the Holy Spirit.

Will you follow Jesus with the intensity of faith with which He loves you?

Fr. Don Siple, OSM, Rector of The Grotto
Light a Candle at The Grotto

Purchase a candle to be lighted at The Grotto while we are closed. 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.

Bringing The Grotto to You

This week we are delighted to be making another step toward reopening. Following the strict guidelines set out by the Archdiocese of Portland, we will celebrate Mass this Sunday, at 10 a.m. and 12 noon in the Chapel of Mary. Under these guidelines there is a strict attendance limit, and those attending must be registered in advance for contact tracing and crowd control. We can only sign up 21 people per Mass so we are asking that you sign up for only one Mass per four week period.


Last week The Grotto Gift Shop reopened following the governor's guidelines. Click here to view shopping guidelines and temporary hours.

In the meantime, we hope you continue to enjoy our daily emails until The Grotto is ready to fully open our gates.
Day 75: The Leaves
The Leaves

The Grotto is a 62-acre sanctuary in the middle of the city. Beautiful art and architecture is nestled among scenic gardens and lush forests. The birds sing and the air is fresh. It is a place of solitude, peace and prayer.

Visitors to The Grotto are surrounded by the colorful palette of nature. Our winding paths lead you through a mile and a half of flowers, shrubs and trees.

The wonder of the needles and leaves in the spring reminds us all of new life. We praise God for the glorious gift of nature.
A Message from Pope Francis

“Rivers do not drink their own water; trees do not eat their own fruit; the sun does not shine on itself and flowers do not spread their fragrance for themselves. Living for others is a rule of nature. We are all born to help each other. No matter how difficult it is … life is good when you are happy, but much better when others are happy because of you.”
Preparing for Renewal

Leaves change color in transition from autumn to winter. These changes prepare for new growth - spring. Let us all remember that change-transition-pain is a sign that we are alive. Problems are a sign that we are strong, and prayer is a sign we are not alone.
A Palette of Nature

We hope you enjoy this snapshot of the some of the wonderful colors and textures of the leaves and needles found at The Grotto.
A Leaf for all Seasons

We hope you enjoyed this tour of the colors and textures of nature. We invite you all to come visit The Grotto throughout the year. The colors and textures are always changing. We hope to reopen very soon.
Mass Enrollment Cards
Perpetual Enrollment in The Grotto’s Guild of Masses and Prayer honors yourself, your family or your loved ones, and provides support for The National Sanctuary of Our Sorrowful Mother.

Purchase a Gift Certificate

Not sure what to get someone? Or perhaps you would just like to support The Grotto during our closure?

A Gift Certificate to The Grotto Gift Shop is a great gift. It can be used to purchase admission to the Upper Gardens, candles or store merchandise.

 Shop Online

Check out our online shop if you are unable to visit. And if you don't see something you are interesting in our online shop, feel free to contact our Director of Retail Operations by clicking here and we can make arrangements.
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
Feast of Our Lady at the Foot of the Cross
The Rose Garden
Palm Sunday, The Christus Garden

Week 4
Crosses and Crucifixes
Sacred Heart Statue
Angels of The Grotto
Holy Thursday of The Lord's Supper
Good Friday, Stations of the Cross
Holy Saturday, Via Matris
Easter Sunday

Week 5
The Forest
Blessing of the Animals
Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine
Colors of The Grotto
Mysteries of the Rosary
Lighting a Candle
Chapel of Mary

Week 6
Come to the Water
Our Lady of Lavang Shrine
Celebrating God's Creation
Our Lady of Lourdes
The Labyrinth
Looking Out a Window
How The Grotto Began

Week 7
The Cliff and Elevator
Lithuanian Wayside Shrine
The Grotto by the Numbers
Music at The Grotto
May Flowers
Take a Closer Look
Outdoor Mass

Week 8
The Feast of St. Peregrine
Celebrating Your Favorites
A Year at The Grotto
The Seven Holy Founders
Views and Perspectives
The Rhododendrons
Mother's Day at The Grotto

Week 9
Twilight at The Grotto
The Peace Pole
Our Lady of Czestochowa Polish Shrine
A Seat Waiting for You
The Murals
Mosaics of The Grotto
The Chapel Saints

Week 10
The Grotto Gift Shop
The Servite Mission
Architecture of The Grotto
A Retreat at The Grotto
The Visitor Center
Arriving at The Grotto
Sr. Ruth's Well

Week 11
Celebrating Memorial Day
A Gallery in the Woods
Hope and Healing
The View
The Grotto Plaza
Today: The Leaves
The Grotto
The National Sanctuary of Our Sorrowful Mother

NE 85th & Sandy Blvd.
Portland, Oregon

503-254-7371