Mother Cabrini Shrine
Encyclopedia
Mother Cabrini Shrine is a shrine to Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, known as Mother Cabrini, located in Golden
, Colorado
, United States.
The shrine site includes the Stone House, listed on the National Register of Historic Places
as the Queen of Heaven Orphanage Summer Camp, a 22 feet (6.7 m) statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus designed by Maurice Loriaux
, and a convent of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
, the order founded by Mother Cabrini.
but no reliable source of water, on the side of Lookout Mountain
in 1902. She negotiated the purchase of the property in 1910 to use as a summer camp for Queen of Heaven Orphanage. A small farming operation was established and operated by Sisters of the Sacred Heart
and during the summer, the camp saw groups of girls from the orphanage to enjoy the outdoors and perform farm chores.
Water was hauled up to the camp from the stream in Mount Vernon Canyon until 1912, when Mother Cabrini discovered a spring on the property. A replica of the grotto of Lourdes was built over the spring in 1929, then demolished and replaced by the current sandstone grotto in 1959. The Stone House, designed as a dormitory for the summer camp, began construction in 1912 and was completed in 1914.
The property became a pilgrimage site in 1938 following Mother Cabrini's beatification. The property was established as a shrine in 1946, the year she was canonized. In 1954, a 22 feet (6.7 m) statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, designed by Maurice Loriaux
and mounted on an 11 feet (3.4 m) base was erected at the highest point of the site. A 373-step stairway was placed, following the path Mother Cabrini took to the top of the mountain, and is taken by pilgrims today.
The summer camp closed in 1967 and the Stone House was used as a convent until a permanent convent building was completed in 1970. Today, the convent contains a chapel, meeting rooms, a gift shop, housing for the resident Sisters, and overnight accommodations for visitors.
Golden, Colorado
The City of Golden is a home rule municipality that is the county seat of Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. Golden lies along Clear Creek at the edge of the foothills of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. Founded during the Pike's Peak Gold Rush on 16 June 1859, the mining camp was...
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, United States.
The shrine site includes the Stone House, listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
as the Queen of Heaven Orphanage Summer Camp, a 22 feet (6.7 m) statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus designed by Maurice Loriaux
Maurice Loriaux
Maurice Lucien Loriaux was an important figure in the post-World War II art colony established in Santa Fe, New Mexico.-Career:...
, and a convent of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
The Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is a Roman Catholic female religious congregation, founded in 1880 by Mother Francis Xavier Cabrini....
, the order founded by Mother Cabrini.
History
Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini found the property, which had two barns and a springhouseSpring house
A spring house, or springhouse, is a small building used for refrigeration once commonly found in rural areas before the advent of electric refrigeration. It is usually a one-room building constructed over the source of a spring. The water of the spring maintains a constant cool temperature...
but no reliable source of water, on the side of Lookout Mountain
Lookout Mountain (Colorado)
Lookout Mountain is one of the larger foothills which overlooks Golden, Colorado. The Denver metropolitan area can be seen clearly from the mountain. It is known for its natural scenery and has played a major role in area recreation, transportation, water supply and telecommunications...
in 1902. She negotiated the purchase of the property in 1910 to use as a summer camp for Queen of Heaven Orphanage. A small farming operation was established and operated by Sisters of the Sacred Heart
Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
The Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is a Roman Catholic female religious congregation, founded in 1880 by Mother Francis Xavier Cabrini....
and during the summer, the camp saw groups of girls from the orphanage to enjoy the outdoors and perform farm chores.
Water was hauled up to the camp from the stream in Mount Vernon Canyon until 1912, when Mother Cabrini discovered a spring on the property. A replica of the grotto of Lourdes was built over the spring in 1929, then demolished and replaced by the current sandstone grotto in 1959. The Stone House, designed as a dormitory for the summer camp, began construction in 1912 and was completed in 1914.
The property became a pilgrimage site in 1938 following Mother Cabrini's beatification. The property was established as a shrine in 1946, the year she was canonized. In 1954, a 22 feet (6.7 m) statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, designed by Maurice Loriaux
Maurice Loriaux
Maurice Lucien Loriaux was an important figure in the post-World War II art colony established in Santa Fe, New Mexico.-Career:...
and mounted on an 11 feet (3.4 m) base was erected at the highest point of the site. A 373-step stairway was placed, following the path Mother Cabrini took to the top of the mountain, and is taken by pilgrims today.
The summer camp closed in 1967 and the Stone House was used as a convent until a permanent convent building was completed in 1970. Today, the convent contains a chapel, meeting rooms, a gift shop, housing for the resident Sisters, and overnight accommodations for visitors.
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Jefferson County, ColoradoNational Register of Historic Places listings in Jefferson County, ColoradoThis is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Jefferson County, Colorado.It is intended to be a complete list of the properties and districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Jefferson County, Colorado, United States...