The Sorrowful Mother Shrine is a short trip from Toledo

Located near Bellevue, Ohio is the oldest place of pilgrimage dedicated to the Blessed Mother in the Midwest and east of the Mississippi River. The Sorrowful Mother Shrine is south of Bellevue on state route 269 which is about an hour drive from Toledo making it a nice daytrip for Toledo residents. A perfect get away for people seeking solace from the hectic everyday urban life or someone desiring spiritual rejuvenation.

History

The shrine was founded in 1850 by Father Francis de Sales Brunner, a missionary priest of the Most Precious Blood. The small red brick chapel was constructed on a four acre site in honor of the Sorrowful Mother. Father Brunner had initially come to Northwest Ohio with seven other priests and religious brothers to minister to the German speaking Catholics who had settled in the area. He had been sought out for his German speaking abilities learned as a child from being raised in the northwestern corner of Switzerland. He was inspired to build the chapel because of his great devotion to Mary who guided him and his priests from Germany and Switzerland safely to Ohio. The shrine soon became the centerpiece of the many missions and parishes founded by Father Brunner. It was his ultimate ambition to have a church, rectory, school, and convent in each little hamlet throughout the region. Monsignor Lawrence A. Mossing of the Toledo Diocese wrote that Father Brunner “was by far the greatest missionary in northern Ohio. His labors are far beyond imagination”.

In 1870 a larger chapel was constructed replacing the original chapel to accommodate the growing number of pilgrims attending the shrine. During those early years as is today, pilgrims make their trek to the shrine seeking spiritual guidance, healings and comfort through the intercession of the Sorrowful Mother.

In 1912 during the feast of the Assumption, the shrine chapel burned and with it the wooden carved statue of the Sorrowful Mother brought from Germany by Father Brunner. This was truly a sad loss. However in two years the chapel was rebuilt with beautiful stained glass windows with portrayals of Mary's role in the life of the Church, large ceiling paintings of the seven Sorrows of Mary by Fr. Trost, a bell tower and a newly refurbished statue of the Sorrowful Mother holding the body of her Son.

By 1968 pilgrimages to the shrine had increased substantially making it necessary to build a larger facility. That year the outdoor Pieta Chapel was constructed and dedicated which is in use to this present day along with the Sorrowful Mother Shrine Chapel which is the heart of the Shrine

Present Day

The shrine has become a devotional landmark in northwestern Ohio. Expanded from the original four acres the shrine is now situated on 120 acres of well trimmed lawns and wooded paths with over 40 points of interest including Stations of the Cross, replicas of Lourdes and Sepulcher Grotto. There is over a mile of paved walkways winding among tall and colorful oak trees leading to numerous grottoes and religious sculptures dotting the landscape. Each grotto is dedicated to a saint or a mystery of Christ's or the Blessed Virgin's life. On Sundays and Holy Days, priests and religious brothers lead devotional services and processions, visit with the guests sharing their joys and sorrows, and walk with them along the paths stopping to share prayers and devotions at the various prayer stations and grottos. The serene and tranquil setting provides an optimal place for prayer and meditation or for one’s self reflection.

Features

Sorrowful Mother Shrine Chapel open 365 days a year with daily mass Monday through Saturday at 11 a.m., Sunday at 9 and 11 a.m., and special times on holy days
Pieta Outdoor Chapel holds Outdoor Mass every Sunday during the Pilgrimage Season between May and October
Pilgrimages are available during the season beginning on Divine Mercy Sunday and continuing through last Sunday in October; groups desiring to arrange a pilgrimage should contact the Chancery Office at the Diocese of Toledo or contact the shrine directly by calling the Director’s Office at 419-483-3435
Melting Pot Cafe (Cafeteria) open on Sundays for lunch between 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. during the Pilgrimage Season
Picnic area is provided for the convenience of those wishing to bring there own meals
Churchill’s Religious Gift Store is a family owned business located in Toledo, Ohio and one of the largest religious gift stores in the Midwest specializing in quality Catholic items has a shop located at the shrine that is open everyday of the year except for some holidays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The shrine is an excellent place to visit offering a serene environment ideal for getting in tune with oneself and communing with God. Admission is free though freewill offerings are accepted and is open to the general pubic whether Catholic or not. It is open daily from dawn to dusk 365 day a year.

Sources used to collaborate dates, historical facts and general information: