Rockford Streaming

Compline at 9 PM
Saturday of Lent's 5th Week
 
 
-->
Low Mass at 8 AM in the Grotto
Saturday of Lent's 5th Week
 
 
Low Mass at 5 past Noon in the Grotto
Friday of Lent's 5th Week
 
 
First Friday Adoration at 10 AM
Friday of Lent's 5th Week
 
 
Low Mass at 5 past Noon in the Grotto
Thursday of Lent's 5th Week
 
 
Low Mass at 5 past Noon in the Grotto
Wednesday of Lent's 5th Week
 
 
Low Mass at 5 past Noon in the Grotto
Tuesday of Lent's 5th Week
 
 
Low Mass at 5 past Noon in the Grotto
Monday of Lent's 5th Week
 
 
Low Mass at 8 AM in the Grotto
Saturday of Lent's 4th Week
 
 
Low Mass at 5 past Noon in the Grotto
Friday of Lent's 4th Week
 
 
Low Mass at 5 past Noon in the Grotto with Sermon
Thursday of Lent's 4th Week
 
 
Low Mass at 5 past Noon in the Grotto
Wednesday of Lent's 4th Week
 
 
Low Mass at 5 past Noon in the Grotto
Tuesday of Lent's 4th Week
 
 
Low Mass at 5 past Noon in the Grotto
Monday of Lent's 4th Week
 
 
Low Mass at 7 AM in the Grotto
Sunday of Lent's 4th Week
 
 

Rockford About

About St. Mary Oratory

Historical Introduction

It was in the early part of 1885, while Rockford and the surrounding area, was still under the territory of the Archdiocese of Chicago, that Fr. Edward Murphy, then assistant pastor at St. James in Rockford, was sent by Archbishop Feehan to organize a parish on the west side of the Rock River.

Due to much enthusiasm over this new proposition, funds were quickly collected and construction began, so that by December of that same year Mass was offered in its unfinished basement. Providence seemed to have approved, since it was considered difficult to secure property in the city, “especially when the fact was known, that it would be for purposes entirely Catholic” (Fr. Cornelius Kirkfleet).  Nevertheless, in July 1886 Archbishop Feehan laid the cornerstone of St. Mary, and upon completion, dedicated it in October 1887. A year later, Fr. Murphy opened St. Mary parochial school in the church basement, to be staffed by Dominican sisters.

After being installed as pastor in 1892, Fr. McMahon, third pastor of St. Mary, served the parish for the next 27 years. During this time, he built a convent for the teaching sisters, a school building adjacent to the church, and finally in 1913, the present rectory- Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Priory.

In 1928, a grotto dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes, was constructed and paid solely by the well-known Chick family, owners of the Chick Hotel in downtown Rockford. Its cave-like interior, houses a simple low altar wherein the Blessed Sacrament is continually reserved. Two shines also adorn the grotto, one to Our Lady of Lourdes, and the other to the then newly canonized St. Thérèse of Lisieux. Somewhat original in design, it continues to attract numerous visitors throughout the year.In 1933, St. Mary was given over to the care of the Augustinian Fathers, who would serve the parish for the next 64 years. Following the typical neo-Gothic ecclesiastical architecture of the late nineteenth century, St. Mary harbors many elements of Augustinian presence.

On February 13, 1962, the church suffered a near disastrous fire. The fire spread rapidly destroying its beautiful interior. The greatest degree of damage was in the rear of the church; this included the organ, choir loft, celling, roof, bell tower, pews, and confessionals, all of which were restored to only a portion of its former elegance.

Given to the Care of the Institute

With the declining number of faithful over the next three decades, St. Mary Parish eventually could no longer sustain itself, and was eventually slated to be closed. This however caused much dismay amongst many Rockford residents; therefore, Most Reverend Bishop of Rockford, Thomas G. Doran confided St. Mary to the care of the Institute of Christ the King, erecting it as Shrine. Having been already present in the Rockford Diocese for almost two years, Canon Rev. Brian A. T. Bovee, who was made the prior and rector, had been offering Mass for the Latin Mass Community in the chapel of the Poor Claires. In October 1997, St. Mary was officially given to the pastoral care of the Institute, with the privileges of all the ecclesiastical records. Mass was again offered on the First Sunday of Advent in the same year.

Since that time, much work has be accomplished in restoring the church to its original beauty. The sanctuary has been refurbished, the beautiful stained-glass windows re-leaded and reconditioned, the original altar rail restored to its original position, and two side altars dedicated to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, and to St. Joseph were constructed. The priory also received a complete renewal in the abstemious but elegant style of the Institute of Christ the King.  

Canonical Erection

In early 2007, Bishop Doran, erected St. Mary Shrine as a ‘public oratory’, which means that all faithful, drawn to the beauty of the traditional extraordinary form of the Mass, regardless of where they happen to live, may attend the Oratory and receive the sacraments according to the 1962 rubrics.

The accomplishments made in these past years, are due to the paternal support of Bishop Emeritus Thomas Doran and the zealous apostolic initiatives of Canon Bovee. In 2012, His Excellency, Bishop David J. Malloy, became the ninth bishop of the Diocese of Rockford, succeeding the retiring Bishop Doran. With the approbation of Bishop Malloy, St. Mary Oratory continues to be the spiritual home of many faithful from around Rockford and beyond, many as far away as Dixon, Pearl City, Crystal Lake, and Monroe, WI.

Rockford Grotto

Saint Mary's Grotto

Grotto Hours

Monday - Friday : 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM *
* Unless otherwise posted

Saint Mary's Grotto

People from everywhere come to Saint Mary's Grotto to meditate and pray in its dimly lighted, cool, rock-like setting.

The Grotto was the dream of Mrs. Lena Chick, who with her husband, Thomas owned the Chick House, a hotel at South Main and Elm Streets from 1888 until 1925. After her death in 1928, members of her family carried out her wishes, and had the Grotto built in her memory. Saint Mary's Grotto is modeled after the Shrine in Lourdes, France where the Virgin Mary appeared to Bernadette Soubirous in 1858. The production of the cave-like interior of the Grotto was fashioned in the studios of the Daprate Company of Chicago; Mr. Bell of the Carian Company reconstructed the Grotto in Rockford. He was well known for his plasterwork from other public buildings in Rockford.

The windows of ruby and dark blue glass were made in the studios of the Flanigan Biedenweg Company of Chicago from fragments of glass, which Mr. Flanigan had collected in Europe from church windows destroyed during World War I.

Below the Shrine to Our Lady of Lourdes with Saint Bernadette in adoration, there is a flowing stream that is reminiscent of the miraculous stream in Lourdes. There are also shrines to Saint Theresa and Saint Anthony in the Grotto.

At the foot of the shrine, just in front of the fountain, is the tomb of the Reverend Michael E. McLaughlin: Saint Mary's second pastor who died in 1892 at the age of 37.

Rockford - Practice

Rockford Bulletins

Weekly Bulletins

Rockford Bulletins

Weekly Bulletins

2024

2023

2022

Bulletin and Sermon Uploads

Disruption to Web Service - Bulletin and Sermon Uploads

 

You can upload bulletins and sermons in Joomla now.  On a temporary basis, I can upload a bulletin or sermon for you (email to   This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ).  But please work to use the Joomla site for the uploads for your Apostolate by the end of Januray.

Note - I configured Joomla to allow for a larger file to be uploaded in the Joomla editor.  So you may be able to upload both bulletins and sermons in the "Content-articles-bulletins-sermons" editor.

Bulletins

 Sermons

 Thank you for your patience during this disruption of service.

Tom