Take a quick detour off I-65 to the little town of St. John near the Illinois state line in northwestern Indiana and you’ll find one of the most spiritually moving sites in the state. The Shrine of Christ’s Passion [NW] depicts the journey of Jesus in his final days through a series of 40 life-like bronze sculptures created by a Texas artist named Mickey Wells. Curated gardens and green spaces, music, and listening stations with narration by well-known Chicago broadcaster Bill Kurtis complete the scene as visitors wind their way along an interactive walking path that stretches for half a mile. Construction on the shrine began back in 2001, and the 30-acre property recently added a chapel, plaza and gift shop dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe. The accessible prayer trail stays open all year long (weather-permitting) and there’s no fee to visit, but donations are always welcome and greatly appreciated.
Keep the pilgrimage going by heading east across the I-80/I-90 tollway toward South Bend to see the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes on the storied University of Notre Dame campus [NC]. Movie buffs might recognize this sacred space from its brief appearance in the 1993 feature movie “Rudy;” for ND students, the artificial cave is often busy before final exams week and football games as visitors pray for the Virgin Mary’s intercession. (It’s also a popular spot for wedding proposals.) A passion project of Notre Dame founder Father Edward Sorin, who patterned the shrine after its larger French namesake using locally sourced boulders for its construction, the grotto was made possible in 1896 thanks to a gift from former theology student Rev. Thomas Carroll. More than 100 years later, the landmark still shines brightly day and night with the flickering light from hundreds of candles. Feel free to bring your own rosary for daily prayers conducted at 6:45 p.m. rain or shine. Outdoor masses are celebrated here on a regular basis as well.
The Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center [SC] on the southeast side of Bloomington welcomes guests of all faiths to take an immersive dive into the principles and tenets of this captivating Eastern-based religion. The Dalai Lama’s late older brother Thubten Jigme Norbu, a Tibetan studies professor at Indiana University, established the facility back in 1979 to acquaint the community with the history and culture of his home country. Anchored by the Kumbum Chamtse Ling temple and the working Kumbum West monastery, the 108-acre property invites curious visitors to participate in workshops, teaching seminars, prayer ceremonies and volunteer activities; spend the night in on-site cottages and retreat rooms; or simply make use of the meditative walking trails. Make sure to check out the dome-shaped stupa monuments, the Buddha statues, the spinning Tibetan prayer wheels, the permanent sand mandala and the beautiful shrine room in the basement of the main temple building.
Completed in the early 1970s by Father Phillip Ottavi with help from the Jasper community and the residents of a former home for developmentally disabled men, the Providence Home Geode Grotto [SW] wows viewers with its beauty and precision. Using thousands of geodes sourced from a nearby Heltonville creek, bits of marble, concrete, shells and other found objects, the intricately detailed endeavor was constructed by hand one rock at a time and covers four city blocks all told. Most amazingly, there was no formal blueprint for the Grotto of Lourdes-inspired project, just a lot of creativity, hard work and motivation. White Carrera marble statues imported from Italy, flower planters, the Mother of God and St. Joseph shrines, and fountains complement the geode structures and add to the overall sense of serenity.
