Lourdes Grottos in the Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey

I found 25 Lourdes grottos located in what is now the Archdiocese of Newark. 16 of them still exist, and nine of them have been removed (either by the institution that built them, or because the institution closed or relocated).

Photos and history (when known) of the grottos are detailed below. They are listed in order of date of construction, beginning with the earliest.

St. John’s Church, Jersey City (1903, not extant)

A 1902 newspaper article announced that “With the $1,000 check with which his parishioners presented him on his return from Europe last Wednesday, Rev. Father P. W. Smith, rector of St. John’s R. C Church, Van Winkle Street and the Boulevard, at the last mass yesterday announced that he would have erected in the church a miniature of the Shrine of Our Lady Lourdes…. In all his travels one of the things which impressed Father Smith most was the grotto of Lourdes…. While on the ground he made a promise to have the shrine reproduced in his church.” (Jersey Journal, September 29, 1902)

A June 1903 news article covered the blessing of the statue, and a 1914 described the grotto: “A visit to the Grotto of Lourdes in the basement of St. John’s Church more than repays one for going there and visitors, Catholic or non-Catholic, should not fail to visit it. The entrance is in Bleecker Street next to the rectory. They will find there a wonderful reproduction of the shrine of Lourdes, in which the lighted candle apparition of the blessed virgin Mary is represented. They may also read, in picture language, the story of Bernadette and the apparitions, told on the walls. The pictures are very beautiful.” (Jersey Journal, August 4, 1914)

I could not find any pictures of the basement grotto (indoor photos were difficult to take at that time), and it was likely removed during a 1932 remodel.

St. Michael’s Villa, Englewood (before 1922, not extant)

The Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace purchased land along the Hudson River in 1886, where they built a summer retreat villa, and later, the Saint Joseph’s Orphanage and School for Boys (1907, now gone), and the Saint Michael’s Novitiate (1938), according to this article.

The sisters had a Lourdes grotto built there in 1913, according to a news article:

An interesting and impressive ceremony took place at St. Michael’s Villa, Englewood, a few days ago, when of. A handsome grotto, erected in honor of the Blessed Virgin, the gift of Mrs. Elizabeth Driscoll, a well-known resident of Hoboken, was formally blessed of by the Rev. Father Burke, chaplain.

The grotto, which was the gift of Mrs. Driscoll in memory of her late husband, was presented, through Sister Mary Vincent, to commemorate the silver jubilee of St. Michael’s Villa. The gift was imported from Munich, and is the work of a prominent German artist and is a high-class work of art. Owing to illness, Mrs. Driscoll was unable to be present at the ceremony being represented by a dear friend, Mrs. Mary Herlihy, of Hoboken. Chaplain Burke was assisted in the blessing of the grotto by the Sisters and all of the inmates of the home.

Jersey Observer and Jersey Journal, Dec 13, 1913

The grotto was featured in at least three postcards during the 1910s and 1920s, but it does not seem to still exist today at St. Michael’s Villa, which is now a home for the elderly sisters.

St. Mary’s / Immaculate Conception Church, Hackensack (1914, extant)

A 1914 newspaper article related the blessing of the Lourdes grotto at Immaculate Conception Church in Hackensack:

In the presence of a large number of worshippers, the Very Rev. Dean Cunneely yesterday afternoon blessed the magnificent shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in the church grounds of St. Mary’s, on Vreeland avenue. The Grotto containing the life-sized statue of the Blessed Virgin is built of fie’d stone and rises to a height of ten feet, occupying a commanding position on the church green and is easily seen from the roadway.

The statue of the Blessed Virgin, the central object of attention, is made of cement and is the work of the Bernardini Studio of New York. A veil of graceful design covers the head and shoulders of the artistically draped figure. Above the Grotto, on a background of cement. the word Penance is spelt with small white letters of marble from the neighboring hills.

Before the ceremonies, a large procession, composed of all the church societies, marched from St. Mary’s school to the spacious grounds of the church. The music was furnished by the parish drum corps. The unveiling of the statue was skillfully performed by Master Wilfred Wehrle whose father, John Wehrle, Jr., constructed the shrine. Miss Gertrude Levitski, a little school girl, recited with sweet effect the “Hail Holy Queen,” and later crowned amidst an impressive musical salute, “Our Lady’s Statue.”

The Record Hackensack, New Jersey, August 31, 1914

Mt. St. Dominic Academy/Caldwell University, Caldwell (1915, extant)

The Sisters of St. Dominic established their motherhouse in Caldwell in 1912, and in 1915 a Lourdes grotto was blessed there: 

Rev. William Masterson yesterday dedicated a grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes at Mt. St. Dominic’s Academy, Caldwell. He was assisted by Rev. Thomas J. Judge and Rev. Charles Walsh. A procession of clergy and pupils of the academy was held. The statue was donated by friends of the institution.

The Star-Ledger
Newark, New Jersey •
Mon, May 10, 1915

The sisters established Caldwell University on their property in 1939, and the grotto has been a valued part of the campus, the place in which regular rosary prayers take place. In 2021, the Sisters of St. Dominic undertook a renovation of the grotto. With God’s grace, it may continue to be a place of prayer, peace and natural beauty for another 100 years.

St. Peter’s Orphanage, Newark (1915, not extant)

St. Peter’s Orphanage was founded in 1863 on Lyons Avenue in Newark. A 1915 news article had this:

Golden jubilee services in honor of Mother Mary Severine, of the Order of Sisters of Notre Dame, are being held by parishioners of St. Peter’s German Catholic Church, on Belmont avenue…. For the last fifty years she has been supervisor of St. Peter’s Parochial School and Orphanage.

…There were numerous gifts for Mother Severine from personal friends and there was also handed to her a sum of money sufficient to complete payments on a grotto to be built in honor of Our Lady of Lourdes on the grounds of St. Peter’s Orphan Asylum, at Lyons Farms.

This will be a Jubilee memorial to Mother Severine. She has been much interested in the construction of such a grotto, and it will be completed in about six weeks. There will be another celebration when it is dedicated. The grotto will be one of the finest ever built in this country, according to the Deprato Statuary Company, which has the contract for the work, but the exact cost of erecting it has not been announced.

The Star-Ledger, Sep 6, 1915

The orphanage moved to Denville in 1974 and closed in 2025. The Lyons Avenue location is now St. Peter’s Park.

St. Cecelia Church, Englewood (1921, not extant)

St. Cecilia Church in Englewood dedicated a Lourdes grotto in 1921, according to the above newspaper article.

The grotto is now gone, however, a statue of Our Lady of Lourdes still stands near the street, next door to the church, in front of what used to be St. Cecilia School until its closure in 1986 (now a charter school).

Our Lady of Lourdes Church, West Orange (1928, extant)

Our Lady of Lourdes Church in West Orange was established in 1914, and a school was built in 1924 some distance away at the corner of Eagle Rock and Harrison Avenues. In 1928, the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes was built at the school. The Grotto was a gift of the Loree family of West Orange as a Thanksgiving gift for prayers and petition answered by the Blessed Virgin Mary.

After the church burned down in 1945, a new church was built near the school, where services were held for near 20 years, until the new church was completed in 1964.

The grotto was restored in 2003, according to an article in the The Catholic Advocate, to celebrate the church’s 90th anniversary.

St. Francis de Sales Church, Lodi (1929, extant)

St. Francis de Sales Church in Lodi, established and built in 1854, also includes a beautiful and unusual Lourdes grotto, which was dedicated in 1929, according to an article:

Yesterday afternoon at the St. Francis De Sales Church, Lodi, dedication services for the newly erected grotto were held. The grotto, a huge stone affair, commemorates the appearance of the Virgin Mary, which is said to have taken place near Lourdes, France. The parish hopes that this grotto, erected in the rear of the church in commemoration which is original in design and execution, will be a mecca for pilgrims of this and other parishes.

This grotto was erected by the men of the parish who worked during the summer evenings their names were placed in a vault under the Blessed Virgin’s statue, on Aug. 15. The stone for the foundation which was started on June 15, 18 the gift of the Dyer Kane Construction Company of Passaic. The Bernadette statue and the Blessed Virgin statue are the gift of Cornelius Schrieks and his sons in honor of their wife and mother. The Blessed Virgin Illumination is the gift of Jack Hagerty of Passaic and the sand and mason materials are the gifts of friends. The dedication services started at a 4:30 and an elaborate program was carried out. Several priests from out of town attended the ceremony which was in charge of the Rev. Peter Egan, rector of the St. Francis church.

The Record, Oct 21, 1929

The grotto is still an exceptionally beautiful part of this very old church community.

Holy Name Hospital, Teaneck (c.1931, extant)

An October 20, 1930 article in The Record stated: “It is intended to erect a grotto on the front lawn of the hospital in Teaneck, the statue and stones for which have been donated to the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace.”

The hospital grotto was the scene of numerous events through the years, such as this one in 1942:

More than 200 persons took part in the annual Corpus Christi Day celebration held in the Holy Name Hospital, Teaneck, last night. The celebration which is one of the yearly religious programs given in the chapel of the hospital, was under the direction of the Rev. Leo, chaplain, and included about 50 members of the Sisters of St. Joseph, 100 nurses and acolytes, cross bearers, children, visitors to the hospital and a choir of nuns and nurses. Following the custom of European countries, a procession was held from the chapel to a grotto in the grounds of the hospital where prayers were recited by visiting priests and hymns were sung by the choir. The service ended in the chapel with benediction.

The Record, Jun 5, 1942

The grotto still stands near the hospital, according to this post, from which this photo is borrowed.

Holy Angels Academy, Fort Lee (1934, not extant)

Holy Angels Academy was established in Fort Lee, New Jersey in 1879 by the School Sisters of Notre Dame. The grotto was built in 1934, according to a post on Facebook, although I did find a 1932 newspaper article that mentioned:

More than 300 parents and other relatives were guests of the Holy Angel’s Institute in Fort Lee yesterday afternoon when commencement exercises were held for this year’s graduation class of members…. Shortly before 3 o’clock the processional formed at the main entrance of the institute marched as far as the Grotto, through Lourdes Lane to the chapel. A group of little flower girls, each carrying a bouquet of yellow roses, led the procession.

The Record, Jun 8, 1932

The school moved in 1965 to Demerest, although the grotto was allowed to stand on the new apartment complex property until 2020, when it was upsettingly torn down:

Immaculate Conception Seminary, Darlington (before 1936, not extant)

A 1936 article mentioned the consecration of a new cemetery next to the Seminary (which was located near Darlington from 1926 to 1984):

After the services at the Cemetery, taps were sounded by Earl Tague, Ramsey war veteran, and the procession went to the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes on the Seminary grounds where Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament was given. 

The Record, May 25, 1936

I could not find any images of the Lourdes grotto at the Seminary.

St. Nicholas Church, Palisades Park (1936, not extant)

A 1939 diocesan newspaper article had this announcement:

Final plans of the dedication exercises of a new Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes tomorrow at 3 p. m. on the grounds of St. Nicholas Church, Palisades Park, were announced last night by the Rev. Ferdinand Anzalone. Monsignor John A. McClary, chancellor of the Diocese of Newark, will represent Bishop Thomas F. Walsh. The sermon will be given by the Rev. James Killgoar of Newburgh, N.Y. The children’s choir of St. Lucy R. C. Church of Newark will sing.

The Record, Sep 11, 1937

The grotto was the site of many church ceremonies, including this one from 1940:

On Memorial Day at 4 P.M. children of the church will, take part in the coronation he Blessed Virgin at the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes, which adjoins the church grounds. Sixty girls, dressed in white, with white veils, will represent the holy rosary, and other children, in white, will act as angels. A page will carry the crown of fresh flowers to be placed on the head of the statue.

The Record, May 25, 1940

And this solemn ceremony:

St. Nicholas Church Pays Homage To War Dead: Memorial services for the seven men of St. Nicholas R. C. Church, Palisades Park, who died in service, were held at 3 P.M. yesterday on the church grounds. A brief religious service in the church opened the program after which veteran organizations and auxiliaries and those prominent in civic life marched to the monument near the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes where brief exercises were held. The program was sponsored by St. Nicholas Holy Name Society with Thomas Toscano, president, as master of ceremonies.

The Rev. Joseph Ferrechia, O. M. I., , pastor, and the Rev. Atillio Ponsi, O.M. I., assistant pastor and chairman of the program, spoke on the theme “Greater Life Hath No Man, Than To Lay Down His Life For His Friends”. Mayor John J. Dickerson stressed the spread of Communism and the need for vigilance and co-operation with the government. Placing of wreaths by Holy Name Society of St. Nicholas Church, St. Anthony Society and the family of the late Harry Formicola, was followed by a roll call of deceased members. These include: Harry Formicola, Anthony Leone, Albert Lazzaro, Dominic Moccia, George Calandrello, Richard Dawson and Anthony Garzo. Following roll call a was fired by the firing squad Edsall-Lunstedt-Davidson volley, Post 4365, V. F.W. and taps was played by William J. Saenger Gerald Blessing Jr. playing the echo,.

The Record, May 31, 1949

The grotto does not seem to have been mentioned in newspaper articles after 1959, perhaps due to the new school, rectory and convent built there that year, according to the history on the St. Nicholas Church website. The grotto was very likely removed that year, as photos on the church website show that it was located to the east of the church and rectory, where the school now stands.

Don Bosco High School, Ramsey (1937, extant)

A 1937 diocesan article announced this interesting news:

Grotto Being Erected On Don Bosco Campus Mahwah parishioners will be interested to learn that a thirty-eight foot stone grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes is being erected at the Don Bosco Prep school campus in Ramsey.

The News, Sep 25, 1937

The grotto was the site of many events, including this one described in 1962:

An estimated 5,000 visitors from four states took part in the forty-sixth annual pilgrimage to the Shrine of Mary at Don Bosco High School on Memorial Day. A solemn high mass was celebrated in the grotto dedicated to Mary. The celebrant of the mass was the Rt. Rev. Msgr. Vincent Raith, pastor of St. Casimir’s Church, Yonkers. The sermon was delivered by the Very Rev. Adalbert Olszowska, superior of the Salvatorian Fathers of Kinnelon. In the afternoon the pilgrims saw a film, heard a concert by the High School band, and attended vesper devotions, conducted at the grotto.

The Record, Jun 1, 1962

Redemptoris Mater Missionary Seminary, Kearny (1942, extant)

According to a history of the property on the Redemptoris Mater Missionary Seminary website, the St. Anthony Orphanage for girls was established at the 672 Passaic Avenue property in 1903. Photos shared on Facebook of a plaque next to the grotto identify that the grotto was built in 1942, the gift of a John J. Patola of Philadelphia.

I could not find any news articles that mentioned this grotto.

Villa Maria Sanatorium, Plainfield (1940, not extant)

The Villa Maria Sanatorium in Plainfield was established in 1889 as a tuberculosis sanatorium, and the property was purchased by the Franciscans in 1938 and became the Villa Maria home for the Aged.

In 1940, the grounds were improved and a Lourdes grotto added to the west side of the property, “situated in the most central spot of the grounds and command(ing) an unobstructed view from Somerset Street,” according to another 1940 article about the grotto blessing.

I could not find any later references to or photos of the grotto, and it’s unclear how long it existed. Villa Maria closed in 2002, and the property changed hands in 2008. After a fire in 2017, the decaying buildings were removed, and redevelopment plans were approved for the 12-acre site in 2024.

St. Francis Church, Ridgefield Park (1940, extant)

Following two years of fundraising events mentioned in the diocese newspaper, a 1940

Two hundred persons attended dedication of the grotto to Our Lady Lourdes at dedication services at St, Francis R. C. Church, Ridgefield Park, yesterday afternoon commemorating the 50th anniversary of the church. The Rt. Rev. Msgr. Eugene S. Burke of Holy Trinity Church, Hackensack, conducted the dedication ceremonies assisted by the Rev. J. J. Butscher, pastor of St. Francis Church, and his assistant, the Rev. Mark Dooley. One hundred persons gathered at the church grounds at night to view the grotto while it was lighted. The erection of the grotto commemorates the golden anniversary of the church and the silver anniversary of St. Francis Parochial School.

The Record, Oct 7, 1940

Another article a few days in The News later mentioned “the dedication of grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes erected on the church grounds in the rear of the edifice. The grotto was constructed at the suggestion of the pastor, Rev. John, J. Butscher.”

The grotto still stands on the church grounds, as seen in the modern photo above.

St. Mary’s Church, Plainfield (1947, extant)

A 1951 article about parishioners from St. Mary’s Church in Plainfield who served in the two world wars also mentioned:

Twenty-two parishioners died in the service of their country-13 in the first conflict, and nine in the second. The present fighting in Korea is also taking its toll. The memorial erected by the parish for the dead of World War 1 stands at Liberty and W. Sixth Sts., near the school. The memorial tablet was unveiled and the flagstaff dedicated at ceremonies held on June 12, 1932. The World War 2 memorial consists an outdoor shrine to Our Lady of Lourdes on the church grounds. This shrine was blessed and dedicated on Mother’s Day, 1947.

The Courier-News, Mar 31, 1951

It’s clear from that article at the grotto was originally a Lourdes grotto, but modern photos show a different statue of Our Lady in the grotto today.

Holy Family Parish, Nutley (1949, extant)

A 1949 article had this account of the grotto:

A shrine to Our Lady of Lourdes is under construction on property of Holy Family Church, between the the church and the proposed parochial school. Gift of the pastor, the Rev. Anthony Di Luca, it is to be dedicated in a special novena September 11-19.

Of brownstone construction, the shrine is to have concrete floors and a masonry roof. Fronting on Brookline Avenue it will be – 18 feet high and 18 feet across. In the center an altar on top of which statue of Our Lady of Lourdes. Services will be held at the altar. The outdoor shrine is a replica of the grotto at Lourdes, Catholic France, where, according to belief, the Virgin Mary appeared to Bernadette. Soubrious, French peasant girl, in 1858. The architect is Neil Convery, of Newark. Estimated cost is $10,000.

The Herald-News, Aug 19, 1949

The grotto still stands at Holy Family Parish in Nutley, surrounded by beautiful landscaping that is lovingly cared for.

Holy Rosary Church, Jersey City (1952, extant)

A 1952 article announced that:

Holy Rosary Post No. 1536, Catholic War Veterans, Jersey City, has broken ground for the proposed Memorial Monument honoring all deceased veterans in the parish. The work is being done by members of the post. The monument is expected to be completed by November. It will be a statue of Our Lady of Lourdes in a grotto. It will be erected on the corner of 7th and Brunswick Streets on the Holy Rosary School property.

The Jersey Journal, Sep 30, 1952

The following month, the same newspaper had an update on the project:

Plans for the first annual tice Day parade to be held Sunday, Nov. 9, were furthered at a special county convention meeting of Catholic War Veterans in the canteen of Holy Rosary Church, Sixth Street, Jersey City. The parade will be sponsored by Holy Rosary C. W. V. Post No. 1536. On the eye same day, Holy Rosary c. W. Post will unveil its memorial monument honoring all deceased veterans of the Holy Rosary parish.

The monument, work in which is being done solely by members of the post, is nearing completion. It will have a statue of Our Lady of Lourdes set into a grotto. James Calabrese, county chairman, announced that all veteran organizations, pastors and other congregations are invited to participate in the parade, which will start at the corner of Seventh and Brunswick Streets, Jersey City, at 1:30 p.m., Nov. 9

The Jersey Journal, Oct 21, 1952

The Lourdes grotto statues were, sadly, the target of desecration in July 2021:

https://www.facebook.com/holyrosarychurchjc/videos/514824256303401

but the statues have been repaired. The grotto still stands on the southwest corner of 7th & Brunswick Streets.

St. Anastasia Church, Teaneck (before 1953, not extant)

The history book, St. Anastasia Church Golden Jubilee, 1903-1953, the photo above is identified as Father Quigley (pastor at St. Anastasia from 1933 until his death in 1960) at “the grotto beside the old convent.”

The grotto does not seem to exist on the St. Anastasia Church grounds any longer.

Church of the Nativity, Midland Park (1954, extant)

A 1954 news article announced the dedication of the new Lourdes grotto behind Church of the Nativity in Midland Park:

The shrine of Lourdes… will be dedicated Sunday afternoon at 4 by the Most Rev. Justin J. McCarthy Auxiliary Bishop of Newark. The shrine at the Church of the Nativity is below the level of the main church and on land which slopes away from it. Stones form a grotto with a large rock, said to weigh 30 tons, at the base forming a pedestal for an Italian carrara marble statute of Our Lady of Lourdes. A statue of Bernadette faces the grotto as the saint did almost a century ago. Benediction will be celebrated by Bishop McCarthy at an altar to the left of the Our Lady statue.

…the Rev William F. Sheehan. pastor of the church, …has visited Lourdes in France three times. In going to Europe, “I would not miss it,” he said. …Father Sheehan arrived in the community only five months ago….

The News, Aug 20, 1954

The grotto still stands on the edge of a wooded area behind the newer church building.

St. Mary, Star of the Sea Parish, Bayonne (before 1965, extant)

An August 14, 1965 Bayonne Times article about the burial of Monsignor Leo J. Martin, the pastor of St. Mary, Star of the Sea Church in Bayonne, 1961-1965 (and a native of the parish), mentioned that he was laid to rest “at the foot of the little grotto of the church he served.”

Another article a month later announced that the shrine had been dedicated. It’s unknown when the shrine was built, or why it had not yet been dedicated before. The grotto still stands behind the church, with Fr. Martin’s grave at the foot.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, Orange (1963, extant)

A photo and short blurb about the grotto at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Orange appeared in The Advocate in 1963:

St. Joseph’s Church, Oradell (2003, extant)

A 2010 article about the retirement of Father George Reilly listed among his achievements during his 21 years as pastorof St. Joseph’s Church in Oradell: “In 2003, Reilly led the parish during its 100th anniversary celebration, which included the presentation of St. Joseph’s statue and the construction of Our Lady of Lourdes grotto.” (Town News, Paramus, Jul 8, 2010)

The Lourdes grotto at St. Joseph’s Church is particularly lovely in its well-tended garden setting: a valued place of peaceful prayer for the Oradell community.

Holy Cross Cemetery, North Arlington (unknown date, extant)

There is a small Lourdes grotto at Holy Cross Cemetery in North Arlington, New Jersey–a massive Catholic cemetery that was established in 1915, and in which includes nearly 300,000 graves.

I could find no information about this grotto at all, but it is certainly a lovely work of craftsmanship, made mostly of horizontally stacked thin slabs of stone, which are also used to make a radiating edge around the niche in which the statue of Our Lady stands (like holy rays), and surmounted by an inset stone cross. Beautiful work.