History’s page: howLourdes came to Gunnedah

WITH Pope Leo XIV scheduled to visit the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes as a pilgrim in September this year, it seems fitting to revisit the construction of an identical grotto in the beautiful Convent of Mercy gardens in Gunnedah.

The impetus for the project came from then-parish priest Fr Daniel Keane, who had visited the grotto during a trip to the south-west of France in 1935.

An Irish priest, Fr Keane served the Gunnedah community for 40 years until his death in 1944.

Lourdes, in the French Pyrenees, became famous after 1858 when Bernadette Soubirous, a local peasant girl, reported frequent visions of the Blessed Virgin Mary at the grotto in Lourdes.

Since that time unexplainable cures have been documented in the healing waters of the shrine.

Inspired by his visit, Fr Keane brought home an exact model of the Lourdes grotto and engaged Tom Adams, an eminent moulder of the time and son of the noted British architect, to design the grotto.

The grotto before the tree fell and caused damage.

Tom Adams had constructed mouldings in all parts of Australia, including Taronga Park Zoo.

The grotto was to be in memory of Mother Mary de Sales Molony, who was principal of St Xavier’s Primary School in the 1920s and 1930s.

Sr M. de Sales was known as one of the exceptional early educators of the Sisters of Mercy.

A report in the Catholic Press of 28 July 28 1938 described the opening and blessing of the grotto on Sunday 19 July by parish priest Fr Daniel Keane, assisted by Fr Walshe, during the annual procession of the Blessed Sacrament.

The procession left St Joseph’s Church and wended its way to the spacious convent grounds, which were decorated with floral arches in honour of this great event.

The report continued: “Taking part in the procession were Our Lady’s Sodality, Angels’ Sodality, and the men’s societies.

“Each company had its standard-bearer, and as each group filed into place on the lawn the scene was impressive.

The grotto as it stands today.

“Members of the Hibernian Society acted as canopy-bearers, and representatives of the St Vincent de Paul Society formed a guard of honour.

“Benediction was given from the altar in the Lourdes grotto situated in the eastern corner of the beautiful grounds surrounding the convent.

“A facsimile of the original one, which lies among the foothills of the Pyrenees, the grotto has been erected through the generosity of Father Keane, as a tribute to the memory of a great and zealous Sister of Mercy, Mother Mary de Sales Molony, whose life’s work was devoted to the cause of education in the Convent of Mercy, Gunnedah.”

Mother M. de Sales believed that education was vital to promote upward mobility of the next generation. Not only had she spent many years as principal of St Xavier’s, where year after year the Sixth Class pupils gained state bursaries, but she was also well known by many poor families in Gunnedah during the Depression years.

The grotto as it stands today.

After school she would load up a basket of food from the convent garden and walk to the homes of the children to provide them with food.

The newspaper reported that the shrine, with its artistic fountain, was one of the finest in the state: “It is constructed of synthetic stone. The structure is approximately 25 feet at the base, rising at its highest point to 15 feet, and finished at the base of the back and sides with ornamental garden pockets.

“The opening, in which stands a splendid statue of Our Lady, leads down to a small opening in the main grotto, the internal spaces of which are coloured from a deep blue, giving depth and background to the statue.

“The altar is constructed of similar materials, with a massive green terrazzo table, and on the front of the altar is a beautiful cross of bronze and green enamel. In front of the altar is the kneeler, on which is erected ornamental gates and railing, a fine example of the blacksmith’s art, made and presented by the firm of Mirow and Sons Pty Ltd., Gunnedah.

“In front of the grotto, about 30 feet, is a large ornamental fountain and rockery. Concealed within the rockery is a floodlight, which is focussed directly on the grotto and the surrounding trees and shrubs, and internally the grotto is lighted with a green floodlight, and the niche wherein stands the statue within a cream light.

The dedication tablet at the grotto.

“To obtain the effect of seeping and dripping water over the rock face, a controlled water supply has been laid on to a number of points at the top at the back of the grotto and trickles down to the gardens below.”

The work was carried out under the personal supervision of architect Mr BA Tolhurst, of Gunnedah.

The grotto was to become the focus for many annual celebrations, including the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes on 18 February, commemorating the first of 18 apparitions witnessed by then-14-year-old Bernadette Soubirous in 1858.

Sadly, the statue of St Bernadette in the convent garden was destroyed when a tree was uprooted during heavy rain and fell across the fence.

– Marie Hobson is with the Gunnedah and District Historical Society.

MARIE HOBSON