Our Lady of the Woods Shrine
Mio, Michigan
Restoring the Shrine
The Problem
The Shrine of Our lady of the Woods was dedicated in 1955 and quickly became one of the most popular tourist attractions in the state. Today, more than 65 years later the Shrine still stands as a glorious tribute to our Blessed Mother, but the elements have taken their toll on the statues, grottos, and tons of limestone used to build the structure.
The Project
In 2015, the parish of St. Mary Catholic Church, caretaker of the Shrine, developed and launched a comprehensive plan to excavate and address the water runoff that is damaging the grottos, replace the limestone that has become brittle over the years, repair and detail all statues, and make other necessary improvements. The restoration is an ambitious 6-phase project estimated to cost $1.2 million.
Phases 1-3 Completed!
Phase 1, 2, & 3 are completed. The work was focused predominantly on the back side of the Shrine replacing brittle limestone, repairing statues, addressing weather damage inside the Family Shrine and Our Lady of Czestochowa grottos, and refortifying the water barriers above them.
Our generous parishioners and other sources have completely funded all three phases out of their dedication to this important Catholic Landmark, but other sources are needed to complete the restoration. Much remains to be done.
Phases 4-6: Phase 4 is Complete! Phase 5 is in Progress! Working on the Waterfalls/Ponds in 2024
The remaining phases are the most difficult and costly of the entire restoration. They include completing the repair and replacement of broken limestone on the back side of the Shrine (now completed), the entire front of the Shrine (everything completed except the waterfalls and ponds, which are being worked on in 2024 as well as the entire structure being sealed, and the surface stone (waiting to be completed in 2025) that provides the steps and approaches to the front facade. We will be using Idaho quartz, a very tough stone.