“In all your ways be mindful of him, and he will make straight your paths.” -Proverbs 3:6
The drive from my current home in Tennessee to visit my family in Florida is a straight shot down I65 South. For the eight-hour duration of the drive, the scenery is pretty repetitive—rows and rows of trees until you reach the Alabama/Florida state line. I can sense that the coast is getting closer at that point, as lakes and bayous begin to make their appearance. Then there are bridges to cross and a few tolls to pay.
I’ve made the trip between Tennessee and Florida more times than I can recall. We leave the mountains of Tennessee, cross over into the grassy hills of Alabama, and find our way to the sandy shores of the Florida panhandle. One of the towns we pass by is Cullman, Alabama. Each time we pass it, I see a sign advertising the Ave Maria Grotto. It has caught my attention more than once, and it’s even come up in conversations with friends who’ve visited the Grotto themselves.
I point out the sign to my husband and we consider making a stop to see what’s there. It’s a detour that will add an hour to our drive, and when you’re traveling with a toddler, the idea of even a few extra minutes in the car is daunting. My husband and I have said to each other, “We’ll stop next time,” on more than one occasion.
But, you guys, we finally made the stop! My only regret is that we didn’t do it sooner. Since we visited, I’ve been eager to share my experience here on the blog with you all. The Grotto is a quiet garden setting located on the grounds of a Benedictine monastery, St. Bernards Abbey of Cullman, Alabama.
Before I tell you more about this serene and beautiful place, I also want to share why we made the initial trip to Florida in the first place.
Our Trip to Florida and Familiar Paths
The occasion for our visit was my sister’s college graduation. The drive and those days we spent celebrating her big accomplishment, a turning point in her life, made me think about traveling in another sense—the bigger-picture sense of traveling through life.
Throughout life, we’re presented with many different paths to choose from. At the graduation ceremony, I imagine this sentiment rang especially true for all the new graduates who were in the midst of choosing their next career move. I remember being in their shoes years ago, feeling unsure of what to do next.
In all your ways be mindful of him, and he will make straight your paths.
-Proverbs 3:6
Even when the path ahead is winding or forks down the middle, the best thing you can do is move forward. Because once you’ve forged ahead down one path or another with a decision, you get to look back with hindsight. Then, the road appears straight—you can easily see how one choice led to another and retrace your steps back if necessary.
In less metaphorical terms, don’t be so worried about taking the wrong path that you don’t go anywhere at all.
What comforts me when I am preparing to make a big life decision is that I can talk to Jesus. He’s the one with the best plan for me, whom I can reach out to for guidance.
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
-Jeremiah 29:11
Unplanned Detours Can Bring Unexpected Blessings
Florida was wonderful, but after three days it was time to go home. This brings us back to the Grotto.
Like I said, on our way home we finally decided to make the stop and see what was at this place.
Going to the Grotto seemed like a daunting detour that was too far out of the way at first. But with hindsight, I can see that it was a destination meant for our path all along. In a sense, it was a pilgrimage, one that reinvigorated my faith and reminded me to go with confidence wherever God calls me.
About the Grotto
The Grotto is more than just a garden. It’s also the site of 125 sculptures made by artist and monk, Brother Joseph Zoetl, O.S.B. He resided at St. Bernard Abbey as a monk in the 1930s for almost 70 years.
Here’s a description from the Ave Maria Grotto website:
“The Ave Maria Grotto is home to the fruitful labor of Brother Joseph Zoettl, OSB. Br. Joseph was a Benedictine monk of St. Bernard Abbey. Originally from Landschutt, Bavaria-Germany, a young Br. Joseph found himself headed to America to pursue monastic life at Alabama’s only Benedictine Abbey. Little did anyone know that this young Bavarian would end up leaving the abbey its greatest legacy and in an incredibly humble way. Since 1934, people from around the world visit the Ave Maria Grotto to see famous parts of the world in miniature. The former abbey quarry is now the 4 acre park that the Grotto and surrounding miniatures rest upon. From Monteserrat to St. Peter’s Basilica, guests can enjoy this labor of love and hopefully go away realizing how small acts of love, no matter how seemingly insignificant, can be so fruitful for years to come.”
Brother Joseph’s work was more impressive than I anticipated. The Grotto was so beautiful and inspiring. My husband and I now say it’s somewhere we will definitely visit again!
Sculptures and Art at the Ave Maria Grotto
So what all did we see and do? We spent about 45 minutes exploring the Grotto and the sculptures. We prayed together in that beautiful setting and meditated on all the amazing people and places of our Catholic faith that inspired Brother Joseph’s work. They also have a gift shop, and on that particular day, they were selling fresh bread made by the monks. We purchased a loaf of cinnamon raisin bread and ate it while driving the rest of the way home, talking about everything we saw there and how we hoped to return for another visit sometime.
Below are photos of some of my favorite sculptures and pieces from the Grotto. These are only a very small fraction of Brother Joseph’s work, who built enough pieces to span the entire 4-acres of the Grotto.
Agony in the Garden Shrine
This shrine is dedicated to graduates of St. Bernard college who were killed during WW II. They are commemorated by the 29 small crosses to the left. Also note the American flag to the left.
In the small cave is a statue of Christ suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane the night before he died.
Shrine of St. Therese of Lisieux
St. Therese of Lisieux was a Carmelite nun who’s life inspired a devotion to Jesus known as “The Little Way.” The humble way in which she lived her life showed how we can grow in holiness and closeness with Jesus through little daily acts of love.
She is also known as St. Therese, The Little Flower of Jesus. I was in awe of the one single rose growing next to the cave. You can spot the tall-stem pink rose to the left in the photo below.
Wayside Shrines
There were a handful of wayside shrines throughout the garden depicting different historical religious people and scenes. I was interested to learn about the tradition of wayside shines because I’d never heard of one before. The tradition of building wayside shrines along the paths of travelers has existed since the earliest days of the Church. These shrines sometimes commemorate martyrs and serve as reminders of our faith. They are common throughout many countries, especially those in Europe.
Shrine of St. Peter
This shrine demonstrates Brother Joseph’s knack for using ordinary materials in his artwork. Pumice stone, a light and spongy type of rock, floats on water. Its use in the Shrine of St. Peter brings to mind Peter’s walking on water (Matthew 14:29).
Those are some of my favorite pieces from the Ave Maria Grotto. I hope that viewing them will inspire you to visit this amazing place for yourself sometime. Or, look for other religious sites you can visit near wherever you live. There are so many, like missions, homes of religious orders like convents and monasteries, historical churches, and more. With a bit of online research, you can plan your own religious pilgrimage. And don’t forget to just keep an eye out for those that come up along your current path 😉
Please share in the comments any religious sites you’ve visited so we can visit them too!