May 14, 2004

Groundbreaking for the blufftop, 450-seat church for the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Crosse went forward Thursday despite steady, pouring rain, crashing thunder and occasional flashes of lightning.
Several hundred people huddled under umbrellas for the half-hour ceremony led by St. Louis Archbishop Raymond L. Burke, who founded the $30 million shrine project in 1999 when he was bishop of the Diocese of La Crosse.

"This, for me, is a very joyous event," Burke said before the ceremony. "The shrine has been very much at the heart of my work in the diocese."

During the groundbreaking, Burke described the church as the "heart" of the shrine complex, which already includes a Pilgrim's Center and a votive chapel, which opened in December 2002. Future plans call for a catechism center, a rectory and a convent to be built as funds become available.

Prior to the ceremony, Burke said fundraising for the project is going well, "but we've got some serious challenges." He told those attending that their support is needed to make the total project a reality.

Although he did not give a figure for donations, he has previously said about $21 million has been raised toward the project. Besides construction costs of about $25 million, plans call for an additional $5 million to be raised for operations and maintenance.

The project is being built with private donations. Burke, who left La Crosse in January to assume leadership of the Archdiocese of St. Louis, remains president of the shrine board of directors and said he continues to be very involved in the project.

Once a new bishop is named for the diocese, that person will take over as president, Burke said.

After the groundbreaking, Burke led schoolchildren and others attending a half-mile procession down the bluff in the rain to the Pilgrim's Center plaza for the May crowning of the bronze statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Skies cleared just in time for Burke, standing on a ladder held by several priests, to place the garland of red, yellow and white flowers on the head of the statue.

Fourth-, fifth- and sixth-graders from Mary, Mother of the Church Elementary School, although soaked and shivering from the cold, wrapped up the event with a robust rendering of the hymn, "Holy Mary, Now We Crown You."

Fifth-grader Garrett Martin said he enjoyed the event though he was wet.

"It's fun," said Carissa Wallerich, a sixth-grader.

Ruth and Harlan Wills of Barre Mills, Wis., also enjoyed being part of the groundbreaking

"In spite of the rain, we're having a wonderful time because of the shrine church being built here," Ruth Wills said. She said she visits the shrine about three times a week for daily Mass.

"I think this is the most beautiful, spiritual thing that has happened in the Diocese of La Crosse," she said. "This is what the church needs now, more spirituality."

Project architect Michael Swinghammer of River Architects in La Crosse said site preparation will begin almost immediately, depending on weather conditions. He estimated the clearing of the wooded site will take about a month.

Construction of the church is expected to take about 26 months, Swinghammer said. Fowler & Hammer Inc., of La Crosse is the general contractor. The church interior is being designed by Duncan Stroik Architects. Stroik is a professor of architecture at Notre Dame University in Indiana.