Denver Roadtrip: Cabrini's Shrine

I want to start out by saying that I am not Catholic, nor have I ever been. Being from Denver, I often drove on I-70 heading into the mountains and, like many before me, I always noticed the signs off of the freeway that direct you to Mother Cabrini's Shrine. I also always craned my neck to see the white statue up on the mountainside above Golden, CO, but never really felt the urge to go and check it out. Every time I passed I looked at it, but each time I continued on my way. Finally, one day when I was driving by, my husband, a native of Utah, decided that it was time to stop. We took the Morrison exit and drove up the winding road, following the signs that directed me to Mother Cabrini's Shrine. And after years of looking and never visiting, I was happy at what I found.

Mother Cabrini was a Mother Superior known for her kindness to the sick and orphaned. An Italian immigrant to the United States, she established many orphanages and schools throughout the United States, one of which is the shrine just above Golden, Colorado. Run by the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart, the shrine was originally a summer getaway for orphaned children. With Cabrini's beatification in 1938 it became a sacred place of prayer and thought where hundreds of people take pilgrimages each year.

Once you make it up the winding, paved road you'll find a chapel where they hold daily mass and also Sunday services for the visitors. The church has beautiful stained glass windows and lovely religious art. Even those who are not religious will appreciate its beauty. There is also a small gift shop where you can find keepsakes of your journey. This is not the only part of the shrine however.

There are several areas for you to visit. In the garden area there are paths for visitors to explore and enjoy the quiet of the mountainside. In the garden there is a spring, found by Mother Cabrini in 1912. It's said that it has flowed since then. Rumored to be blessed and have spiritual power, visitors are free to drink from the fountains built from the spring.
There is also a small, enclosed chapel with pews facing the Mother Cabrini Shrine. You can light a candle in remembrance and sit and reflect on life or pray, if you so choose. There is a quiet, serene feeling in the building that will benefit anyone wishing to get away and feel at peace with themselves.

The actual shrine is located on the top of Lookout Mountain. You will reach the shrine after quite a long hike up over 352 stone steps. The shrine was originally built in 1912 when Mother Cabrini gathered several white rocks and made them into a simple heart on the highest point on Lookout Mountain, overlooking Denver. In 1944, a committee replaced the stones with a twenty-two foot statue of Jesus Christ called the Shrine of the Sacred Heart, or the Cabrini Shrine. When you reach the top there is a beautiful view of Denver and a feeling of quiet. Surrounding the shrine there are also several memorials that you can read and reflect on.

Like I said, I'm not Catholic, but you don't have to be to enjoy the beauty and feel of this wonderful shrine. The caretakers are kind and welcoming and the atmosphere is peaceful and enjoyable. I would recommend a quick stop at this location to anyone, whether you're religious or not. And if you're like me and drive by it often, but have never taken the time to check it out, do. You'll enjoy it.