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30 Things All Notre Dame Fans Should Do Before They Die

By Joshua Vowles

Oct 11, 2014; South Bend, IN, USA; A general view of the golden dome at the University of Notre Dame before the game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the North Carolina Tar Heels at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 11, 2014; South Bend, IN, USA; A general view of the golden dome at the University of Notre Dame before the game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the North Carolina Tar Heels at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Grotto on the campus of the University of Notre Dame. Photo Credit: Julie Hauenstein
The Grotto on the campus of the University of Notre Dame. Photo Credit: Julie Hauenstein /

The Grotto

The University of Notre Dame is, first and foremost, the premier Catholic university in the country. Along with all of the football-related events and activities and sights and sounds, Notre Dame offers various awe-inspiring must-sees for anyone religiously or spiritually inclined, including the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, the old log chapel (a replica of the first building on campus, which was built as a headquarters for missionaries in northern Indiana – masses are regularly held there nowadays), and my personal favorite, the Grotto.

The Grotto is a reproduction of the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes in France, where Mary appeared to St. Bernadette and asked her to build a chapel there. Notre Dame’s version is tucked into a little hillside very close to the Basilica and Admin building, and features the same cave-like feel with hundreds of candles, kneelers facing the candles, lots of beautiful flowers and trees helping create a beautifully isolated and private feel, and a statue of Mary watching over the whole scene from a cut-out in the rock wall.

There is no better place to go on campus for a moment of peace and quiet and careful reflection, as countless people will go there to light a candle, say a prayer, and think about the important things. I know I personally visited there during various tough times in my four years at ND, and cannot speak highly enough about how powerful of a scene it is to walk to the Grotto at night, illuminated with hundreds of candles, each lit with a specific petition or prayer or thought in mind. It’s a beautiful, impressive reminder that sometimes slowing down and reflecting on things can make all the difference. This is an absolute must-see, whether you are religious or not, as the beauty and serenity alone will make you happy you visited.

-PS

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