Holy Cross, families work together to provide students a space for prayer
A new “Rosary Walk,” tucked between St. Mary’s and St. Joseph’s lakes, opened to the public with a blessing on September 14. Beginning with a crucifix, the path allows students and other campus visitors to pray the Rosary as they walk through nature. A generous donation from a group of families and the Congregation of Holy Cross financed the installation.
At the inauguration, Alex Adamson, a Notre Dame alumnus and one of the project’s donors, spoke about the history of the walk as well as the purpose he hopes it will serve.
Adamson noted that the Rosary walk is dedicated to women and mothers, after the example of Mary, but he hopes that all people will be able to unite the season of life they are in with the mysteries of the rosary. Adamson stated, “Our devotion to Mary—her maternal gentleness, softness, her grace—is such a beautiful and essential component of our faith.”
Father William Lies, C.S.C., the Provincial Superior of the U.S. Province of Priests and Brothers of the Congregation of Holy Cross, was a central figure in the creation of the Rosary walk. He shared a similar message: “This walk is a gift to the Church, but it’s a gift to all people. A place where the mysteries of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection will be lifted up and reflected upon. It stands in the shadow of the cross, under the mantle of Mary, Our Lady of Sorrows. Our blessed founder Basil Moreau entrusted Holy Cross to her maternal protection. Here we continue that legacy.”
Adamson shared the history of the project and reflected on its importance in his remarks. He began, “The origins of this project were five years ago, in the fall of 2020, in the midst of the pandemic and lockdowns. … It was a sad and confusing time, but in the midst of that, our close friends and neighbors … invited us to their house to say the Rosary. … Somehow, calm and the peace that surpasses understanding settled into that room. My three kids started asking us to pray the Rosary with them at night.”
Adamson reflected on the impact the Rosary had on his personal life, saying, “From those months back in 2020, my life and my faith have gone in a direction I would never have imagined.” Adamson expressed his gratitude to the Rosary for its influence on his family and said, “I don’t think we can really ‘repay’ God or Our Lady for the gift of that prayer, but this Rosary Walk is an attempt to pay it forward.”
“In the context of the Congregation and the University,” Adamson told attendees, “the Rosary Walk was created with a very modest donation; it occupies a large piece of beautiful property on a campus where undeveloped land is becoming scarce. … And that is how [Mary] works, finding ways to make a huge impact out of humble means.”
Later, Adamson discussed the details of the walk itself. He explained how the path begins with a crucifix, with the view of the first Glorious Mystery in the distance, “allowing you to take in the suffering of the cross and the redemption of the resurrection all in one frame.” As the walk concludes, participants can see a “beautiful view of Mary on the dome.”
Adamson concluded the opening service with an exhortation to those in attendance, saying, “I want to invite you to consider having the Rosary be a part of your daily life. … It is a prayer for all seasons.”
Joshua Velasquez, a senior who attended the opening blessing, shared his thoughts with the Rover, “It was really nice to still be on campus but also take a step away from it, amidst the busyness of a Sunday. It is really great to have a place where the pace of things can slow down.”
In his blessing of the Rosary walk, Fr. Lies shared a similar sentiment. He prayed, “May it be for all who walk here a school of prayer, a place of peace, and a reminder of God’s closeness.”
Bridgette Rodgers is a senior from Santa Monica, California studying theology and political science. She’s glad she could help advertise the better version of a lake walk for Notre Dame couples. If you go on a Rosary walk and end up engaged, feel free to send a save-the-date to brodger4@nd.edu.
Photo Credit: Image by the Irish Rover
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