Dennis Alt retires from Sorrowful Mother Shrine
Marsha Danhoff
Director of Operations, Sorrowful Mother Shrine
Dennis Alt retired from his position as lead maintenance technician, effective May 1. Dennis’s announcement saddens the clergy and staff at the shrine, but we are deeply grateful for his years of dedication. While we will miss him, we understand and respect his decision and will embrace his departure as best we can.
Dennis shared the following thoughts with me, and as I read them, I knew this was a story that needed to be shared.
As the last day of my time at the shrine approaches, I feel compelled to share some of my thoughts and feelings.
My connection with the shrine dates back a long way. My mother’s ancestors in the New World arrived from Germany around 1830 and eventually settled in Ohio in 1840. It’s my hope that some of them spoke to Fr. Brunner and helped him establish the shrine, so it’s in my blood.
My Grandpa told many stories about the shrine, how the farmers would take wagons and horses to the Peru Settlement, load slate from the river bottom, and haul it back to the shrine for the first paths and walkways. My grandparents were very religious and strongly loved the Blessed Mother, which they passed along to their children.
My Mom said things would often not be so good, but my grandparents always said Mary was watching over them and everything would turn out okay.
I recall my grandpa milking cows and singing church songs in his barn, which was several hundred yards from the shrine and had windows that provided him with a view of it.
When I was born, my parents brought me home, and the window in our house gave you a view of the shrine. Every day of my life, the shrine has been in my eyes. It was a very comforting sight every morning, every evening, rain or snow or sun. I have come to understand this as I’ve grown older. The shrine has been a place of calm and quiet refuge for me. Some people had to travel to find this. I’ve had it my entire life. So, when I was asked to help, I said yes. It was my turn to make sure it remained that way for others to enjoy.
Some days, my job wasn’t too pleasant, but others, it was a joy. The sound of kids laughing and running, of older people walking and enjoying the grounds. The color of the flowers, the leaves in the fall, and the ground with snow, or looking for a loved one’s name on the walkway. I felt good at the end of the day, knowing that I was a part of something good and enduring. I find it hard to leave the shrine, but I struggle to find the energy to care for it the way I think it deserves, while still having some time left for my family. I want to enjoy them when I am young enough to remember them. I know that they are a gift from God.
Every morning, when I unlock the chapel, I pray for the shrine, for people who are sick, for my family, and for the energy to do whatever the shrine needs. It has worked so far. I have met some wonderful people from all over the U.S., all seeking a peaceful place for prayer and meditation, just as it was 175 years ago. May the legacy of the shrine continue.
Dennis, thank you for everything you have done for the Sorrowful Mother Shrine. We know the shrine will always hold a special place in your heart, just as you will in ours.