Perryville's Annual May Procession Sunday

The Association of the Miraculous Medal -- based in Perryville, Missouri -- is hosting its annual May Procession on Sunday on the shrine grounds at 1811 West Saint Joseph Street at 1 p.m. with a special blessing of the new rosary walk and a short ceremony to follow.

Don Fulford, president and CEO of the AMM, recommended arriving early on Sunday.

"There's plenty to see, and it's absolutely beautiful. With so many people coming, we want to make sure they find the right places for viewing and sitting," he said. "It's all changed since the last time they were here. We will start in the welcome plaza, then we will make our way down to the grotto where we will have a special ceremony."

AMM, the organization helping to make these types of projects possible, works in conjunction with Vincentian priests, who own the campus, he said. It was first built in 1818 and is considered the first and oldest seminary west of the Mississippi River.

Fulford said the original church -- a single log cabin which was dedicated in 1936 -- still exists on the grounds. He said the cabin hasn't been touched up or restored, since they are still in "the early phase."

He also explained that Catholicism, as most religions, has repetitiveness to it and theirs "is the rosary."

"What we've done is expanded the rosary, made it a half-mile long," Fulford said. "By the time you're done with one prayer, you're on to the next bead."

The walk begins with the crucifix and as you travel, you make your way to the "grotto," or small cave, which Fulford said is also another term for "place of prayer."

He said the entire campus is dedicated to prayer and reflection.

"I think that's the point we want to get across to everybody. This isn't a park," he said. "This isn't a picnic area. This is a place for special reflection."

Before the construction and remodel of the grounds, Fulford said there were a couple items making parts of the walk inaccessible, including quite a few "beautiful, old trees" lifting up the sidewalk in certain sections, which in turn, created trip hazards.

"Now, what we have is a place for moms to push strollers. The whole campus now is accessible," he said.

Fulford said the campus is 200 years old, and even though it was built "really well by the priests and brothers" who were on the grounds at the time it was erected, it's difficult to withstand the large tree roots

Fulford said the Perryville campus serves more than 300,000 members in every state and in 35 countries, with members from all over the world.

"All of this is done by private donation, because our church is not a parish," he said. "This is all done by the kindness and generosity of our members across the United States and here locally."

In addition to the many small and large-scale updates throughout the grounds, he said there was a need for new "seat walls."

"About four or five times a year we have incredible crowds down here. We needed places for them to sit without them being too intrusive on these beautiful grounds," he said.

The Meditation walk, which he said is sometimes called a labyrinth, will feature 12 different statues of the apparitions of Mary, which will be completed by October.

Lights have been added as well; along with upgraded sound and a complete camera system and more than 480 trees have been planted.

He said they've also added candles, which is unique for the grotto.

"The grotto, for those non-Catholic, is just a great place to come, light a candle and remember," he said.

He said the Perryville rosary walk is probably the largest rosary walk in the United States.

"We're not done yet. You can see by looking at the ground we're not finished yet. This is just phase one," Fulford said. "Over the next five months, more trees will be planted; the landscaping will be put into place. More statues will be added."

At that time, he said, they will be able to celebrate their "actual 200-year anniversary" Oct. 13 and 14, which commemorates when the Vincentian originally migrated to Perryville.

He said the project would be 90 percent complete by then, which is also when it will be blessed.

"The May Procession, in itself, is a great story and a great invitation to come out here," he said. "But we really did our homework before we updated and restored this place. For some people, having their spiritual life is also having a life of wellness. So we made sure when we built it, that it was a wellness walk as well."

Fulford expects more than 2,000 visitors Sunday, which will be the first time the upgrades have been available for viewing.

jhartwig@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3632

Pertinent address:

1811 West Saint Joseph Street

Perryville, Missouri 63775-1598