By Don Stubbings
Destination: Butte, America; you read that right, not Butte, Montana. In the early days of Butte, the immigrant population was incredibly diverse, drawing miners, railway workers, and families from around the world. For those arriving from overseas, their destination wasn’t simply Montana; it was “Butte, America,” as inscribed on their destination documents.
So diverse, in fact, that signs inside the mines were written in sixteen different languages.
Butte is really known for three things: the blue-collar toughness instilled through generations of unionized workers, the Berkeley Pit, and its Catholic faith. And that faith is perhaps best captured by the story of Jim O’Bill and Our Lady of the Rockies.
In the late 1970s, Jim made a promise: if his wife, Joyce, survived cancer, he would build a monument. Joyce made a full recovery, and Jim made good on his promise. This project, however, was no easy task; the location selected was at the top of the Continental Divide, and the ambition was to build the Blessed Mother overlooking Butte, 3,500 feet above town. She stands 90 feet tall and weighs 80 tons! She is the largest monument of Mary in the United States.
The SCL story in Butte is well documented, dating back to 1881, when the Sisters arrived to establish St. James Hospital to serve the mining community. That legacy of service continues today through the work of our own Sister Mary Jo McDonald, who advocates for clean water with the “Butte Watchdogs” in a community where mining has left its scar on the environment.
This history provides a meaningful backdrop for Associate Days in Butte and Helena, a weekend of fellowship, faith, and pilgrimage to Our Lady of the Rockies.
The weekend of gathering began with a dinner at SCL Associate Bobby Lavender’s home in Helena with other Associates and our new Come and See candidates. Linda McCray, SCLA; Colleen Schulte, SCLA; Denise Kagie, SCLA; and Come and See candidates Maureen (Mo) Leo, Suzanne Johnson, and Marie Tobin each shared stories of their connection to the SCL Community and the enduring Charity Charism that lives within us.
Saturday, the group gathered at the base of the mountain at Our Lady of the Rockies. Our group had grown with the addition of SCL Associates Tom and Mary Landry and our Pilgrimage Leader, Sister Mary Jo.
As each of us arrived, hugs were exchanged, along with heartfelt gratitude for the time we would share. Some had not seen one another in years, yet somehow, we quickly picked up right where we had left off. There was an immediate sense of joy, connection, and gratitude as our pilgrimage began with our driver, Pete, who would safely guide us in a 15-passenger van over some of the roughest roads on the Continental Divide.
After safely arriving at the top of the mountain, there she was, just as described: 90 feet of the Blessed Mother in all her glory. Her bright exterior overlooks Butte, offering a peaceful presence as we looked out over the city, which was glazed in smoke from wildfires burning in nearby communities. Piercing through the haze was the Berkeley Pit, one of the largest Superfund sites in the world, filled with toxic water left behind as a byproduct of decades of mining in the community.
From downtown Butte, you can see this incredible landmark, but it is the inside of her, or, as I would call it, her soul, where you discover the absolute reason people from all over the world make this pilgrimage.
Inside is nothing short of a shrine, a memorial for many, and a place of rest for thousands of rosaries entrusted to her care. In every inch of metal hangs a rosary, each one carrying a story known only to the pilgrim who placed it there. Alongside these stunning rosaries are memorial plaques honoring so many loved ones for whom the Blessed Mother has become a destination, a source of comfort, and a place of hope.
Standing there, surrounded by the rosaries and memories of so many, it becomes clear that this is more than a monument. She is a keeper of stories, a guardian of prayers, and a reminder that Mary is there for us.
Our group then gathered in the chapel and open space for a wonderful lunch, followed by a Rosary led by Denise. Then, at the pause of each mystery, Sister Mary Jo reflected on Mary in a way that made our time together this day so very special.
On Sunday, we gathered at Saint Mary’s Catholic Community in Helena for a beautiful Mass, followed by time together in reflection on our weekend. Our reflection question was, “Where would Mother Xavier Ross see the need today?”
As you can imagine, there was no shortage of need, from improving access to healthcare and caring for our environment to supporting our immigrant communities. The needs of those who were marginalized in the past are, in many ways, still present 145 years later.
We closed our weekend with vision, energy, and faith, and confidence that the mission continues today just as it did in 1881. The work of Mother Xavier Ross and those who came before us calls us to see the needs of our time, respond with energy and compassion, and carry the mission forward with the gift of the Charity Charism.
