HIDDEN GEMS: EWTN series to feature Diocese of Sioux City's shrines

By RENEE WEBB
Content and Design Coordinator

In the coming months, the two shrines of the Diocese of Sioux City will be featured in a new EWTN series called Hidden Gems: Catholic Shrines in America.

A four-person crew was recording video and interviews on site at the Shrine of Trinity Heights Queen of Peace in Sioux City on Sept. 4 and 5 and Shrine of the Grotto of the Redemption in West Bend on Sept. 6 and 7. Each of the diocesan shrines will be featured in their own episode of Hidden Gems.

According to the show’s executive producer Michael O’Neill, so far they have filmed 10 episodes but would love to feature many shrines in future seasons.
                
“The series presents the history and features of each shrine using on-location and drone footage, interviews with experts and high-end dramatizations,” he said. The scriptwriter for Hidden Gems is Catholic author and shrine expert Marion Amberg.
                
How did they end up here?
               

Msgr. Ed Girres, rector of the Shrine of the Grotto
 of the Redemption, watches the cinematographer record footage.

CLICK HERE FOR PHOTO GALLERY Without the other knowing, a representative from each of the shrines in the diocese had reached out to the show inquiring about being featured in an episode. Both Msgr. Ed Girres, rector of the Grotto of the Redemption, and Terry Hegarty, executive director of Trinity Heights, were notified by shrine patrons about the new EWTN show. Each separately had reached out to O’Neill to learn about the details and costs involved.     
          
“I brought it to the board and we all thought this was an opportunity of a lifetime,” said Msgr. Girres, who noted the grotto had been featured on EWTN previously, but not an entire show episode dedicated to the shrine. “People from all over the country and all over the world watch EWTN.”
                
It was after he had reached out to O’Neill when Msgr. Girres learned they would be at Trinity Heights in the first week of September. It made sense for the crew to go to West Bend from Sioux City. They were also able to record Bishop Walker Nickless’ thoughts on both shrinesThe crew with Hidden Gems records Bishop Walker Nickless. while at Trinity Heights.                

Hegarty pointed out he had contacted O’Neill in the spring and had recommended the on-site visit to be in September when the grounds would be lush, green and flowering. Plus, the Trinity Heights executive director wanted the chapel that is presently being built to be fairly on its way to completion.
                
Both Msgr. Girres and Hegarty said to be highlighted on the new EWTN series will be huge for them.
                
Acknowledging the importance of Bishop Nickless’ 2017 decree designating both as diocesan shrines, Hegarty could only imagine Father Harry Cooper smiling down from heaven. The same could be said of Father Paul Dobberstein who began work on the grotto in 1912.
                
The two said the days were a wonderful experience and they spoke of the professionalism of the crew from Hidden Gems. 
                
Unique beauty 

Members of the Hidden Gems team commented on the unique beauty of each shrine.
Co-producer Martha Villalba pointed out that as they record footage at various Catholic shrines throughout the country – places of prayer and devotion - they put in a special effort to give glory to God.

At Trinity Heights she appreciated how the shrine incorporates new devotional areas without making it seem crowded.“They have so many different areas for prayer and quiet and somehow it doesn’t feel congested. It is beautifully designed,” she said.

In West Bend, Villalba was in awe of founder Father Dobberstein’s ability to weave engineering, architecture, art and theology into the grotto.

“These shrines both stand as testaments to the idea of what committed Catholics can do if they are open to God’s grace and say yes to what he is asking,” she said.

Mark Davis, cinematographer from Denver, noted that Trinity Heights offered one of the “best collections of sculpture - big and small. I thought the craftsmanship in sculpture was truly profound – both the detail and the movement in still-life was elegantly captured in Sioux City.” 

Again, referring to unique collections, of the 100 or so shrines he has been to, the Grotto of the Redemption “is one of the most amazing collections of religious rock art I’ve ever seen. This is a very cool expression of a drive for passion spiraled into something you can explore today. I am really impressed with the scale and the intricacy that this took. To me it’s large-scale art that drives anyone who walks through here towards heaven.”

Tommy Cheely, producer, acknowledged it might sound a bit cliché, but he was struck by how Trinity Heights was truly a “hidden gem” as you cannot see it driving by it on the road. 

“You wouldn’t even know it was there,” he described. But once you go up the hill and reach the entrance, the first thing you see is a “massive statue of Mary. You wonder how it can be invisible from the street because it’s huge. A lot of times when something is such a large size, they tend to sacrifice some of the detail but not in this case.”

Another thing that really stood out to him at Trinity Heights was the life-size carving of the Last Supper as the work of art showed the time and effort that was put into it.

At the grotto, Cheely said he was struck by the ornate detail of the structure.

“It looks like you could take a microscope over every inch of it and just be mesmerized for days,” he said. “There is so much detail, it’s astounding.” 

Places of learning

Show host Nell Andrzejewski of Chicago described Trinity Heights as a remarkable place, a place of peace.

“One might be drawn because of unique statuary, or the artists involved, but there is a depth of education and faith there that one can be fortified by,” she said, noting she was impressed by the visible support of the shrines with its many markers and memorials from those throughout the country. “There were so many places to sit, contemplate, pray and learn. The education aspect of that place is pretty phenomenal.”

Andrzejewski mentioned that both Trinity Heights and Grotto of the Redemption had a uniqueness in that they were not really mapped out until they began.

The show host said the West Bend shrine provided “a unique way of encountering Christ and learning about the mysteries of the church, mysteries of his life. It’s beautiful. It’s very grounded and yet very spiritual.” She added, “It expands your vision of the seen and unseen because some of these rocks were buried for (thousands of years) – there are literally fossils here.”

“They were amazed by what we have here, the beauty and the opportunity for education,” said Hegarty, who offered just a few examples of the shrine’s offering such as the Way of the Saints, Divine Mercy Garden with excerpts from St. Faustina’s diary, a new devotional exhibit of the Seven Sorrows of Mary, apparitions of Mary and more. “They said it’s such a wonderful teaching tool. You can walk the grounds and grow deeper in your faith.”

Just as those from the diocesan staff were impressed by the Hidden Gems crew, members of the crew were touched by the Iowa hospitality in both locations. The cinematographer said he could feel a reference for maintaining the spaces for generations to come.

By featuring shrines in this country in Hidden Gems, the host said the show “extends a big invitation for others to visit the shrines in person.”

Carrying a silver notebook with the special intentions of family, friends and viewers, Andrzejewski said the visits to the shrines for production of the show also serve as a personal pilgrimage. In carrying the intentions with her to each shrine, it creates “a spiritual movement” as they watch the show.

Future viewing

O’Neill, who is known as The Miracle Hunter, is the creator of Hidden Gems. He anticipates the episode of the diocesan shrines will air in the first quarter of the new year.

“This will air independently and as part of the series when it launches – but the weekly current day and time has not been announced,” said the executive producer. He explained that whatever is airing currently at any time on EWTN television can be also watched at ewtn.com/tv/watch-live; the programs will later be made available on their ON Demand service at ondemand.ewtn.com/ and DVDs will be available for purchase at EWTNRC.com.

Both Msgr. Girres and Hegarty look forward to the show raising awareness about the shrines to a wider audience.

“When people come here, they know it’s a sacred place,” said Msgr. Girres. “For anyone who comes, something will happen when they are here. To me it’s God’s grace and God will take people where they are at.” 

Visting a shrine, he added, accentuates the reality of who Catholics are as a pilgrim people moving toward God.

There was a cost involved for the shrines to be featured in Hidden Gems. Hegarty noted they had a donor cover the costs for Trinity Heights. Msgr. Girres said the Come Rock the Grotto festival in June proceeds went to this project but they are still seeking donations to cover all expenses.

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