Our Lady of Peace Santa Clara Shrine

Our Lady of Peace Church & Shrine, Mission College Boulevard, Santa Clara, Kalifornija, Združene države Amerike

Website of the Sanctuary

+1 408 988 4585

Open 24 Hours

Our Lady of Peace Santa Clara shrine is the only major Marian Shrine on the West Coast and has the tremendous gift of having Perpetual Adoration all day long and all year long, for which the parish is renowned.

Perpetual Adoration

The Blessed Sacrament at Our Lady of Peace Church has been continuously adored 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days per year since August 1976. Over 300 parishioners are now committed to one or more hours each week.

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Our Lady of Peace Santa Clara Shrine

The Statue of Our Lady of Peace

In August of 1980, Msgr. John Sweeny, then pastor of Our Lady of Peace Church in Santa Clara, California, fulfilled a long-time desire to give special honor to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

That month, he commissioned Charles C. Parks, a noted sculptor, of Wilmington, Delaware, to design a 32-foot stainless steel statue of Our Lady, under this title.

Thus began a remarkable odyssey, of a truly extraordinary image of the Blessed Virgin, the Mother of God. After several models, the masterpiece was begun.

The statue, which some have called “the awesome Madonna,” was finished in the Summer of 1982. It stands higher than most three-story buildings. The 7200-pound statue rises to a height of thirty-two feet and rests on a twelve-foot landscaped mound.

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The head, hands, and feet are cast in stainless steel. The gown is constructed of welded strips of stainless steel.

Our Lady of Peace Santa Clara Shrine

It was erected outdoors, on the lawn of the artist’s studio. It created so much interest, and attracted so many visitors — day and night — that the Mayor of Wilmington invited the sculptor to put it on public display in the heart of the city.

There it remained from September 1 to October 10, 1982. Many busloads of pilgrims came from distant cities, to see the statue, and to pray.

During that period, the local paper printed a special supplement titled “The Madonna In Rodney Square”, telling the story of the statue and of the vision of Fatima. The first 10,000 copies sold out in one day.

In November 1982,Delaware Today magazine published a special article with full color pictures under the title “The Madonna Phenomenon.”

Shrine of Our Lady of Peace

Noteworthy of mention is the fact that the Shrine is the only major Marian Shrine on the West Coast between Our Lady of Sorrows Shrine in Portland, Oregon, (over 700 miles to the north), and the famous Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, (over 2,300 miles to the south).

Located at the intersection of Freeway 101 and Great America Parkway, the parish of Our Lady of Peace was established in 1961 in a rural community, amidst acres of orchards and fields—“out in the boondocks,” as its first Pastor, Father Joseph G.Sullivan, fondly remembered.

Our Lady of Peace Santa Clara Shrine

Fifty years later, the parish is surrounded by Silicon Valley’s corporate giants, Mission College, an ethnic variety of restaurants, Great America Amusement Park, and, recently, Levi Stadium—home of the SF 49’ers.

Let us remain close in the same prayer! May the Lord bless you abundantly!

Perpetual Adoration

The Blessed Sacrament at Our Lady of Peace Church has been continuously adored 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days per year since August 1976. Over 300 parishioners are now committed to one or more hours each week.

What spiritual benefits and graces can be attributed to the establishment of a parish Perpetual Adoration program?

  • An increase in Mass attendance and reception of the sacraments;
  • Return of fallen-away Catholics and increase in the number of conversions;
  • Increase in religious and priestly vocations;
  • Renewal of Catholic family life;
  • Spiritual level of the people is raised with a resulting desire and courage to spread the “good news” to others;
  • A greater community spirit, centered as it is on the heart of the parish, Jesus’ presence in the Blessed Sacrament.

Let us remain close in the same prayer! May the Lord bless you abundantly!

The Statue

In August of 1980, Msgr. John Sweeny, then pastor of Our Lady of Peace Church in Santa Clara, California, fulfilled a long-time desire to give special honor to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. That month, he commissioned Charles C. Parks, a noted sculptor, of Wilmington, Delaware, to design a 32-foot stainless steel statue of Our Lady, under this title. Thus began a remarkable odyssey, of a truly extraordinary image of the Blessed Virgin, the Mother of God. After several models, the masterpiece was begun.

The statue, which some have called “the awesome Madonna,” was finished in the Summer of 1982. It stands higher than most three-story buildings. The 7200-pound statue rises to a height of thirty-two feet and rests on a twelve-foot landscaped mound. The head, hands, and feet are cast in stainless steel. The gown is constructed of welded strips of stainless steel.

It was erected outdoors, on the lawn of the artist’s studio. It created so much interest, and attracted so many visitors — day and night — that the Mayor of Wilmington invited the sculptor to put it on public display in the heart of the city. There it remained from September 1 to October 10, 1982. Many busloads of pilgrims came from distant cities, to see the statue, and to pray.

During that period, the local paper printed a special supplement titled “The Madonna In Rodney Square”, telling the story of the statue and of the vision of Fatima. The first 10,000 copies sold out in one day. In November 1982,Delaware Today magazine published a special article with full color pictures under the title “The Madonna Phenomenon.”

The statue was blessed and dedicated by Bishop Pierre DuMaine of the Diocese of San Jose, in Santa Clara, California. The ceremony took place on October 7,1983, Feast of the Most Holy Rosary. Msgr. Sweeny considered the date significant. This date was the 15th anniversary of the beginning of monthly First Friday all-night vigils in this parish.

Let us remain close in the same prayer! May the Lord bless you abundantly!

Shrine of Our Lady of Peace

Noteworthy of mention is the fact that the Shrine is the only major Marian Shrine on the West Coast between Our Lady of Sorrows Shrine in Portland, Oregon, (over 700 miles to the north), and the famous Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, (over 2,300 miles to the south). We invite you to visit our serene and peaceful place of worship and experience the tender gaze and maternal solicitude of our Blessed Mother.

Located at the intersection of Freeway 101 and Great America Parkway, the parish of Our Lady of Peace was established in 1961 in a rural community, amidst acres of orchards and fields—“out in the boondocks,” as its first Pastor, Father Joseph G.Sullivan, fondly remembered. Fifty years later, the parish is surrounded by Silicon Valley’s corporate giants, Mission College, an ethnic variety of restaurants, Great America Amusement Park, and, recently, Levi Stadium—home of the SF 49’ers.

Let us remain close in the same prayer! May the Lord bless you abundantly!

Msgr. John J.Sweeny

The growth  from its beginning can be attributed to the power of the Rosary, devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the tremendous gift of having Perpetual Adoration all day long and all year long, for which the parish is renowned. Surely none of these would have been possible without the passion of Msgr. John J.Sweeny, who served as a Pastor from 1969 to 2002.

It was he who established First Friday All Night Vigils on October 3, 1969, Perpetual Adoration on August 15, 1976, and on October 7, 1983, erected the beautiful 32’ stainless steel statue—a shrine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary built by sculptor Charles C. Parks, and dedicated by Bishop Pierre Dumaine of the Diocese of San Jose. The newly proclaimed St. John Paul II deigned to bestow a special blessing for that occasion.

Let us remain close in the same prayer! May the Lord bless you abundantly!

Posted in North America and United States