The Shrine of St. Joseph

A Shrine of St. Joseph is located in a grotto behind Francis Hall on the former grounds of the Christ the King Seminary.  The shrine was built at the bottom of a former oil tank storage lot..  Steps were laid down into the earth in order to reach the bottom of the tank lot, and pine trees were planted around the circular area.  The shrine was built in an altar design, and originally had a five foot statue of St. Joseph with the baby Jesus, which was donated by Rev. Joseph A. Burke, Bishop of the Diocese of Buffalo .  This shrine was a result of the efforts of the students of Christ the King Seminary.  It was built by the students using materials that were rejected from the construction of the new seminary.  The shrine consists of an altar with three supports, and a mensa that is composed of three large concrete slabs.  Overlooking the mensa on a small pedestal was the white statue of St. Joseph holding the baby Jesus. 

 Today this shrine is in the woods behind Francis Hall and is hard to find.  It has not been taken care of for many years and is slowly deteriorating.  The statue of St. Joseph that once stood in the shrine is gone and has been relocated to storage, and this shrine has become a forgotten part of St. Bonaventure University's history.

Kulakowski, Edmund A. "Shrines of Saint Bonaventure University, New Shrine of St. Joseph" The Bona Venture 28 September, 1979.