Marian Grotto at Marquette University?

From the Louis Joliet Society, which is committed to holding Marquette to its claimed Catholic mission, an appeal for a Marian Grotto:

St. Ignatius of Loyola was intensely devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary. She was the impetus of his conversion, his lifelong devotion to Christ and his founding of the Society of Jesus. He was often referred to as a “Soldier of Mary” and “The Holy Knight of Mary.”

Ignatius knew intimately the incomparable power of the Blessed Mother for captivating souls, protecting them from evil and leading them to Jesus Christ, her Divine Son. For this reason, he consecrated himself and his religious order to “Mary, Queen of the Society of Jesus.”

Marquette University is a Jesuit university entrusted with the formation of the minds and hearts of young men and women. Imparting this most fundamental component of Ignatian Catholic spirituality – Marian devotion – is critical to its mission. The Louis Joliet Society proposes that Marquette do so through the creation of a Marian Grotto on campus as do other Catholic universities (above photo - the Beaudry Shrine at John Carroll University), honoring Our Lady with beautiful spaces dedicated to her likeness where students can pray for her motherly protection, comfort and intercession.

This, of course, is pure symbolism, and nothing about having a Marian Grotto would prevent Marquette from continuing to be a university where opposition to gay marriage is frowned upon, if not outright forbidden. Nothing would prevent leftist centers of activism like the Gender and Sexuality Resource Center that decorated an entire wall with a fawning mural of Assata Shakur, terrorist and cop killer.

But at least, it would be the right kind of symbolism.

It would very much contrast with the mere symbolism of Marquette designating “gender neutral restrooms.” It turns out that only single use bathrooms on the ground floors of several dorms were designated “gender neutral,” but this was in flat contradiction to Catholic teaching on gender theory. The Church (including the very fashionable Pope Francis) has roundly condemned the notion that you can be any sex you want to be. But Marquette didn’t care.

So we wish the Louis Joliet Society well on this initiative. Moving things in the right direction, even in a minor way, is better than what has been happening.