Our lady of the rockies.

She stands atop the Continental Divide on an 8500-foot mountain, with her arms outstretched as if to welcome and enfold the whole world, and especially the people of Butte, Montana, which lies 3500 feet below her. She is a 90-foot metal statue, built in the likeness of Mary, Mother of Our Saviour, and dedicated to the dignity of motherhood and the recognition of the special love that exists between a mother and her child. She is "Our Lady of the Rockies."

It all began as a dream and a promise--one made by local businessman Bob O'Bill to put a statue of Mary on top of the mountain if surgery performed on his wife Joyce was successful. It was; but it would take six long years for the promise to be fulfilled.

I first read about the statue in Bud McFarland's novel House of God. Two of the principal characters decide to visit Butte, and take the trip up the mountain to see the Lady. They are amazed at the size of the statue, and overwhelmed by its majesty and beauty. I too was impressed, and intrigued to discover that the statue was real and not just a figment of the author's imagination. I decided then that one day I, too, would visit the Lady. That "one day" took nearly three years to come.

I phoned Leroy Lee in Butte, and ordered a copy of his book, aptly entitled Our Lady Builds a Statue. It tells the story of the building of the statue from the time of its conception to the day it began its reign on the mountain as "Our Lady of the Rockies." It is an inspiring book, one I highly recommend, written from the heart with warmth and love, and a tribute to the people of Butte.

Butte, once known as the "richest hill on earth" because of the discovery of gold, silver, and copper deposits, had its heyday during a mining boom. At one time it had a population of nearly 100,000, people. Today, the population stands around 35,000. Due to the Depression of the 1930's, and the closing of the mines in 1983, the city endured periods of great hardship. However, its greatest riches were still to be tapped by the indomitable spirit of the people themselves. Tough, resilient, and with unswerving faith, they built a road up the mountain, then put a 90-foot statue of our Blessed Mother on top of it to overlook their city.

In the beginning, Bob O'Bill had envisaged a six-foot or life-size statue on the mountain. But the Lady had other plans. In subsequent meetings with members of the community and outside advisors, it was decided that the statue would be ninety feet tall. It was built at Joe Roberts Rocky Mountain Equipment Company. Joe has since passed away and the business no longer exists but, because of his belief in the vision, his devotion to our Blessed Mother, and his determination to see the project completed, he became one of the major forces behind it.

Leroy Lee, a convert to Catholicism, was the designer and sculptor, and, along with other workers, built the ninety-foot statue of "Our Lady of the Rockies." It began on December 29, 1979, and when completed, she weighed fifty tons. The width from fingertip to fingertip is 48 feet, and she stands on a 32 by 34-foot base (itself weighing 425 tons). She had to be built in sections, each placed on the mountain with the help of a Sikorsky Skycrane helicopter. Whilst all the citizens of Butte watched, the final head section was placed on top of the mountain at 4:10 MST on December 20, 1985. The "Impossible Dream" had come true.

On the day the statue was finally placed on the mountain, the word went Out that a businessman had bought the mines and they were about to be reopened. The Lady was already giving back the love she had so generously received from her people in Butte.

My cousin Malcolm Houston and I began our pilgrimage to visit the Lady on the mountain on a beautiful sunny day in August 2002. We flew to Calgary, then drove to Butte, a distance of about 450 miles. Driving through the Rocky Mountains, we were rewarded with spectacular scenery and beautiful vistas. As we approached Butte, an air of excitement and expectancy pervaded our car. The statue is visible from the highway for about nine miles on leaving or entering the city and, as it came into view, it was a thrilling sight and one I'll always remember. But even more exciting things were about to happen. Soon we would climb the mountain, and I would see the Lady face to face.

After settling into our motel, I telephoned Leroy Lee, whose inspiring book I have mentioned. He wanted to know when we would like to visit the mountain and I of course said, "Right now." Leroy was at the motel in fifteen minutes. It was a pleasure indeed to finally meet him after many telephone conversations and letters. Now in his sixties, a down-to-earth and fit man, he made us feel that we had known him all our life.

We got into his truck, and began the final leg of our journey, about seventeen miles from Butte, most of it on mountain roads that are guaranteed to shake every bone in your body, with precipitous drops along the way. As we travelled, Leroy regaled us with amazing stories about the building of the statue, along with tales of miraculous cures that had taken place, and even a few apparitions, whose recipients did not want their stories published.

One last bend in the road, and there she was, the Lady we had travelled so far to visit. I cannot put into words the impact the statue had on my seeing it up close. The initial view is from the rear, and its enormous size leaves one breathless. One gets the feeling that without the Lady's personal intervention, this could never have been achieved. It was a dream come true for me and I felt overwhelming gratitude that I had been given this opportunity to visit her.

She has a lovely face with a warm and gentle smile. The statue is beautifully proportioned, resplendent in its eggshell white robes. Her arms are at her side, her hands outstretched, as if to give back the love that was given so generously in putting her there on this mountain. Leroy then took us inside the statue. A mass of girders, beams, and ladders form the inner structure. On the walls hang countless rosaries, pictures, money, thank-you notes, and an assortment of messages left in gratitude by those who have received favours and graces from our Blessed Mother.

Not far from the statue is a memorial garden and, alongside it, an interdenominational chapel designed by Leroy. Plans are in the works for a cable car to take visitors from Butte right up the mountain close to the statue. It would seem that the Lady plans for more of her children to visit her.

We returned to Butte around sunset and, as the night descended, the Lady on the mountain was lit up. Shining brighter than the evening star, she glittered in the heavens, looking down on the sleeping city, and watching over her children. It had been a memorable and unforgettable day.

The following day we visited Our Lady of the Rockies maintenance centre, formerly St. Mary's Church. The archdiocese donated it for $1.00. The beautiful historical church is now used as an administrative office, cum museum. It is normally closed on Sunday, but we were fortunate to meet curator Stan Blackwood, who permitted us to look around. One of the items we saw was the ten-inch model of Our Lady on which the statue was finally based. Then we were shown a video of "Our Lady of the Rockies," extremely moving and beautifully done. The visit here was well worth the time.

Later we decided to visit the "Our Lady of the Rockies" store, located in a mall downtown. Bus tours are conducted from here to the statue. I initially had no plans to visit the statue again (on this trip), but as the day progressed I had an intense nagging urge to go once more, and so decided to take the final tour of the day. As we wound our way up the mountain route on the bus, I found myself getting very anxious to see the Lady face-to-face again.

It was extremely windy on the mountain that day and, after the group had visited the statue and were moving on to see the memorial gardens and chapel, I decided to stay with the Lady for a few precious moments by myself. I knelt and prayed in gratitude for just being able to be there with her. I offered a prayer for all the people who had sacrificed so much and worked so hard to accomplish the great feat, and I prayed that I would be given the grace to visit her here again.

Once again that evening, we would have the pleasure of seeing the glowing statue brighten the firmament and we would bask in her presence one last time. The next morning, we headed back to Toronto. As we drove, we watched the Lady as long as we could; then suddenly, she passed from our view but certainly not from our hearts. Our pilgrimage was at an end, but I hope someday to go back to visit the Lady on the mountain, who has taken possession of my heart.

I see her still-awesome and at the same time ethereal, smiling down on all her children. She stands as a beacon of light and a symbol of hope to our troubled world, reminding us that we must go back to her Son.. through her. Yes, someday, God willing, I will go back to visit my mother. Remember, she is your mother too. She is "Our Lady of the Rockies."

Richmond Cochrane is a retired comptroller and accountant. He lives in Scarborough, ON.