There is a Marian shrine overlooking the beautiful blue Pacific Ocean in Long Beach, CA, that provides a lovely outdoor spot for contemplation and prayer to the Blessed Mother. The large white shell in which Mary rests is located on Ocean Boulevard, near the intersection of Redondo Avenue.
In a park-like setting, this tribute to Our Lady is constantly adorned with an array of beautiful bouquets from prayerful visitors who kneel on the concrete (there are also kneelers on either side of the shrine) with prayers for her intercession and prayers of thanks.
Curiously, the site of the decades-old shrine is sandwiched between two of the many expansive oceanfront mansions that line the boulevard from Loma Avenue to Lindero.
My recent visit to the shrine left me asking, Why a shrine on a lot that is worth millions?
Did a wealthy owner of this coveted real estate dedicate the site in honor of Mary instead of selling it? Is the land the site of a former church building? It’s easy to rule out the idea of the property being owned by the city of Long Beach. It would have to appear nondenominational if that were the case.
After following online breadcrumbs while searching “Long Beach Marian shrine,” I discovered that the shrine is located on property formerly owned by a community of cloistered Carmelite sisters who established themselves on this site in the 1950s.
This old image of a nun walking past what could be the same shrine was posted by @anmarie at the following url: https://www.phatmass.com/phorum/topic/147313-seeking-information-cloistered-carmelites-in-long-beach-california/#comment-2803826 – posted by @anmarie
According to a log that charts the experience of one Carmelite novice named Marianna So, the Carmelite sisters made the decision to close their Long Beach convent in the late 80s. The nuns relocated to various other convents in the U.S. (On the link above, scroll down to section beginning with ‘I began to feel angry at God’, paragraph 12).
Another online account reports that the sisters’ decision to move from Long Beach was due to increasing violence in the area. That account did not cite a source.
Searching for information on the Carmelite nuns of Long Beach continues to lead to web pages that have been abandoned. The trail ends at their unsuccessful attempt to relocate to Solvang, CA, after which the nuns were dispersed to other convents across the country.
Interestingly, I’ve learned that today this Marian shrine is owned and maintained by Buddhist monks who reside next door, at the Long Beach Sagely Monastery. The former convent is now a communal home affiliated with The City of Ten Thousand Buddhas.
Note: Click for a very brief summary of Buddhadharma.
In a 1993 lecture by the Ven. Master Hsuan Hua at Long Beach Sagely Monastery, Hua provided background on how in 1989 the monastery acquired the property as well as the shrine. Excerpts are below:
“The nuns lived a cloistered life here for 40 years. Since they never went out, they had their own clinic and their own bakery for making bread and cookies.
Although people made offerings to them, the convent was not entirely open to the public. There was a small area in the front for visitors, but the rest of the convent was closed to the public.
It’s a famous landmark in Long Beach because the nuns lived and cultivated here for 40 years. All the local Catholics know this place. If you just mention that it’s at the intersection of Redondo Avenue and Ocean Boulevard, people will know it.
When we bought the place, we asked them to leave the statue of the Virgin Mary in the front, because we also worship her as Guanyin Bodhisattva. Even now, Catholics still come to pay homage and bring lots of fresh flowers to offer to her every day.”
A 2007 article in the Press Telegram reported on the diversity in religion in the city of Long Beach. The story pointed to the Marian shrine on Ocean Boulevard as an example of two faiths respecting and honoring our Mother Mary.
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