OUR LADY OF THE
ROSARY SHRINE
The Shrine is open all year for personal prayers and meditations. The Rosarian priests are available at the shrine for confession and spiritual direction. On Shrine Days Holy Mass is celebrated in the centre of the Rosary Trail, on the site of the first church which was built in 1855. Each year Shrine Days are celebrated July 2, 13, 16, August 13-22, and September 12, 13, 14 and 15.
In 1995, three ladies of the parish were given permission by the parish priest to start a Rosary Trail in the wooded area behind the church and cemetery. Thanks to many donations, dedication of hours of work and prayer of numerous volunteers, what began as “Our Lady’s Garden” has now become the home to Our Lady of the Rosary London Diocesan Shrine.
The original Diocesan Shrine was located in St. Mary’s, Ontario, since it’s construction in 1954 and official dedication by Bishop Cody in 1963. At the close of the 1998 celebrations, Bishop Sherlock then moved the site to St. Patrick’s Church in Merlin.
GARDENS UP FOR ADOPTION:
Our Lady of the Rosary Shrine requires many dedicated volunteers to perform a variety of roles. Shrine Volunteers are passionate people who freely provide their time and energy to support the great work, beauty and growth of our Shrine.
If you are interested in assisting pilgrims from all over the region or in helping from behind the scenes, and nourishing one’s own spiritual life, maybe adopting a shrine garden, please consider becoming a volunteer. Contact
SHRINE DAYS
✣ PILGRIMAGE
There are four beautiful trails to experience: “The Rosary Trail”, “The Saints Trail” (featuring over 90 statues), “The Approved Apparitions Trail” and “The Stations of the Cross Trail”. Lighting is installed throughout the Shrine grounds. There is a picnic area and washrooms available. We invite you to bring your own picnic lunch and lawn chair. “The Sanctuary” will be open during Shrine Days for all your religious needs.
If you are planning a group visit, please contact the Office at 519-689-7760. We welcome schools and any groups for retreat days. Contact us for more information and dates available. *Note: If you have a group attending, advanced notice for an outdoor mass is required to ensure proper planning.
See EVENTS CALENDAR to view ALL events happening at the Church & Shrine.
NO PETS ALLOWED: Service Animals specifically trained to aid a person with a disability are welcome.
Shrine Song Books (printed courtesy of Melady Funeral Home) are for our Pilgrims to enjoy. Limited number (on days of large attendance then please share) During August Shrine Days there will be additional onsite washroom facilities to accommodate larger crowds.
Our official Facebook account is Our Lady of the Rosary Diocesan Shrine. Please follow us at facebook.com/olrshrine for the latest info and pictures depicting shrine events.
THE SANCTUARY: Gifts & Books of Faith Store
(originally The Gift Cabin) located near Shrine entrance.
“For all your faith based needs”
Opened only on Shrine Days 10:00am – 3:00pm
(or visit The Sanctuary online from their store in Kingsville )
EVENTS CALENDAR 2026
|DATE
|EVENT
|CELEBRANT
Oct. 17
Shrine Fall Wrap-up Day 9:30am to 12:30pm.
BBQ for volunteers to follow.
LATEST SHRINE NEWS
Shrine Days 2026 Final Message
Dear sisters and brothers,
Greetings of love in the name of the Lord and Mother Mary.
With hearts full of gratitude to God, we extend our deepest thanks to our Blessed Mother for the successful celebration of Shrine Days 2026 at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary in Merlin. It was a beautiful time of faith, prayer, and fellowship, and we were deeply moved to see so many pilgrims come together in devotion.
Through this writing, we are so happy to share our joy and happiness after we have had a very successful and prayerful Shrine Days for this year. We the Rosarians wanted to take a moment to personally thank you for attending the Shrine Days 2026 at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary in the Diocese of London. Your presence and prayerful participation truly made this a grace-filled celebration, and we are profoundly grateful for your continuous support. Thank you for helping make our Shrine Day a beautiful and blessed success!
After having the successful Shrine Days, it is indeed our pleasure to remember each one who contributed and dedicated for having grace filled and beautiful liturgical servicers amidst so many challenges. We would like to thank in general for all who support us spiritually and morally even by your mere presence. Especially, we are so grateful to our dear volunteers; you were the backbone of this event. We are incredibly grateful for your selfless service, which ensured our liturgical services were orderly, meaningful, and beautiful.
We extend a special thank you to our new Bishop, Daniel Miehm, for making his very first visit to our Shrine and rendering the day remarkable. We also express our sincere gratitude to the diocesan priests and deacons who coordinated each day, inspiring us with their reflections and nourishing us through the Holy Eucharist.
The Our Lady of the Rosary Shrine remains open to the public year-round for the public and for the personal prayers. We invite you to keep visiting the Shrine of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary in Merlin and humbly ask for your continued financial support to help our sacred place grow. Please know that we, the Rosarians, lift your intentions before the Blessed Sacrament every single day. May God bless you as you enjoy the remaining days of the fall season ahead. May God bless you.
Rosarians
Merlin
Have you checked out the section WAYS TO GET INVOLVED? (located on the Home Page) There will be more topics coming as “things open up”. In the meatime check out the one called PRAYER. There are weekly prayers and monthly devotions.