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Tour of the Crypts

One of the many hats which I wear @ Loyola is leading Tours of the Crypts at Madonna della Strada Chapel, Lake Shore Campus. This all emerged at a playful lunch in early October decades ago, when a group of RAs (resident assistants) teased me saying: too bad we don't have any crypts @ Loyola like Georgetown does! They saw in my non-verbal response that Loyola Chicago does have crypt chapels. So, they decided to have a Halloween program called the Tours of the Crypts. Others got jealous saying, why were we not able to go to this program? So we decided to offer several this every October. Hundreds attend this every year. When I see alums at Alumni gatherings, e.g., wedding receptions, often they ask if I still run these Tours of the Crypts. It's one of their most frequent questions.       

While it is not a requirement for your Loyola degree, I just wanted you to know that you are welcome. They all start at 8:00 PM in the nave (main body) of the dimly lit chapel. Since there is a surprise beginning, I would encourage you to be in your chair inside the chapel a little before 8:00. If the groups grow to over 50 (and it does sometimes), I will need to split the group in about 50 each (or you will get frustrated that you cannot hear & see in this narrow space below the church). IF you want to bring children, please consult me about the "surprise beginning," since I do not want impressionable little ones having nightmares because of an experience in a church. You know your own kids better than I do, so you make the judgment.       

The dates for the Tours of the Crypts: October 24, 29, 31.       

No need to register, unless you are bringing a group larger than 5. Then I might suggest a night which does not have as many groups in attendance. --Fr. J

[Fr. Jerry Overbeck, S.J., Chaplain of the School of Law, 312-915-7186, joverb2@luc.edu]