Beginning in the 1850s, Belgian immigrants who settled in this region built many churches and roadside chapels that reflected the value of their Catholic faith, and Brussels and its surrounding communities became the largest Belgian settlement in North America. The first Mass at St. Francis Xavier was in 1878, and a new brick church was constructed in 1909. In 1919, Fr. Jerome Gloudemans, a Dutch Norbertine priest, became pastor of St. Francis Xavier and served for 31 years. In devotion to the Blessed Mother, he designed and built a rock structure resembling a freestanding cave, topped by a large crucifixion scene, using field stones chosen for their beauty by local parishioners. The Brussels Grotto includes features similar to the natural Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes in France, including statues of the Blessed Mother and St. Bernadette Soubrious, a cave-like setting, and flowing water. It was dedicated on October 29, 1935. Fr. Gloudemans wished to be buried among his faithful and built a crypt within the grotto, but after he died at age 80, he was taken back to De Pere, WI to be buried with his Norbertine brothers.