Ave Maria Grotto in Cullman, Alabama, draws thousands of tourists each year. (FILE/The Birmingham News) 

Birmingham, Alabama – A new documentary film about the monk who built Ave Maria Grotto in Cullman will be released this fall.

“Brother Joseph and the Grotto” tells the story of Joseph Zoettl, a hunchbacked monk from Bavaria who used stones, cement, marbles and various other materials to create miniatures of Jerusalem, Rome and biblical scenes at Saint Bernard Abbey in Cullman.

The film was written and directed by veteran documentary-filmmaker Cliff Vaughn of Red Clay Pictures. Vaughn got the idea for “Brother Joseph and the Grotto” from singer-songwriter Kate Campbell’s song “Ave Maria Grotto.”

Red Clay Pictures is based in Nashville, Tenn., with a satellite office in Birmingham that is headed up by Vaughn’s sister, Carol Ann Vaughn Cross, who serves as producer of “Brother Joseph and the Grotto.”

“’Brother Joseph and the Grotto’ is a true fairy tale about a young boy who immigrated to the United States and helped transform a small piece of land in the Alabama woods,” said Cliff Vaughn. “It is also an inspiring tale involving folk art, Alabama history, perseverance, and a life of devotion.”

This statue was dedicated in 2009 at Ave Maria Grotto. It’s a life-size depiction of Brother Joseph Zoettl, the monk who created Ave Maria Grotto. (FILE)  

Vaughn began his research for the film in 2011 when he began tracing Brother Joseph’s entry into the United States through Ellis Island in 1892. Other research uncovered a 1946 newsreel segment by Paramount Pictures, an unpublished manuscript by the monks at the abbey, and Brother Joseph’s personal album of more than 300 postcards from his family members in Germany. To clarify some of Brother Joseph’s biographical information, Cliff hired a researcher in Brother Joseph’s hometown in Germany. Vaughn had extensive access to the abbey’s archives for research and to the abbey’s grounds for shooting scenes for the film. His research also uncovered a common theme in the archives: references to Brother Joseph as a “little soul” in the tradition of both St. Therese of Lisieux and St. Francis of Assisi, patron of the new Pope Francis.

The story of Brother Joseph is fascinating in that he helped build Saint Bernard Abbey, but, according to the customs of the day, his hunchback prevented him from becoming a priest-monk. He could, however, remain at the monastery as a brother. He was sent to various parishes throughout the South to cook and clean for priests serving those at the turn of the century. He eventually returned to Saint Bernard where he built a small stone grotto to the Virgin Mary. It was blessed by Abbott Bernard, who mentioned that one day they would build a larger grotto.

In the meantime, Brother Joseph found inspiration from a book by Theresa of Lisieux, who wrote about her desire to serve God in a “little way.” At about the same time that he discovered the book, Brother Joseph began making miniature buildings of concrete and recycled materials. He did that for several years, placing them by his original little grotto. It was not until 1932, however, that Abbott Bernard approached Brother Joseph to build a big grotto down in the abbey’s old quarry. Ave Maria Grotto opened to the public in 1934. Brother Joseph spent the next 25 years building more miniatures to place beside the big grotto. These miniature masterpieces became known as “sermons in stone.” Brother Joseph died in 1961, and his funeral was held in the grotto park. Today the Ave Maria Grotto is one of Alabama’s leading tourist attractions.

“Closer scrutiny of Brother Joseph’s life and work has revealed a beautiful story – one whose new details only enhance the mystery in the abbey woods off I-65,” Cliff Vaughn said. “We believe viewers will be as captivated by the magic and majesty of this single life, in service to God and others, as we have.”

“Brother Joseph and the Grotto” was recently accepted for fiscal sponsorship by the Southern Documentary Fund, a non-profit organization with IRS 501(c)3 status. As a fiscally sponsored project of the SDF, “Brother Joseph and the Grotto” is entitled to receive tax-exempt contributions from individuals and granting sources that require non-profit status.

Cliff Vaughn is the writer-director of “Brother Joseph and the Grotto,” a documentary from Red Clay Pictures.