Utah school to build Marian prayer garden

St. Andrew Catholic School in Riverton, Utah, is building a prayer garden and outdoor instruction space for students, teachers, and administrators.

The school’s principal, Holly Groves, had the inspiration for the prayer garden soon after she began working at the school last year.

“From the very beginning, I felt called to create a special space on our campus — a place where students, teachers and parishioners could come together to pray, reflect and find peace in God’s creation,” she said, according to Intermountain Catholic.  

Groves visited several other schools around her diocese after becoming principal of St. Andrew. She was struck by how many had outdoor prayer spaces.

“Being someone who has always loved gardens, I began dreaming of how we could bring something similar to life at Saint Andrew,” she added.

The garden will be centered around a statue of Mary. “Above her, a custom wooden arch covered in blooming wisteria will frame her presence, while white roses behind her will symbolize her immaculate nature,” Groves said.

There will also be a fountain and Stations of the Cross.

The garden will also function as “an outdoor classroom – a meaningful extension of our religion curriculum and a special space for our teachers to enrich their lessons,” Groves told the outlet.

Groves has sought help from the community to make her dream a reality. Teachers, school administrators, and other members of the community have all assisted in planning the garden.

Father Joseph Delka, pastor of the school and church community, has been particularly central to this project, and he believes the completed garden will be a help to the school community.

“Our day-to-day lives are noisy and full of distractions,” he said, according to Intermountain Catholic. However, he explains that, through pray and quiet, “we can rediscover our purpose to give meaning and direction to our lives. We are made by God and for God. Our purpose is to live as free sons and daughters of the Father.”

 A donation from the ALSAM Foundation made the construction of the garden possible., The foundation supports education, medical research, human services, and Catholic organizations, according to Candid’s Foundation Directory. 

The school’s administration expressed its gratitude to the foundation and said the school hopes to complete construction before the end of the summer and hold a dedication in September.

Fr. Delka said he hopes the prayer garden “will be a peaceful place where one can step away from the chaos and foster that encounter with God.”

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