“What an appealing image to think of my soul as a garden... and imagine that the Lord is taking a walk in it.” – St. Teresa of Avila (1515 –1582)
The beautiful and serene garden stretches from the east side of St. Mark’s Hall to the Our Lady of the Runways Shrine.
Our Lady of Sorrows Memorial Prayer Garden is designed to be:
- a place of peace, contemplation, and quiet
- a place to honor and remember our loved ones
- a sacred place of solitude
- a place to pray
- a place to reflect on the Seven Sorrows of Mary and realize that we are not alone
- a place of meditation amidst nature’s beauty
The theme for the garden is The Seven Sorrows – events in the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Memorial Garden has seven meditation sites to commemorate these Seven Sorrows:
- The Prophecy of Simeon (Luke 2:34-35)
- The Flight into Egypt (Matthew 2:13)
- The Loss of Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:43-45)
- Mary Meets Jesus on the Way to Calvary (Luke 23:27)
- Mary Stands Beneath the Cross of Jesus (John 19:25)
- Mary Receives the Dead Body of Jesus (John 19:38)
- Jesus Is Laid in the Tomb (John 19:41)
You are invited to take a walk with Mary in the Our Lady of Sorrows Memorial Prayer Garden any time you wish. There are prayer brochures in the wooden holders at the entrance and exit to guide you along the path. Come and experience the peace and beauty with the changing of the seasons.
Monthly Masses are held to memorialize all those honored on the garden's memorial wall, located on the east side of St. Mark’s Hall. In the months that the Mass is offered at St. Mary's, prayer in the garden is held immediately after the morning Mass led by the Memorial Prayer Garden Committee.
The Our Lady of Sorrows Memorial Prayer Garden will forever be a work in progress as it is a place to remember loved ones living and deceased. Names are added in the spring and fall of each year with an associated blessing ceremony. Donations are requested to add names to the Memorial Wall, which are then used to maintain the garden.
Memorial Prayer Garden History
The garden is a result of the prayerful hopes, dreams, and tenacity of our very own Sylvia Thompson. Without her, the garden would never have become a reality. The effort took shape during the former Development Council's work in 2012. The Memorials and Special Gifts Committee of the Council conceptualized the garden and took it to fruition. Father Dennis Hanneman, our pastor at the time, greatly assisted with the garden's concept, design, and development.
Andrew Gorham, a proud 1996 graduate of St. Mary's School and landscape architect prepared the initial design renderings. He also provided some guidance on plants and foliage to consider. He suggested a good local firm, Canopy Gardens, to further the design and coordinate the construction.
The Garden was dedicated and blessed on September 7, 2014 prior to the annual St. Mary’s Parish Festival.
The cost of the garden has evolved over time. It has been a fiscally sound project due to the volunteer force involved and the donations received. The Memorial Garden Committee maintains the garden and is responsible for the upkeep. The garden is supported entirely by donations and the volunteers on the Memorial Garden Committee.
Memorial Prayer Garden Reflection Guide
First Sorrow: The Prophecy of Simeon
“And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, ‘this child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that is spoken against and a sword will pierce through your own soul so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed” - Luke 2:34
Dear Mother Mary, you must have pondered in your heart these words of Simeon, wondering what they might mean. Often I wonder what lies before me and what a word or a sign might mean for me. May I hold in my heart all that is mystery and like you, Mary, may I trust in God’s loving care. May I look to Jesus, Your Son and God’s Promised One. Amen.
Hail Mary…
Second Sorrow: The Flight into Egypt
“An angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, ‘arise, take the child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and remain there until I tell you: for Herod is about to search for the child and destroy him.’” - Matthew 2:13
Loving Mother, what anguish you must have felt in fleeing Judea to a foreign land. How you must have feared you would be overtaken by Herod’s soldiers! When I am questioning the loss of a loved one who has journeyed to a foreign place may I listen to the comforting words of the Holy Spirit and know that wherever life leads Our God is there upholding our loved one and upholding me. Amen.
Hail Mary…
Third Sorrow: The Loss of Jesus in the Temple
“When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. Assuming that he was in the group of travelers, Mary and Joseph went a day’s journey before noticing he wasn’t with the group. They then started to look for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him.” - Luke 2: 43-45
Dear Mary, your fear and dread must have been deep when you lost your beloved son. When you sought him among your kinsfolk you could not find him and so you returned to Jerusalem and for three long days you sought him. When I experience loss and fear may I stand firm and return to the heart of Jesus where I will find peace and comfort. Amen.
Hail Mary…
Fourth Sorrow: Mary Meets Jesus on the Way to Calvary
“A great number of the people followed him, and among them were women who were beating their breasts and wailing for him.” - Luke 23:27
Dear Mother of Sorrows, your heart must have broken when you saw the suffering of your dear Son. Who would not weep at seeing this mother’s grief? Bless those who carry grief in their hearts. Comfort those who have lost their beloved children. Look down with a mother’s tenderness on all those who carry such deep sorrow. May their sufferings be a robe of comfort as they place their trust in your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Hail Mary…
Fifth Sorrow: Mary Stands beneath the Cross of Jesus
“Standing near the cross of Jesus were His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary, the wife of Clopas and Mary Magdalene.” - John 19:25
Loving Mother, you must have been filled with anguish as you stood beneath the cross of your dear Son. How those who stood with you must have joined in your grief and reached out to give comfort and support. May I support others in their sorrow and may I receive the strength from those who would comfort me. May I unite my sufferings with all those who have experienced loss and may I find comfort in the cross and resurrection of Our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Hail Mary…
Sixth Sorrow: Mary Receives the Dead Body of Jesus
“Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, though a secret one because of his fear of the Jews, asked Pilate to let him take away the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission; so he came and removed his body.” - John 19:38
Mother Mary, as you held the body of your dear Son in your loving arms, did you remember how you held Him as a baby, so long ago in Bethlehem? Did you hold close all those memories of Him as a child, growing into a man? You must have clung tightly to him as you knew that they must place him in the tomb. How could you not want to hold Him forever? May I let go and release into God’s loving care all those who have gone before me. May I find comfort in knowing that they rest peacefully. Amen.
Hail Mary…
Seventh Sorrow: Jesus is Laid in the Tomb
“Now there was a garden in the place where he was crucified, and in the garden there was a new tomb in which no one had ever been laid. And so, because it was the Jewish day of Preparation, and the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.” - John 19:41
Mary Queen of Peace, as Jesus was laid in the tomb how deep was your sorrow and how you must have realized the finality of your Son’s separation and departure. When I experience loss and separation, may I remember you as you said farewell to the Son that you loved and may I find comfort in your courage and love and may I unite my sufferings with all who suffer. May I know that I am strengthened as I reach out to our Loving God and others who are experiencing loss and separation. Amen
Hail Mary…
Concluding Prayer
Loving God,
With Mary, we pray:
My soul magnifies the Lord
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.
For He that is mighty has done great things for me
and Holy is God’s name.
And so, we pray with gratitude for this day and
the many gifts you shower upon us.
May we live always with a grateful heart.
We pray in Jesus’ name.
Amen.
