Highland Mills. Eagle Scout candidate Michael Kearney constructs a new prayer garden at St. Patrick’s Church
| 27 Oct 2021 | 12:02
Before: Back in April, Troop 440 Eagle Scout candidate Michael Kearney mapped out the 2,125-square-foot prayer garden in the rear of the parking lot of St. Patrick’s Church that he and volunteers could complete in September. Photos provided by the Kearney family.
After: The Rev. Joseph Tyrrel, pastor of St. Patrick’s Church in Highland Mills, thanks Troop 440 Eagle Scout candidate Michael Kearney upon completion of a new prayer garden on the church property.
Troop 440 Eagle Scout candidate Michael Kearney recently completed the construction of a new prayer garden on the grounds of St. Patrick’s Church in Highland Mills.
The 2,125-square-foot garden is located in the rear of the parking lot and is visible from Route 32.
The garden features a large, eight-foot-tall white cross, surrounded by a stone walking path. The fourteen Stations of the Cross are on the outer perimeter of the path.
Michael also included a statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and a concrete sitting bench, where people can reflect and pray.
Landscaping was also installed which will add to the garden’s beauty over time. Construction began in April and finished up in mid-September.
Michael would like to express his sincere thanks to the parishioners of St. Patrick’s and the wider Woodbury community for all of their support for his project. He is very grateful to Rev. Joseph Tyrrel, pastor of St. Patrick’s, and Marla Silbernagel for entrusting him with such a significant project for the parish.
He would also like to thank all of the local businesses in the area that supported his project, especially Orange Nursery Stone Supply, Kassel Landscaping Supply, Jay’s Deli and Home Depot.
Finally, he would like to thank all of the volunteers that came out to help him construct the garden, especially his fellow scouts and leaders in Troop 440 who donated more than 200 hours of work to help Michael construct the prayer garden.