Sacred Heart News

We are always welcoming guests and new members into the church, and we still do. Last summer, I noticed several people choosing to stay outside the church and that’s okay, too! It wasn’t a religious protest or a lack of faith, they were simply enjoying the parish grounds. Some neighbors “getting their steps in” by doing laps around the parking areas. Walkers or bikers on the walkway taking a break. The occasional lacrosse coach picking up balls that went over or under the fence at Sullivan Field. Then there are others who come throughout the day and early evening. Stopping by in the morning before the summer heat or around sunset in the shade of the buildings, quietly praying or meditating in the Mary Garden next to Fr. Ted Hall or the Prayer Garden between the hall and the church. Sitting on the bench in the meditation garden or bringing a lawn chair or blanket on the ground to take a moment for themselves to unwind after a long hot day or gear up for the day ahead.

The meditation garden and the Mary Garden were both gifts to our parish and community as Eagle Scout Projects over the years. The Mary Garden centers on the statue of our Blessed Mother originally placed at St. Joseph’s on South Main Street and moved to its current site before the sale of the property. The heart shaped garden reminds us of God’s love and the Sacred Heart. Maybe a passenger or crew member of a flight arriving or landing at Bradley might take it in from overhead. Rose bushes were added this year, the colors of which are reflective of a traditional set of Marian prayers my father handed on to me.

The meditation garden is shaded by the buildings at certain times of the day as well as by the trees in the garden. Last August, I encountered a young mom and her three children spreading out a blanket and enjoying a midday snack as she shared with them some stories about the saints in the statues surrounding the garden. The following Sunday, the big sister pointed out the church window and reminded her siblings about the saints in the “holy garden”.

Our church is open, and you are welcome to come in. The grounds are open, and you are welcome to stay out. Have a blessed and safe summer!

For information about programs and activities at Sacred Heart Parish all year long, follow us on Facebook (Sacred Heart Suffield, CT) or our website http://www.sacredheartct.com

God bless!