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July 25, 2021We have beautiful grounds and an amazing setting here at Saint Catherine of Siena Parish, as we are blessed in many ways…including the fact that our parish property is consecrated grounds. It has been my goal, with the help of many, to make the outside property part of the liturgical space of our church.
In a document of the Catholic Church entitled, “Built of Living Stones,” the outdoor setting should encourage and inspire people entering our property to know that they are in a special place, something set apart from the norm, the everyday experience of life. I believe we have accomplished this with the upkeep of the property including but not limited to the plantings—trees, plantings and flowers; the maintenance of the walkways and the upkeep of the parking lots, as well as the outdoor gardens as places for prayer and reflection. In fact, on Sunday afternoons in the good weather one can even find families picnicking on our grounds, and the Farmington Valley Butterfly Association has been known to visit our property—nets in
hand—seeking rare butterflies.
To that continued end, I would like to invite those who have an interest and a green thumb to be part of a new ministry, the “Fiacre’s Gardeners,” named after the Catholic patron saint of gardeners.
St. Fiacre has been recognized as patron saint of gardeners (as well as cab drivers and florists, among other things) since medieval times. Born in Ireland in the 7th century, Fiacre was raised in a monastery. During the Dark Ages, monasteries were repositories of learning, and it is here that Fiacre became a skillful user of healing herbs. As he earned fame for his knowledge of plants and healing abilities, disciples flocked to him. Fiacre sought more solitude and left Ireland for France where he established a hermitage in a wooded area near the Marne River. Here Fiacre built an oratory in honor of the Virgin Mary and a hospice where he received strangers. He himself retreated to a solitary cell, living a life of prayer and manual labor in his garden.
The legend upon which Fiacre’s sainthood rests is this: Fiacre asked the local bishop, Bishop Faro, for more ground on which to plant food and herbs. Faro told him he could have as much land as he could entrench in one day. After prayer, Fiacre used the point of his staff to turn the earth, topple trees and dig up briers and weeds to prepare the land for a garden. If you would be interested in this new ministry aimed at keeping our outdoor grounds a beautiful and sacred space, please call the parish office—658 1642—and leave your contact information. We will have an organizational meeting in early August.
Thank you!
