Chat and Photos Starting the Mary Garden
Prayer Service for 9-11 Victims
Plant List and Planting Plan
Dedication and Blessing of
St. John The Baptist Parish Mary Garden
Henry & Elenore Simpatico,
North Bennington, Vermont
Oct 3 2002
We finally have a new pastor, Fr. Howard, S.J., who came at the end
of August, is very devoted to Mary and loves the garden and its
concept.
I gave him a copy of Vincenza's book and we are finally having a
dedication of the garden and statue as well as a Living Rosary on
Sunday, October 6. We expect a good crowd since it will be
followed by a reception for him. I will send you a copy of the
program and holy card that we have had printed for the day.
Please pray for good weather for us. We still have not had a
killing frost, which means many of the flowers are still blooming,
per the attached photo.
Oct 24 2002
The dedication and blessing of the statue was beautiful. We had
guests from Connecticut who were very impressed with the love for
Mary shown in our parish. We left for a family wedding and trip to
Cape Cod the next week. The parish church we go to in Harwich Ma.,
had just dedicated a magnificent perpetual Adoration Chapel and
had replaced their outdoor statue of Mary.. yes, it was the
Madonna della Strada. We talked to several parishioners about
Mary's gardens.
We have pictures and a program to send you as soon as anÊarticle
in the Vermont Catholic Tribune arrives..I think it should be in
this weeks edition. Our new pastor used the guidelines in
Vincenza's book..it was quite lovely and then he talked about
devotion to Mary especially through the Rosary. Mary blessed us
with a gorgeous sunny day (the only sunny October Sunday so far!)
and we had over a hundred people
Nov 4 2002
Here are the photos, holy card, program pamphlet and press release
of the garden Dedication and Blessing ceremony on October 6th.
Press Release
Dedication and Blessing of the Mary's Garden and the Madonna Della
Strada statue, recitation of the Living Rosary and reception for
Rev. Fr. Edward Howard, S.J. at St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic
Church in North Bennington, Vermont.
__________________________________________________________________
More than 150 persons attended the Dedication and Blessing
ceremony for the Mary's Garden and the Madonna Della Strada statue
at St. John the Baptist Church in North Bennington, Vermont on
Sunday, October 6.
Mrs. Eleanore A. P. Simpatico welcomed those-in-attendance and
noted how Mary's Gardens were started in medieval times when
flowers were named to honor the Blessed Virgin Mary and help
remember her life. These names predated their botanical names. The
purpose of the name was to have a person "Look at the flower and
think of Mary." "Once you start learning their Mary names, you see
flowers differently." Examples noted were petunias known as Mary's
Praises, Forget-me-nots are Mary's Blue Eyes, Lily of the Valley
are Mary's Tears and Tulips are Mary's Prayers. The Lavender plant
is Mary's Drying plant. The legend associated with Lavender is
that after Mary washed the child Jesus's clothes, she would lay
them on a lavender bush to dry and pick up the beautiful fragrance
of that plant.
Anyone can have a Mary's Garden at their home. All that is needed
is a statue of Mary and the planting of some flowers associated
with her. A list of the flowers is available.
Mrs. Simpatico noted that the Madonna Della Strata statue, which
was purchased from the Demetz Studio in Ortesei, Italy, is based
on the painting by 19th century artist Roberto Feruzzi. Mrs.
Simpatico thanked the members of the Madonna Della Strada, Guild
who are responsible for the maintenance and coordination of events
for the garden.
She also thanked five members of the Holy Family Retreat League
who traveled from the New Haven, Connecticut area for the
dedication and to take part in the Living Rosary.
Mrs. Simpatico said in closing that a garden is an evolving
project. Additions for this Mary's Garden include a brochure
noting the specific flowers planted in it and a Rosary Walk.
Rev. Fr. Michael DeMasi said the opening prayer for the Dedication
and Rev. Fr. Edward Howard, S.J., Pastor, gave a talk on his
personal devotion to Mary and then blessed the flowers and gave a
blessing prayer for the statue
The Living Rosary and Marian hymns followed with various members
of the parish offering prayers before each decade. The intention
for the Living Rosary was for respect for life from conception to
death and for an end to abortion. The Riverbound Gospel Group
provided music.
Following the ceremony, a reception was held in the church hall to
welcome the new pastor Rev. Fr. Howard, S.J. Fr. Howard thanked
the parishioners for taking the time to share in the days
activities noting how happy he was to be assigned to St. John the
Baptist and was eager to serve all the needs of the parish.
Additional information on Mary's Gardens can be found on the web
at www.mgardens.org
Holy Card
Program
2.
LOOK TO THE GARDEN, THINK OF MARY
A Mary's Garden is "a garden dedicated to Mary, the Mother of God,
containing plants either named after Mary or associated with her
by legend. With a statue of Mary as a focal point, it can contain
many familiar flowers." The use of color in the garden can also
remind us of Mary - White for the Joyous Mysteries, Red or Purple
for the Sorrowful Mysteries, and Yellow for the Glorious
Mysteries. The planting and cultivation of a Mary's Garden fosters
devotion to Mary that always leads to Christ. The garden is a
place of peace and tranquility.
It is believed that the first gardens dedicated to Mary were
cloister gardens in monasteries. During the 12th and 13th
centuries these gardens continued and many legends associated with
Mary arose. Long before plants were given botanical names, many
referred to them by Marian names. Frances Crane Lillie learned
about these gardens as she traveled in England and established the
earliest known Mary's Garden in the United States in 1932 in Woods
Hole, Massachusetts.
The idea for the Mary's Garden at St. John the Baptist Church
began in the summer of 2000. Soon after, the statue, The Madonna
Della Strada, was ordered from Italy and the construction of the
site began. It was mounted in March of 2001. With the nurturing
hands of the Madonna Della Strada Guild members the first
perennials and annuals were planted in the spring of 2001.
A garden is always a work in progress and soon we hope to add a
Rosary walk and have brochures available for those who would like
to learn more about Mary's flowers. Additional information on Mary
Gardens:
Mary's Gardens website www.mgardens.org.
"Mary's Flowers, Gardens, Legends and Meditations"
by Vincenzina Krymow
3
PROGRAM
Hymn - Immaculate Mary
Welcome and introductions of guests - Eleanore A. P. Simpatico
Opening prayer - Fr. Michael DeMasi
Dedication prayers and Blessing of the Madonna Della Strada Statue
- Fr. Edward Howard, S.J.
THE LIVING ROSARY
Opening Prayers of the Rosary
The First Glorious Mystery - The Resurrection
The Second Glorious Mystery - The Ascension
Third Glorious Mystery - The Descent of the Holy Spirit
Hymn - Mary's Hill
Fourth Glorious Mystery - The Assumption of Mary
Fifth Glorious Mystery - The Crowning of Mary as Queen of Heaven
Hymn - Hail Holy Queen
Closing Prayer - Fr. Edward Howard, S.J.
Blessing - Fr. Edward Howard, S.J. & Fr. Michael DeMasi
Song - God Bless America
Thank you for sharing in this time of prayer. Please join with us
in the church hall as we share some refreshments and meet with our
new Pastor, Fr. Edward Howard, S.J.
4
Special thanks to the following for donations of services and/or
materials:
William E. Dailey Corporation - Concrete for foundation E. P.
Mahar & Son Mounting of Madonna Della Strada Statue
The following companies were involved with the construction of
Mary's Garden:
Pembroke Landscaping
McGovern Masonry
Hulett Electric
The Madonna Della Strada Statue was purchased from the Demetz
Studio in Ortesei, Italy
MADONNA DELLA STRADA GUILD
The Madonna Dells Strada Guild is responsible for the maintainence
and care of the Garden and coordinates activities such as Rosaries,
Crownings and other prayer services which take place in Mary's
Garden.
MADONNA DELLA STRADA GUILD MEMBERS
Eleanore A. P. Simpatico, Henry A. P. Simpatico, Barbara Marino,
Janet Kutay, Mae Fox, Neva Hebert and Carlin Hebert
Special thanks to the following for helping in a variety of ways
to make Mary's Garden a place to visit, meditate, pray and look at
a flower and think of Mary.
Bill Densmore, Tom Flood, Bernie Whitman, Youth Ministry, The
Riverbound Gospel Group and all others who have been supportive of
this project.
The Riverbound Gospel Group
Press Report
The VERMONT CATHOLIC TRIBUNE October 25, 2002
More than 150 people gathered for an Oct 6 Dedication and Blessing
ceremony for the Mary Garden and Madonna Delia Strada statue at St
John the Baptist Church, North Bennington. The day also served to
welcome new pastor, Jesuit Father Edward Howard, who spoke on his
personal devotion to the Blessed Mother. A living rosary, the
singing of Morion hymns and a reception followed. The event was
coordinated by the Madonna Della Strada Guild.
Nov 22 2002
The Mary's Garden here has finally been put to bed for the winter
and even has been covered with snow, The urns are filled with
greens and it is still beautiful.
Dev 22 2002
We just opened the website and you certainly have done a wonderful
presentation.
. . . . .
I belong to a Meditation group and during the nice weather we have
met in the garden and have found it very inspiring. Basically it
is a group of us who meet every two weeks for Centering
Prayer/Christian Meditation. It is a quiet time. We spend about
45 minutes to an hour in quiet prayer.