KENNESAW—A garden for prayer and learning at St. Catherine of Siena Church, in Kennesaw, was dedicated on Oct. 5 in honor of Our Lady of the Rosary.

Boy Scout Shawn Matthews, a Life Scout with Troop 422, takes part in the dedication of a rosary garden at his parish, St. Catherine of Siena, in Kennesaw, Oct. 5. He drew up the plans and organized construction of the garden as a place of prayer and learning the rosary. The garden was his project to earn the rank of Eagle Scout.

The project was a labor of love for a longtime parishioner and Boy Scout, Shawn Matthews. He led the project to earn the rank of Eagle Scout. He is a member of Troop 422.

During the ceremony, Father John Matejek, the pastor, Father Manuel Rivas, and Deacons Jose Espinosa, Bob Klein, Tom Ryan and Stephen Ponichtera joined Matthews, his friends and family in praying a rosary, the Litany of Loreto and Marian hymns.

The inspiration came from Matthews’ grandmother, Carole McLeod, also a parish member. He envisioned the rosary garden as a place for quiet reflection and a learning opportunity for the parish preschoolers.

The garden includes red, white, yellow and purple flowerbeds to represent the mysteries of the rosary, signs, benches and trees and flowers to honor Mary. There are more than 80 personalized concrete stepping stones to represent the beads of the rosary and a statue of Our Lady of Lourdes imported from Italy.

Parishioners supported the project, purchasing all the stones offered for memorial or personal inscriptions and also donating items.

With the help of fellow Scouts, the groundbreaking was in early June and the project was completed Oct. 5. Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory blessed the Marian statue during an earlier visit to St. Catherine.