Walk and Pray With St. Kateri
Walk and Pray With St. Kateri This Summer
July 14 – August 15, 2025
This summer, we invite you to slow down, breathe deeply, and encounter God in the beauty of creation through our St. Kateri Prayer Walk—a self-guided, multi-sensory spiritual experience open to all.
Created by the Women’s Commission, the prayer walk is open from Monday, July 14 (Feast of St. Kateri Tekakwitha) through Friday, August 15 (Feast of the Assumption). It begins under the grape arbor at the entrance to the Kateri Prayer Garden and follows the paved path through this peaceful space.
At the entrance, you’ll be introduced to the life of St. Kateri Tekakwitha, the first Native American saint, often referred to as the Lily of the Mohawks. Along the path, reflection stations invite you into quiet prayer, heartfelt intercession, and spiritual inspiration.
As you conclude the walk, you’ll be invited to take part in one of St. Kateri’s beautiful traditions. Known for fashioning small crosses out of twigs as a way to focus her prayer while in nature, she left behind a legacy of prayer rooted in creation. You are welcome to make your own Kateri Cross using the materials provided and leave it in the garden as a sign of your prayerful visit. All the crosses will be gathered and offered during Mass on Friday, August 15, in celebration of the Feast of the Assumption.
Join Us for the Opening Picnic & Blessing
Bring your own picnic and join us at 6:00 PM on Monday, July 14 for an informal gathering on the Feast of St. Kateri. At 6:30 PM, Fr. Carlos will offer a special blessing to officially open the prayer walk. We’ll also have a frozen treat to share—our little way of celebrating summer and community.
Can’t Make It to the Garden?
We’ve prepared a digital copy of the prayer walk stations for anyone who’d like to participate from home, on a hike, or wherever you find yourself this summer. You can access and download the prayer walk guide below.
Whether you visit once or return often, may this prayer walk be a source of peace, reflection, and deeper connection with Christ—through the witness of St. Kateri.
Summer Garden Update: Beauty, Bees, and a Few Bold Blossoms
Summer Garden Update: Beauty, Bees, and a Few Bold Blossoms
Compiled from June updates by the Creation Care Ministry
If you’ve walked past the Marian Pollinator Garden lately, you’ve probably noticed it’s looking vibrant—and a little wild! As our parishioner-tended gardens grow into summer, we’re seeing firsthand the power of nature… and sometimes the persistence of a few overenthusiastic plants.
What started as a carefully planned mix of native and pollinator-friendly perennials has become a lesson in humility and ecosystem awareness. Plants like yarrow (Achillea millefolium), cinquefoil (Potentilla fructosa), kinnikinnick (Arctostaphylos), and a couple of carefully chosen roses have taken root beautifully. But some others have proven more… ambitious.
Garden Guests That Overstay
Take lupine (Lupinus), for example—gorgeous in bloom with its purple flower spikes, like the one you’ll see in front of Emilio in the “eagles” photo. While stunning, it’s become a bit of a problem child. Since being planted in 2022, it has quietly spread by seed to other parts of the garden. Just this week, we removed and bagged as many of its seed pod stalks as possible to keep it from taking over.
Another surprise came from a 2023 pollinator seed packet that included Chinese forget-me-nots—which we’ve since learned are invasive—and tickseed (Coreopsis). Though cheerful and bright, the tall yellow tickseed has taken to flopping over and smothering our other plants. You’ll see the cleared pile to the right of the bench in the latest photos.
Garden Wins and Future Plans
Not all seed mix surprises were unwelcome. The orange poppies and pot marigold (Calendula) have been delightful additions, attracting pollinators and adding bursts of color without crowding their neighbors.
As for the beloved zinnias planted by our Life Teen crew back in 2022—they didn’t return this year. We may reintroduce them for 2025. Their steady blooms and pollinator appeal made them a favorite.
A New Home for Raspberries
Earlier this year, we made a big change in the Garden of the Good Shepherd. To make more space for produce that is sturdy enough to be harvested, stored, and delivered to the Storehouse Foodbank, we needed to remove our raspberry plants. Rather than compost them, we offered them up for adoption to parishioners—and we’re happy to report at least one success story!
Emilio took a few home, and as you can see in the photos, they’re thriving. His family is looking forward to their first substantial harvest (they’ve already taste-tested a few!), and he spotted some happy pollinators visiting the blossoms just a few weeks ago.
Let’s Grow Together
Do you have a favorite pollinator flower you’d recommend? We’re always learning and adjusting our planting plans to better care for the plants, pollinators, and people who visit our gardens.
Want to get involved? Whether you have a green thumb or just enjoy being outside, there’s a place for you in our garden ministries. Every plant, every hand, and every moment of care makes a difference.
Photos below: a glimpse of what’s blooming—and booming—this summer.
