Outdoor Stations of the Cross garden created by Eagle Scout 'inspire' during this Lenten season

With Lent approaching, Catholics in South Bergen will have a refreshing option for praying the Stations of the Cross.

The recently installed contemplative garden for all to pray the Stations at Saint Stephen’s Church in Kearny is “inspiring,” Father Joseph Mancini, the pastor of the Church, said.

The Stations of the Cross, according to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB,) “commemorate Jesus’s passion and death on the cross. The 14 stations each depict a moment on His journey to Calvary to die on the cross, usually through sacred art, prayers, and reflections. The practice began as pious pilgrims traced his path through Jerusalem on the Via Dolorosa. In modern times, the Stations of the Cross is a popular devotion for faithful Catholics across America.

The Stations of the Cross are commonly prayed during the Lenten season. Tradition holds that Christ died on a Friday at 3 p.m. so many Catholics pray the Stations on Good Friday.

The prayer garden at Saint Stephen’s features 14 individual wooden posts decorated with artistic renditions of St. Peter’s Stations of the Cross purchased through a Catholic gift store. The posts are erected along a winding path in the courtyard of Saint Stephen’s Church, where there are also benches and a small garden.

*The outdoor Stations of the Cross Prayer Garden at Saint Stephen’s Church features 14 individual wooden posts decorated with artistic renditions of Jesus’ passion. (Saint Stephen’s Church)*

The outdoor Stations of the Cross were erected in Spring 2021 to provide a safe place for parishioners to come and pray during the COVID-19 pandemic. John Peter Kubowicz, a Boy Scout Alum of Troop 305, led the project as part of earning his Eagle Scout Award. He said that the idea for the project came to him in March 2020, when parishes across the country closed to in-person worship as a health precaution. He saw a need in his community for a space where people could pray and worship without risking their health and safety.

“I was happy to give parishioners the ability to pray and benefit spiritually outside,” he said. “I think it can sometimes be intimidating to some to walk into a church, or the church may not be open.”

Kubowicz has a strong connection to the Saint Stephen’s Church community, describing the church as “a second home.” He was baptized at Saint Stephen’s Church, and the parish community has been a big part of his life since childhood. He currently works in the rectory office and is an altar server at the church.

From March 2020 through May 2021, Kubowicz met with Father Mancini and troop master John Reverando to discuss the details of his project. He singlehandedly raised all the money to purchase construction materials. With the help of Father Mancini, he also drew up blueprints for the garden. Kubowicz credited his success with the project to his troop’s support and to all the ideals he learned through Boy Scouting.

Father Mancini said he is proud of Kubowicz and the project itself.

“Especially during Lent, when many people desired to pray at the Stations of the Cross but were unable to do so, the outdoor Stations have brought some comfort to people in the community,” Father Mancini said. “To have a young man such as John come up with the idea and execute the plan is inspiring. It makes me, as a priest, remember that what we do as Catholics—our celebrations of the Mass and the sacraments and our devotional practices—are seen and appreciated by many people.”

Through Boy Scouts, Kubowicz previously earned the Ad Altar Dei Award, which is a program developed by the National Catholic Committee on Scouting (NCCS) for Boy Scouts of the Catholic faith. According to the NCCS, the purpose of the program is to “help Scouts of the Roman Catholic Rite develop a fully Christian way of life in the faith community.”

“All of the things I learned through Boy Scouting, such as how to be a better leader and how to work well with others just came together in this project,” Kubowicz said. “Completing this project really showed me how important service is to the community, and I felt that I really needed to give back.”

According to troop master Reverando, three other boys in Troop 305 are currently completing their Ad Altar Dei programs and other NCCS-recognized religious emblems. Troop 305 is sponsored by Saint Stephen’s Church and is one of the many troops that participated in the annual Boy Scout Ceremony, also known as Scout Sunday, through the Archdiocese of Newark Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry.