Parish Jubilee Garden and St. Anthony statue blessed

St. Anthony Parish in Hawthorne welcomed Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney who celebrated Mass during a pastoral visit on Sept. 24. After the 10 a.m. Mass, he blessed the parish’s refurbished Jubilee Garden and a new marble statue of St. Anthony.

Located between St. Anthony’s rectory and school, the Jubilee Garden was first laid out in honor of the centennial of the parish in 2008, hence its name. Since then, the garden, especially the original St. Anthony’s statue, had sustained significant wear due to the elements.

Glenn Veprek, a Boy Scout, headed up the refurbishment of the Jubilee Garden for his Eagle Scout service project. The Knights of Columbus donated a new St. Anthony’s statue as part of the improvement efforts.

Among those who attended the dedication were parishioners, whose families are commemorated in the Jubilee Garden. Concelebrating the Mass with Bishop Sweeney were Msgr. Raymond Kupke,

St. Anthony’s pastor and diocesan archivist, and Father Francis Lennie, parochial vicar.