On Sunday, June 19, parishioners of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Abbottstown gathered outside the religious education building for the blessing of a new prayer patio. The patio was the Eagle Scout project for Ryan Gebhart, a member of Boy Scout Troop 27. After the blessing from Father Philip Burger, pastor, Ryan told The Catholic Witness that the project took nearly a year to complete and included removing the old flowerbed and a dead tree, fundraising and securing volunteers to assist with the project. The prayer patio is open to everyone looking for a quiet place to pray.
(Photos by Rachel Bryson, The Catholic Witness.)