St. Clare dedicates community garden

St. Clare of Assisi Catholic Church in O’Fallon dedicated a new neighborhood garden in the heart of its school campus on Third Street during a ceremony on Monday, Oct. 2.

Numerous O’Fallon civic leaders, including Mayor Herb Roach, were in attendance, as well as staff and students from St. Clare School.

The new garden is located across the street from St. Clare School, directly east of the parish’s historic old church, which now serves as the school chapel. The garden features a narrow gravel path winding its way past small shrines containing images of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion called the “Stations of the Cross.” With dozens of fresh plantings of trees, shrubs and perennials, the space is filled with scent, color and, above all, serenity.

The garden will be used by students at St. Clare School and the St. Clare Parish School of Religion (Sunday school) and will be open to the entire community as a quiet, reflective space.

This story was originally published October 9, 2017 at 8:29 AM with the headline "St. Clare dedicates community garden."