WAYNESVILLE — Several new building projects have been completed or are under way at St. John the Evangelist Church.
MARIAN GROTTO
Kevin Wenzel, a Boy Scout and high school junior in Waynesville, has nearly completed his Eagle Scout project to build a Marian grotto 
dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes in thanksgiving for prayers answered to buy a lot adjacent to the church. The .42-acre site will serve as a much-needed recreation field for the parish’s youth and families, according to Father Richard Sutter, parochial administrator.
The grotto will feature a four-foot Carrara marble statue of Mary that is due to arrive from Italy next month.
RECREATION FIELD
Near the grotto, the newly-purchased land for the family and youth recreational field has been cleared of trees and project leaders hope to grade and complete a retaining wall in the coming weeks.
Fundraising continues for the eventual construction of a gymnasium on the site that young people throughout Haywood County can use.
Father Sutter notes that the only gym in Waynesville is at First Methodist Church in Waynesville, and its youth evangelization program is growing.
“It is my hope and dream that we will have the gym facility for an afterschool program similar to that of First Methodist, a program for youth that focuses on offering a leadership program for middle school age youth with high school mentors leading and college-age parish staff directing the program. So much we can do for the youth in these mountains with the proper facilities!” he said.
He continues to encourage support and donations for the effort, emphasizing the theme “Our Faith Can Move Mountains!” from Matthew 17:20.
“The families and youth of this Smoky Mountain Vicariate Parish of ours are truly grateful for the support, prayers and encouragement of all,” he said.
MONUMENT TO THE UNBORN
A special “monument to the unborn” is being added to the parish’s cemetery and columbarium – thanks to a bequest from a parishioner upon their death. The monument will be a dedicated burial space for stillborn children.
The monument’s centerpiece will be a five-foot Sacred Heart of Jesus statue carved from Carrara marble. For the month of June, Father Sutter and parishioners have been praying to the Sacred Heart of Jesus as part of the effort: “Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart more like yours.”
The monument also includes a water fountain featuring the scripture passage “Rivers of Living Water will flow from His Heart” from John 7:39 around its base.
Plans call for Carrara marble angel statues to flank the Sacred Heart statue and water fountain, once funds are raised.
“This effort in the church cemetery will ultimately help create a special space of prayer and reflection, especially for those who are mourning the passing of a loved one,” Father Sutter said.
The project is expected to be complete in July.
— Catholic News Herald
SJE high school youth to attend pilgrimage
WAYNESVILLE — This summer, high school parishioners of St. John the Evangelist Church will have the opportunity to take a “Southern Catholic Heritage Pilgrimage” to New Orleans July 7-11.
The four Southern Catholic Heritage Pilgrimage Series was founded by Father Charles Byrd at Our Lady of the Mountains Church in Jasper, Ga. The series offers teens four pilgrimages over the course of their four summers of high school. These four pilgrimages are consecutive and are repeated at the end of every four-year cycle. They are specifically designed to help teens understand the rich heritage they enjoy as Southern Catholics, and to give them opportunities to see the various colonial cultures that formed our unique part of the world.
The four destinations are: St. Augustine, Fla.; the Chesapeake Bay Area; New Orleans; and Savannah, Ga.
SJE youth will experience a tailor-made series to meet their needs. They will also attend Steubenville ATL, sponsored by Life Teen in Atlanta on their return trip.
Summer concerts scheduled
Waynesville parishioner and up-and-coming musician Sammie Bernardi, 19, has been commissioned by the parish to sing at select Masses in June and July at the Waynesville parish, Wednesday night youth programs and a summer parish outdoor concert that will be held 6:30-8:30 p.m. Saturday, July 6, on the outside cement balcony of the old church.
Bernardi is also accompanying the teens on their New Orleans pilgrimage and trip to the Steubenville Atlanta Teen Conference.
Details about the summer concert and other events are on the parish’s website, www.stjohnrcc.com.
— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter