God’s light, not just stadium lights, to shine from the Hill as NCCHS blesses its new athletic complex

Laura Keener

Editor

Bishop John Iffert led the inaugural Good Friday praying of the Stations of the Cross, April 3, at the newly dedicated Gardens of St. Patrick’s. Hundreds of people from across the Diocese of Covington participated. It was one of several events held at the Gardens during Holy Week, which culminated with sunrise Easter Sunday Mass with Father James Sichko.

Before opening prayers beginning the Stations of the Cross, Bishop Iffert shared that the Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu is one of his favorite places he visited in Jerusalem. The church is believed to be built over the house of the high priest Joseph Caiaphas, and the place where Jesus was held in a lower-level dungeon the night before his passion and death.

“It’s a moving place,” said Bishp Iffert. “And one of things that makes it so moving is that as you descend the stairs down into the stone pit, you pass crosses and graffiti that has been scratched into the wall.”

Some of the graffiti dates to the late first century. The graffiti, said Bishop Iffert, “is part of the testimony that says this is the place where Jesus was held. It’s because of those early pilgrim witnesses who went there to join him in his place, so today, here in Maysville, Kentucky, we join ourselves to all of those believers in Jesus, all of those Christians, all of those who seek to be self-emptying like Christ. We join them in remembering the journey that Jesus took to his cross and to his tomb and beyond.”

At the Gardens there are 15 stations featuring life-sized bronze statues, 14 traditional stations with the 15th being the Resurrection. The 14th Station — Jesus is Laid in the Tomb — is nearly complete. The tomb and its 5,000-pound rolling stone are there; the statues are on the way. The tomb and rolling stone were hand carved by Kentuckians from ancient limestone, 485 million years old. The 15th Station — the Resurrection — still needs to be installed. Bishop Iffert said that he likes that the Gardens are not complete for the inaugural events because it reminds us that we aren’t complete and that God is continually drawing us to him.

The Via Dolorosa — the Way of Suffering — begins with visitors passing by a 6,000-year-old olive press, a tangible reminder of the Garden of Gethsemane, an olive garden, were with a kiss Judas betrayed Jesus, an innocent man.

Bishop Iffert invited everyone to join him in praying for all those wrongly accused, detained and imprisoned throughout the world.

The journey ends at reflection pools with fountains surrounding a 7.5 story lighted cross near the 15th Station. The cross is prominently placed so that it can be clearly seen by travelers passing along Route 62.

“To meditate on the suffering and death of Jesus Christ is to invite Jesus to be with us in carrying our crosses,” said Bishop Iffert, “to ask Jesus for the grace not that our cross would go away, not that our cross would be removed from us, but that Jesus will be with us under our crosses, and Jesus will strengthen us to be able to carry the cross that is ours in life.”

The evening revealed the event’s quiet power through the eyes of a young participant, Juan Briseño, a student from St. Patrick’s School who volunteered to serve for Bishop Iffert. He described being deeply moved while walking among the Stations and seeing them “brought to life,” an experience he said left him newly motivated. Like many in attendance, he was surprised by the size of the crowd — a testament to the strong sense of community and shared faith that shaped the night.

Visitors described the experience as deeply emotional, noting how the Stations of the Cross immediately invited personal reflection. The quiet, prayerful atmosphere allowed participants to pause and reflect on Christ’s passion in a way that felt both intimate and profound.

“I’ve lived here all my life, and this just touches my heart when you think about how much he (Jesus) did for us. This is the most amazing tribute someone could give to our community,” said Debbie Mason, parishioner at St. Patrick Parish, Maysville. She was especially moved by the First Station — Jesus is Condemned to Death. “That station reminds me that we all had a part in it — whether we want to admit it or not — through what we’ve done or failed to do.”

Several visitors emphasized how the scale and presentation of the displays intensified that experience. Helen McKay, parishioner, St. Patrick Parish, Maysville, noted that the larger-than-life elements made a lasting impression, explaining that “it’s much more moving than a three‑by‑three.” For her, the physical size and presence of the stations deepened the sense of walking alongside Christ on his journey.

St. Patrick parishioner Dana Casey, agreed. “To stand next to the life‑size Stations of the Cross instead of seeing them as small icons on the wall makes the story feel personal and real,” said Ms. Casey. An exceptionally emotional moment for her came at Station Four — Jesus Meets His Mother. “The moment when Jesus sees his mother — just that silent glance between them — really stayed with me. They didn’t need words. She had to say ‘yes’ at the beginning, and she had to say it again at the end.”

For others, attending the stations was an intentional part of observing Good Friday.

St. Catherine of Siena parishioners David and Sharon Kohr who traveled from Ft. Thomas echoed that sense of personal connection. Mr. Kohrs said that praying, “The Stations of the Cross were always very emotional—[they] go straight to the soul.”

Mr. Kohrs expressed the importance of making the time for Holy Week observances despite busy schedules, saying, “When we saw this in the Messenger, we just made it happen. We made ourselves make it into our schedule that we would come down and spend Good Friday here.” He added that retracing “the real journey of Christ, through his passion,” is “such an integral part of our faith,” and something they wanted to hold “in our heart and our soul.”

Mrs. Kohrs shared that the experience left a lasting impression. “It’s such a blessing,” she said, adding that she was “absolutely” glad they made the trip. The combination of personal prayer, art and shared worship made the observance both meaningful and memorable