FULLERTON – As visitors open the blacked-out door to St. Joseph’s parish center in Fullerton, they are greeted with subdued lighting and music that underscores the emotional journey they are about to undertake.
The “Passion Walk,” a series of 18 near-life-size dimensional sets depicting the final days in the life of Jesus, is not unlike what one might see at a theater production.
Visitors can take a seat before a reproduction of the Last Supper, a ground-level table lined with cups and images of Jesus with a meditation asking, “Where would you sit?”
Pontius Pilot can be imagined sitting on his throne surrounded by columns and a Roman soldier standing sentinel while mannequin high priests beg for the conviction of Jesus.
In the room’s center stands a spot-lit column with shackles and a whip ready to torture the one who would be later mocked, “King of the Jews.”
An imposing larger-than-life cross for the crucifixion rises above Golgotha, the parish center stage, where notes of gratitude are left behind.
Making their way through a dark hall behind the stage curtain, visitors encounter the wrapped body of Jesus in the tomb.
Those are just a few examples that will immerse visitors in a self-paced time of prayer and reflection as they walk the final days and interactions of Jesus in a unique and tingible way.
More than 1,000 visitors are expected to experience the “Passion Walk” during its 2023 run. The free exhibition opened March 27 and continues through April 4.
The impressive display is the brainchild of Sherrie Palmateer, director of youth and campus ministry at the parish.
“The Blessed Mother inspired me,” Palmateer explained. “People don’t really understand how much Jesus loves them until they experience what he did for them.”
She noted that some people have been so moved by meditating in the tomb area of the exhibit, they walk out in tears.
A supporting crew includes her husband Dwayne, a building engineer; a son, daughter and volunteers who bring Scriptures to life. Palmateer said prayer groups from other churches including Christ the King Glen Burnie make the trek north to participate.
During school hours, St. Joseph School teachers such as Tiffani Coster, who teaches religion, bring her classes to experience a visually engaging story about Holy Week. She said it’s one of the highlights of the year for her students.
“Our kids get excited knowing this is being put together. … They ask when it’s their turn to go, Coster said. “To have them reflect on a full class period individually in a very tangible hands-on way is wonderful.”
Gail Bernebe, an eighth-grader in Coster’s class who’s been at the school less than two years said seeing the display “brings what is learned in class to life.”
Bill Murray, a St. Joseph parishioner whose sons attend Calvert Hall College High School in Towson, recently stopped by the display before heading home for dinner. He described the experience as “very impressive, intense, thoughtful … you don’t know (Jesus’s story) until you experience it much more in depth.”
Teresa Stitz, director of faith formation at St. Joseph, said even those who have been away from faith for an extended period of time find their hearts touched.
The experience is so moving for some, they leave anonymous notes describing their sorrow for everything from bullying classmates, to marital infidelity, to having an abortion, Palmateer said.
“My hope is that this exhibit, which not only benefits all 560 children of our school, but also our larger parish community, will inspire other artistic endeavors within our community for the glory and honor of God,” said Father Jesse Bolger, pastor of St. Joseph.
He added that one of the gifts of Catholicism to the larger culture throughout the history of Christendom has been the use of the arts to convey the story of salvation and to help the believer “to not only appreciate the depths of God’s love for us in his son, but to enter into his saving events, experiencing both the suffering, death and rising to new life on a personal level.”
“It would be hard to give oneself to this Passion Walk experience and not be impacted on a spiritual level,” he said.
The exhibition is open to adults, families and students 4-9:30 p.m. through March 31; 9 a.m.-9:30 p.m. April 1 and 2; and 4-9:30 p.m. April 3 and 4.
For more information and to see a video, visit stjoefullerton.org.
To view more photographs from the exhibit, click below:
Email Kevin J. Parks at kparks@catholicreview.org
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