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Mauricio Guzman, a new parishioner of St. Joseph Church in Cockeysville and owner of General Guzman Contracting, stands with Monsignor Richard Hilgartner, the pastor, and Father Lenin Suárez, the associate pastor, in the newly refurbished Sacred Heart of Jesus garden next to the parish rectory. Guzman and his company volunteered over several Saturdays to renovate the space, which included masonry work and lighting, among other improvements. (Kevin J. Parks/CR Staff)

Parishioners unite to revive Sacred Heart garden in Cockeysville


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Special to the Catholic Review Filed Under: Feature, Local News, News

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What was once a neglected corner of St. Joseph parish in Cockeysville now radiates new life. Over the summer, the parish unveiled a restored outdoor garden of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a project made possible through the generosity and talents of parishioners who transformed the space into a renewed sanctuary of prayer and devotion.

An illuminated statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus stands prominently in the newly refurbished prayer garden next to the rectory at St. Joseph Church in Cockeysville. (Photo courtesy Mauricio Guzman)

The initiative began after Father Lenin Suárez, associate pastor, called on the Hispanic Committee, which quickly organized to raise funds and coordinate efforts. 

“I saw it as a space that was completely dead and deteriorating because a few years ago there was an accident when a parishioner unfortunately lost control of his car and ended up mounting the sidewalk and almost knocking over the pedestal where the Sacred Heart is located,” said Father Suárez, who has been stationed at St. Joseph for just over a year.

The Colombian priest noted that the hardships faced by many immigrant parishioners added urgency to the project. 

“It emerged as a way to find hope in the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and that also comes from my culture, from a country where we grow up with this devotion, a country that is consecrated to the Heart of Jesus,” he said.

With the support of St. Joseph’s pastor, Monsignor Richard Hilgartner, Father Suárez and the Hispanic Committee invited the community to join the work. Many in the Hispanic community don’t have treasure to give the parish, he said, “but we do have many talents to offer, and I realized that there was a member of the community who worked in construction, and when I spoke to him, he said, ‘Yes, Father, we’ll do it.'”

That parishioner was José Mauricio Guzmán, who along with his family has been part of St. Joseph for 12 years. Guzmán and several of his employees, together with other parishioners, volunteered their weekends to complete the project. His company specializes in construction and renovation, and he and his team donated their labor over three weekends.

A worker with General Guzman Contracting begins repairs on the pedestal for the Sacred Heart of Jesus statue as part of a restoration project for the prayer garden across from the parish rectory at St. Joseph Church in Cockeysville. (Photo courtesy Mauricio Guzman)

They carefully removed the heavy statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, rebuilt its pedestal, reused the original stone to renovate the surrounding patio floor, cleaned the statue, and installed lighting so that it now glows each night.

“It wasn’t just us who did the work, it was also the community because they contributed all the materials. … The community came together because we raised the funds very quickly,” said Guzmán, adding that “it was done to honor the Lord and to help the church.”

Father Suárez said there has been a greater presence of parishioners in the space. He urges the faithful to “find hope and comfort in the Sacred Heart of Jesus and that we may, through the love of God manifested in the Heart of Jesus, recognize that love in the midst of this difficult reality.”

“This has also led us to reflect on Pope Francis’ latest encyclical, ‘Dilexit Nos,’ about the Sacred Heart of Jesus,” Father Suárez added. “This September, we will meet for four consecutive Wednesdays to reflect on this encyclical letter, concluding the last weekend with a consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and, why not, a rededication of this space of prayer.”

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