When did
you and you husband Harrison join
Assumption?
Katie:
1999
Our son was married there.
Gordon:
Could
you give us some background on when and why the Assumption
Garden
Club was formed?
Katie:
The
Garden Club formed in 2010 when some landscaping was
needed to cover ugly grates on the side of the church.
Father Joe mentioned it to me and the garden grew. So
many people that move to the city miss “ playing in the
mud”. The word went out that we needed help. It took
one Sunday to sign up 40 workers, (Men and women).
Friends from the Washington Bulb donated 5000 daffodil
bulbs to get started. The annuals came from purchases
at plant sales. We have no particular theme. We just
wanted to have lots of color and variety. My family
is in the floriculture business, but this garden is our
personal donation to the community and to the parish.
Gordon:
How many
Assumption parishioners are currently in the Garden Club?
Katie:
About 40.
Gordon::
The
Assumption Garden is a beautiful and even spiritual oasis in
River North where many people will stop by during the spring
and summer to sit on the benches, eat lunch, and even
meditate inspired by the beauty of the garden I understand
that every week people just go to the Assumption office to
compliment the staff on the garden. About how many hours a
week are devoted to devote to maintaining the garden?
Katie:
About 10 or
15. We sometimes go over there to visit, have coffee and
plan
Gordon:
I
understand that
Abdullah Khad|ijahwho
is not a member of Assumption and belongs to another
denomination has been
been helpful in maintaining the garden.
Katie:
Abdullah has been great, but now that he has his own
responsibility, he spend less time with us. His garden will
be beautiful when
he finishes with it. (You never finish
with a garden).
Gordon:
My
favorites section of the garden is Bridget's garden which
was dedicated to your granddaughter who suffers from the
incurable Batten
Disease.
Here is a photo of the lovely Bridgit being cared for by her
brother Harrison.
Here a beautiful
website that provides an overview of Bridget's struggle
with this disease and how or readers can help.
and
I hope that everyone who reads this interview will pray
for Bridget every day
I
understand with some upcoming church construction, part of
Bridget's garden will be removed and transferred to another
church.
Could you explain what is planned?
Katie:
Bridget’s Garden will be moved to the other side of the
property. We will keep it beautiful. It is a labor of love
and a fitting tribute to a brave little girl'
Gordon:
Although
there are more that 125 passages in the Bible on gardens
which I could use to close this interview, I prefer
Voltaire's Candide which contains a powerful metaphor
about gardens and the meaning of life.Candide
was adapted to an operetta by Leonard Bernstein
which closes
with this metaphor in a song titled
Make Our Garden Grow.
Gordon:
In closing,
I would be remiss if I didn't congratulate you on your 2014
Chicago Archdioceses’ Christifideles Award for service
to the life of the Church.
You not only
make our garden grow,
but also our hearts and souls grow with love and an
appreciation of life and beauty.