Signal Mountain resident John Carlson, 15, knows what it is like to set an ambitious goal and work alongside adults to take the steps and make it happen.
For his Eagle Scout project, John determined that he wanted to do something for his church, St. Augustine Catholic Church. He asked Father Joseph Kuzhupil what the parish needed most.
“Since the columbarium was expanding, he thought it would be a good time to put up the Stations of the Cross for people to reflect on the deceased in the parish,” said John.
Built in 2003, the church’s columbarium houses the ashes of 29 former parishioners and 108 slots have been sold. The columbarium was recently expanded by 96 slots for a total of 204 spaces.
John’s project included installing the 14 Stations of the Cross, artistic representations of Christ carrying the cross to his crucifixion, at a total cost of $37,000. John was responsible for raising half of the funds.
“I had my doubts when we started,” said columbarium committee chair Al Colonna, who worked with John on the project. “It’s a detailed and elaborate undertaking, but John rolled out his plan and convinced the committee he would raise his share and make it happen. It was a great learning experience for him.”
John said the most important thing he learned was that while having a plan on paper helps, you have to be flexible.
“Plans change all the time and go in different directions, and you have to adjust to the change,” he said.
John had originally planned to construct the stations in wood, but the committee suggested stone and bronze instead, he said. He and the committee met with an architect to flesh out the plans.
In two weeks, John raised $24,000 by getting people and organizations within the church to sponsor individual stations.
Work on the stations took about five months, with John digging the footers and doing much of the work aside from the professional masonry work. The stations were complete in early October, just in time for the bishop to dedicate them at the church’s recent 75th anniversary celebration.
“I think we’ve needed this new enhancement for a while and I’ve been really happy to be a part of it,” John said.
“I’ve had people go out of their way to say we’ve created a surreal place to go and sit-like entering another world,” said Colonna. “It has made that kind of impact on the parish.”
John said he could not have completed the project without the help of the church’s columbarium committee, which is composed of Colonna, Helen Goldman, Jim Giles, Evelyn Davis and Christina Colonna.
“Every time we come to this church, I think it will be something John can be proud of for the rest of his life,” said Mary Carlson, John’s mother.
John said the church plans to add shrubbery, foliage and seasonal color to the columbarium area soon with the help of a landscape architect.