Eagle Scout builds Marian shrine at
St. Rose of Lima Parish

By Mary Ann Wyand

FRANKLIN—Paul Haney practically grew up at St. Rose of Lima Parish, often spending time there with his mother, Julie, who is the longtime coordinator of religious education.

When Paul was an infant, she set up a playpen in her office. A few years later, he attended preschool then grade school at the Seymour Deanery parish.

For several years, he has helped his parish as an altar server for Sunday Mass once a month as well as weekday Masses during the summer months.

So when it came time to plan his Eagle Scout project as an eighth-grader last year, Paul said he naturally thought about doing something special to help his faith community.

He decided to construct a Marian shrine near the church because several parishioners mentioned that it would be wonderful to have an outdoor grotto to honor the Blessed Virgin Mary.

It was a labor of love, Paul said, that involved planning the project from start to finish, designing the shrine, creating a video presentation, and getting approval from his pastor and parish council members.

He also had to raise funds to pay for materials, coordinate volunteers then work with adults and about 10 other Boy Scouts to dig the foundation, lay cement blocks and cover them with limestone to match the church exterior.

The Marian shrine was completed on July 22, the feast of St. Mary Magdalene.

It was blessed and dedicated by Father Thomas Schliessmann, pastor of St. Rose of Lima Parish and Holy Trinity Parish in Edinburgh, on Aug. 15, the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

St. Rose of Lima parishioners, who celebrated their patron saint’s feast day on Aug. 23, are happy to be able to pray at the Marian shrine any day of the year.

Now a freshman at Roncalli High School in Indianapolis, Paul said it was exciting when parishioners embraced his Eagle Scout project by contributing more than $2,000 for materials.

His father, Jim Haney, and parishioner Mike Ford, who is a professional mason, taught him masonry skills and worked with him to complete the shrine.

“I started planning it on Dec. 3,” Paul said. “I made a presentation to the parish council in March. We started digging the foundation on June 10 then poured concrete for the base. It took about three weekends just to do that.”

To complete his Eagle Scout project, Paul reverently placed the statue of Mary in the stone niche of the shrine.

The Marian grotto was finished in plenty of time for him to participate in Roncalli High School’s summer band camp and show two of his eight Hampshire sheep at the Franklin County 4-H Fair, where a male named Lambert earned the reserve champion ribbon.

Paul said he loves Scouting, especially enjoys camping, and hopes to be a pilot someday.

“Scouting has taught me to be loyal,” he said. “You make new friends. It’s fun. You learn how to live on your own because you have to make your own shelter and sleep in it overnight. It’s challenging. It teaches leadership.”

The Boy Scouts of America Web site explains that only 4 percent of all Scouts complete the rigorous requirements to achieve the honor of Eagle Scout.

Father Schliessmann, who also serves as the archdiocesan chaplain of Scouts, said he is proud of Paul and happy to have the Marian shrine next to the church.

“It’s a marvelous place to pray, to remember our Blessed Mother,” Father Schliessmann said. “… Many people have been very impressed with it.”

The new shrine “means a lot [to the parish],” he said, “because Mary means a lot to the Church.”

He said Catholic Scouts throughout the archdiocese are doing wonderful service projects for God and the Church.

“Many of their Eagle Scout projects try to enhance their parish in some way,” Father Schliessmann said. “I think this speaks a lot about what Scouting can do because part of the Scout oath is our duty to God, and one of the points of the Boy Scout law is to be reverent. … Catholic Scouts have been able to make that connection between service of neighbor and their worship of God. I’m very proud of all the Catholic Scouts, and those whose Eagle Scout projects help their parish and help the prayer life of parishioners.”

Paul’s parents also are proud of their son for working so hard to create a lasting gift to St. Rose of Lima Parish.

“Paul grew up at St. Rose,” Julie Haney said. “It’s been a second home to him. … He wanted to give a gift to the parish because it’s such a big part of his life.” †