St. John Vianney HS Dedicates Prayer Garden in Students' Memories

The St. John Vianny High School community held small memorial services this week for two students who died in 2009. The services, which took place Wednesay, Aug. 10 and Thursday, Aug. 11, included the dedication of a new prayer garden in honor of their memories, which is located in the middle of the school next to the Chapel. It will be open to the St. John Vianney community of staff, students, parents, and alumni.

In 2009, students Daniel Falco and John Ench died suddenly from unrelated causes. Both the Falco and Ench families were present for the ceremonies where memorial plaques with each student's name were placed under two trees amid the flowers and foliage.

“These two students were taken too soon,” said Campus Minister Jeff Johnson in a prepared statement. “The least we can do is have a place where we can remember them and think about our fond memories of them.”

Religion teacher Joe Fano did the work of transforming an overgrown inner courtyard into a peaceful memorial with help from student volunteers, according to Johnson. Fano will oversee the ongoing maintenance of the space with student and parent volunteers.

“I think the school community -- staff, students, parents and alumni -- will be appreciative of what we've done with the prayer garden and what we're using it for,” said Johnson.  “Ultimately, it's a sacred place where our community members can go to enter into a quiet, peaceful moment of prayer, and to be in the company of those students who were tragically taken away from our school family.”

Johnson said they plan on continuing to place memorial stones and hold memorial services for students and families who experience similar tragedies.  Some students have visited the prayer garden, but the majority will see it for the first time when school opens in a few weeks.