Lent: A time of reflection, prayer, fasting and almsgiving in preparation for Easter.

For Glenn Mummey and his family, the season is also a time to give to the school that has meant so much to their relatives for several generations.

Recently, Glenn, his wife Dr. Cristin Weicker, and their two sons, Jakob and AJ, presented St. Jerome Regional School with a long-lasting gift in the form of an outdoor walking Stations of the Cross that he built.

Mummey said his inspiration for the project came from his travels with his family.

“In my own formation down at Malvern, when we do a retreat annually, they have several different outdoor Stations of the Cross,” he said. “Then with Cristin and I traveling, when you get down south, there are a lot of churches that will have either outdoor Rosary paths or outdoor Stations.

“I thought, what a great use of the grove in front of the school (St. Jerome Regional), to be able to go through there and do something ... to use that space for Stations and add to the outward Catholic identity of the school.”

The project began a year ago after Mummey spoke to Principal Amy Hannis-Miskar about the importance of creating a Catholic identity outside the school.

She approved the idea and Mummey’s research to find items that would withstand the outdoors for years began.

He found prints from Vietnam that had the vibrant colors he was looking for and with the help of Dawn’s Vinyl in Tamaqua, they were able to source them and make UV-coated vinyl prints that have been attached onto aluminum panels.

Mummey then used his woodworking skills to construct cedar frames for each station. The family had the pieces blessed by their priest and hung them throughout the grove at the school last week.

“We made it a family project to go over and install them together,” Mummey said.

His sons AJ, who is currently an eighth grade student at St. Jerome’s, and Jakob, who graduated from the school in 2020 and is currently a freshman in college, echoed their father’s thoughts.

“It’s nice to see the whole family put time into the school,” AJ said, noting that his family has a long history here, going back to a great uncle being in the first graduating class. “The whole family’s been here.”

“It’s always great to come back,” Jakob added. “I like coming back to support St. Jerome’s and Marian. I’m always very happy to come back and support the schools that gave me so much.”

Hannis-Miskar thanked the Mummey family for both their generous gift and their dedication to the school over the years.

“This project is a meaningful addition to our school, made possible by the generosity of the Mummey family,” she said. “The Stations of the Cross offer a beautiful opportunity for reflection, and we are honored to have them at our school.

“... Each day, as parents and students pass by these images, they will be reminded of Christ’s powerful journey, encouraging deeper moments of prayer and personal reflection. The Stations of the Cross give our community a visual and tangible way to reflect on Christ’s journey, inviting students, parents, and faculty to pause and connect with their faith throughout the day.”

Both Mummey and Hannis-Miskar agree that this new element to the school will enhance the students’ religious education by experiencing their faith outside of the classroom.

“As they encounter each station, they can learn more about the story of Christ’s passion, deepen their understanding of its meaning, and connect the teachings of the Church to their daily lives. It serves as a powerful visual tool that encourages contemplation, prayer, and spiritual growth,” Hannis-Miskar said.