Bishop John Noonan | Diocese of Orland website

A vacant space at St. Matthew Parish in Winter Haven has been transformed into a certified St. Kateri Habitat, now home to native plants, fruit, vegetables, and wildlife. The initiative began two years ago when parish business operations manager Susan Simonson and groundskeeper Bill Ball sought to create a peaceful area for parishioners to pray. Their vision required significant effort, leading them to involve Claudia Tejada, the parish’s catechetical leader.

Tejada was inspired after parents inquired about a summer program for youth. While seeking guidance in prayer, she noticed the garden project and proposed involving the youth group as volunteers. Simonson supported the idea and Tejada began organizing the certification process and collecting donations for native plants and supplies.

The St. Kateri Habitat program, named after St. Kateri Tekakwitha, patron saint of ecology and Indigenous Peoples, emphasizes sanctuaries that serve both people and wildlife. According to its website, “St. Kateri Habitats are sanctuaries that go beyond providing essential resources for people and wildlife; they are living, sacred spaces that embody the harmonious coexistence of faith and ecological stewardship. These habitats offer food, water, cover, and space for all beings, becoming places of prayer and contemplation that rejuvenate faith while preserving the spiritual and material gifts of creation.”

The youth group quickly grew from 10 to 45 members, who learned about nature, food sources, and Catholic social justice through their work in the garden. Tejada said, “For them to see from the beginning it starts with seeds, and how God created these beautiful seeds to become a tree, or flowers, or food — that is a part of the mission, to see nature. That is something they don’t usually experience. They learned we have to get our hands dirty in order to produce something, to eat something.”

The students were actively involved in planting, measuring growth, and donating produce such as papayas, watermelons, pumpkins, cherry tomatoes, eggplant, spinach, and radishes to the local Catholic Charities of Central Florida Agape Food Market. In October 2024, a $5,000 grant from the Women’s Philanthropic Giving Circle supported further development of the garden with new seeds, soil, tools, benches, a fountain, and a statue of St. Kateri. The garden was blessed by Father Nicholas O’Brien in June 2025.

Students described the garden as an extension of their church community and expressed pride in its transformation. Krysel P. shared: “In the beginning of the garden, it was messy and unorganized. There were so many plants everywhere. I saw over time, the progress of the garden. And now it’s just a beautiful place where we grow food and give it to people.”

Tejada noted that hands-on learning in the garden provides youth with a different experience than traditional classrooms: “Having a place where kids come into a safe environment to experience and to learn about God – not just by reading, but by being able to touch and experience how things are made and grow compared to a school environment is a big difference,” she said. “I can see their expressions, their pride in knowing they did this.”

She compared spiritual growth to gardening: “They see how, if you pray for something, God will listen to you, but you must pay attention. And that’s how nature is. Things grow little by little and that’s how faith will grow in you when you start believing in God. He’s going to be there all the time, but it takes us time to listen to Him. When they see that, they realize God did this. That means He’s here with me. I can listen to Him. He’s real. It’s a big impact for them,” she said.

St. Matthew Parish is part of the Diocese of Orlando, which was established in 1968 and includes 79 parishes across several counties in Central Florida.