Backyard Stations of the Cross?

+veritas+ · #1 Sep 21, '04, 5:19 pm

Hi everyone,

I'm hoping there's somebody on here who can help me... we recently moved into a place with a fenced side yard that would be perfect for having Stations of the Cross hanging on the fence...

But where to find some? Or how to make some?

Does anyone know of anywhere that sells (cheaper) Stations of the Cross that would be suitable for outdoors use (and I'm in Minnesota remember... no wimpy Texas winters for us!! LOL)

I would be willing to try making them too, if someone can enlighten me on the process, or suggest materials/designs that I could easily adapt....

+veritas+

mkw · #2 Sep 21, '04, 6:04 pm

What a GREAT idea! I also have a fenced in back yard that would be perfect for a Stations Walk.

Try asking the parish secretary. Either s/he will know where your parish got theirs, or where to get them. Also, try a GOOD Catholic book store.

Good luck locating the stations.

Toni · #3 Sep 21, '04, 6:47 pm

Great idea, I have seen this done with 14 crosses put in a row on a fence. In the summer pictures could be used if you go to Kinkos or a copy store that has heavy laminant.

keith2002 · #4 Sep 22, '04, 7:57 am

Well, I did a little searching for you and I'm not sure if you have the same options a church has.

If you want to spend almost $1300 you could get these, but I'm not sure they would hold up well over the winter.

http://www.automonline.com/product.jsp?path=-1|93835|17413|280616|187167&id=186688

Or for $50 you could get these....
http://www.automonline.com/product.jsp?path=-1|93835|17413|280616|187167&id=186544

Not many affordable choices in this area and not many (if any) that are designed for outdoor use.

Good Luck

**Annunciata** · #5 Sep 22, '04, 8:26 am

I think this is a great idea! Toni's idea of laminated pictures is good...checked out the on-line ones for $50 ...good... Anyway it has given me new inspiration!

Thank you. Annunciata

**mercygate** · #6 Sep 22, '04, 10:35 am

The old specifications used to say that the indulgence in saying the Stations of the Cross was attached not to the image but to the cross itself and that the cross had to be made of wood. I believe in those days you had to have permission to erect a set of stations, and until the mid-19th Century, they had to be blessed by a Franciscan priest. The Franciscans used to "own" the stations of the cross -- I presume because of their proprietorship of the holy sites in Jerusalem.

Anyway, a set of 14 wooden crosses would do the job and be inexpensive and easy to make. I'm pretty sure you no longer need permission to mount them.

At Bethlehem Hermitage in Chester, NJ, the stations are simple wooden crosses nailed to pine trees, along a path beside the cemetery, each with a verse of Scripture painted on a small steel sheet nailed below it. Very simple and very beautiful. I have the quotes somwhere if you want them.

csr · #7 Sep 22, '04, 10:58 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by mercygate

I'm pretty sure you no longer need permission to mount them.

But have a holy priest come by to bless them. I'd also suggest having them apart from space used for other purposes, although this may not be practical. I hope that the priest you get sprinkles holy water on the stations. Holy water for blessings of this sort used to be standard.
__________________
"It is absolutely wrong and forbidden, either to narrow inspiration to certain parts only of Holy Scripture, or to admit [into discussion] that the sacred writer has erred." *

SHJ-BVM · #8 Sep 22, '04, 11:31 am

Veritas,

These are the ones I have in my chapel. To use them outdoors you would need to bring them to Kinko's or somewhere else that could laminate them for you. Price-wise I don't think you'll find any cheaper.

http://http://leafletonline.com/cata...ers_946755.htm

The 4x6 are $6.00 and the 8x10 are $15.00.

These are the same litho's used in my parish.

csr · #9 Sep 22, '04, 11:37 am

Just an extra note: if you do get a priest to bless an object, remember that you can't ever sell the object.

Christy Beth · #10 Sep 22, '04, 2:43 pm

There is a place in Missouri where I went on retreat a couple of times. They have an outdoor stations of the cross. At one place, sort of near the beginning, there is a large crucifix (hanging underneath a small overhang built specificly for it). The 14 stations were basically crosses with a box right on the conjuction of the arms that had a picture of that station. And, underneath, was the appropriate number. They weren't very big, and with some of them, you had to really look for the tree it was on. But I still liked it.

Erich · #11 Sep 23, '04, 1:41 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by csr

Just an extra note: if you do get a priest to bless an object, remember that you can't ever sell the object.

Hmm, what about house blessings, and all the bazillion souvenirs that are sold in places like Rome that (purport to) have been blessed?

T.A.Stobie, SFO · #12 Sep 24, '04, 6:48 am

If you have a wooden fence, and can find someone with some talent at painting, you could paint them on the fence with some coating over it to protect it from the weather.

**Annunciata** · #13 Sep 24, '04, 6:52 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Erich

Hmm, what about house blessings, and all the bazillion souvenirs that are sold in places like Rome that (purport to) have been blessed?

Annunciata

Joanna · #14 Sep 24, '04, 8:21 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by SHJ-BVM

Veritas,

These are the ones I have in my chapel. To use them outdoors you would need to bring them to Kinko's or somewhere else that could laminate them for you. Price-wise I don't think you'll find any cheaper.

http://http://leafletonline.com/cata...ers_946755.htm

The 4x6 are $6.00 and the 8x10 are $15.00.

These are the same litho's used in my parish.

http://leafletonline.com/catalog/sta...ers_946755.htm