Gilchrist Helps Fund Trinity Heights Additions
Those seeking a place for prayer and reflection have found it at Trinity Heights under the shadow of some of its most famous sculptures, the Immaculate Heart of Mary Queen of Peace and the Sacred Heart of Jesus statues. Now, thanks in part to a generous donation by the Gilchrist Foundation, visitors can stroll through the recently finished Divine Mercy Garden and its new sculpture of St. John Paul II. The Gilchrist Foundation awarded Trinity Heights a $30,000 project grant for its new Divine Mercy Garden and the 7 foot tall, 300-pound bronze sculpture.
Trinity Heights began welcoming its first visitors in 1992 shortly after the Immaculate Heart of Mary Queen of Peace was placed on the grounds, although the idea has been in the works since the mid-1980s. Trinity Heights has expanded steadily since then, the latest being its Divine Mercy Garden.
The Divine Mercy Garden
The Divine Mercy Garden features a bronze sculpture of St. John Paul II and a large image of the Divine Mercy, a depiction of Jesus Christ based on the devotion initiated by St. Maria Faustina Kowalska. Sister Faustina was a nun based in Poland in the 1930s. She recorded messages from Christ in notebooks, known today as the Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska. She was canonized by St. John Paul II in 2000. Dale Lamphere was commissioned to create the bronze statue, the artist also sculpted the Queen of Peace. The sculpture was placed in the Divine Garden, Trinity Heights’ newest area, in April 2021.
People of all faiths visit Trinity Heights. It is Catholic in its theology and ecumenical in its intent and appeal. Trinity Heights offers more than two dozen shrines, memorial garden spots and quiet corners for prayer and reflection amidst 14 acres of spacious walkways and soft green spaces. It sits on the spacious grounds of former Trinity College and high school. Aside from the Immaculate Heart of Mary Queen of Peace and the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a life-sized carving of the Last Supper is located in St. Joseph's Center across from the Marian Center Gift Shop. There are shrines to the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Way of Saints honoring 60 Catholic saints. The Outdoor Cathedral and Trinity Gardens feature flowers, plantings and trees which complete the reflective setting.
About the Gilchrist Foundation
The Gilchrist Foundation is proud to support community projects that provide areas of interest for those in Sioux City and the surrounding areas. The foundation was established by Jocelyn Gilchrist in December 1998 to honor her family and their interests in parks, wildlife and conservation, the arts and public broadcasting.
Organizations whose interests align with the Foundation are encouraged to investigate how to apply for a grant.