Our Campus

Evangelist Garden

The Evangelist Courtyard, donated by parishioners, is home to our first section of statues - the four Gospel writers. There are two writers on either side, forming a pathway in the middle, a sign that it is through the Gospel that we come to know Jesus and that we enter the narrow way, which is Christ Himself. Above this walkway is the bell tower with a simple Cross, a reminder that this narrow way is marked by suffering, united with Christ's suffering on the Cross.

The symbols associated with each Gospel writer come from two different Scripture passages. First, from the Old Testament, from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah (1:1-21), Isaiah says:
In the 30th year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was among the exiles by the river Chebar, the heavens opened, and I saw divine visions…. As I looked, a stormwind came from the north, a huge cloud with flashing fire, from the midst of which something gleamed like electrum. Within it were figures resembling four living creatures that looked like this: their form was human, but each had four faces and four wings, and their legs went straight down; the soles of their feet were round. They sparkled with a gleam like burnished bronze. Their faces were like this: each of the four had a face of a man, but on the right side was the face of a lion, and on the left side the face of an ox, and finally each had the face of an eagle….

Second, from the New Testament, from the Book of Revelation (4:6-8), St. John says:
Surrounding this throne were twenty-four other thrones upon which were seated twenty-four elders; they were clothed in white garments and had crowns of gold on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning and peals of thunder; before it burned seven flaming torches, the seven spirits of God. The floor around the throne was like a sea of glass that was crystal-clear. At the very center, around the throne itself, stood four living creatures covered with eyes front and back. The first creature resembled a lion; the second, an ox; the third had the face of a man; while the fourth looked like an eagle in flight. Each of the four living creatures had six wings and eyes all over, inside and out. Day and night, without pause, they sing: “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, He who was, and who is, and who is to come!”

Select the next 4 tabs for more on the individual Evangelist statues.

St. Matthew

The first of the evangelists, featured far left (when looking from Cross Gates Blvd.), is St. Matthew the Evangelist. The inscription is his name in Latin "S. Mattheus." The "S." is the traditional abbreviation for "Sanctus," meaning "Saint."

This is St. Matthew the tax collector, as represented by the money bag between his feet. Consider how much money may be inside the bag. Consider how much more valuable is the prize of eternal life.

He holds a writing utensil in one hand and a tablet in the other.
St. Matthew is typically depicted with an angel or divine man because his writings highlight Jesus' entry into the world by first presenting His human lineage — “A family record of Jesus Christ, Son of David, son of Abraham” (Mt 1:1) — and His incarnation and birth: “Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about” (Mt 1:18). "This then,” according to St. Irenaeus, “is the Gospel of His humanity; for which reason it is, too, that the character of a humble and meek man is kept up through the whole Gospel.”

Take a moment to appreciate the beautiful life-like draping of the fabric. Look into St. Matthew's eyes and ponder what he may be thinking about. Consider what passage he may be inscribing on the tablet in his hand. Imagine what his handwriting may be like. Walk around him and look from behind him, considering how to see the world from St. Matthew's perspective.

St. Mark

The Gospel of St. Mark is the shortest of the four Gospel accounts and is likely the first to have been written. He often expresses the ministry of Jesus' ministry with more detail than Matthew or Luke, but also with greater urgency. Each event flows "immediately" into another. His style of writing expresses to us the urgency of the message and the immediacy of spreading the news that the Kingdom of God is at hand.

St. Mark, as do all of our Evangelists, is holding a unique writing utensil - a feather plume - and a rolled-up piece of parchment. This rolled-up parchment is typically a recognition of the belief that Mark's Gospel was the first to be written and, thus, the parchment is completed. It could also be a sign of his immediacy, that he is on-the-go.

St. Mark is often depicted with an image of a lion, as he is here, which emphasizes the royal dignity of Christ. St. Mark begins his Gospel account with St. John the Baptist roaring the proclamation of the Messiah like a lion in the wilderness, echoing far and wide, citing the Prophet Isaiah: “Here begins the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. In Isaiah the prophet it is written: ‘I send my messenger before you to prepare your way: a herald’s voice in the desert, crying, “Make ready the way of the Lord, clear Him a straight path.’”

The lion also signifies royalty, an appropriate symbol for the Son of God. Both the eyes of the lion and of St. Mark gaze upward, suggesting that they are lower in stature and in power compared to Christ the King, upon whom their eyes are fixed.

Like all of our Evangelist statues, this statue of St. Mark bears the inscription of his name in Latin: "S." ("Sanctus") "Marcus."

St. Luke

St. Luke is the patron and namesake of our parish family.

Like all of our Evangelists, he holds a unique writing utensil in one hand and a tablet in the other, held against his side.

St. Luke is often represented by an ox or calf, a sacrificial animal. This is typically a reference to St. Luke's emphasis on the sacrificial nature of Christ's ministry, beginning by opening the Gospel account with Zechariah performing his priestly duties. While in the temple, the announcement of the birth of St. John the Baptist, his son, was issued to him.

Oxen were used in temple sacrifices. One example in the Old Testament can be found in the Sixth Chapter of the Second Book of Samuel, when the Ark of the Covenant was processed to Jerusalem. Every six steps, an ox or falling was sacrificed.

Another reason for the image of the calf is that St. Luke is the only Gospel writer to include the parable of the Prodigal Son. In this parable, upon returning home, the father embraces his lost son and has the workers slaughter the fattended calf to celebrate his return. This beautifully moving image foreshadows the joy we should have in receiving reconciliation and mercy through our Savior and High Priest, who offered Himself as a living sacrifice to forgive our sins. Thus, the ox reminds us of the Christ St. Luke portrayed: Christ the Priest and the Victim.

No Gospel writer was more concerned with mercy and forgiveness, with the role of the Spirit in the life of the disciple, with the importance of prayer, or with concern for women.

St. Luke not only wrote his Gospel account. His work is part of a two-part series, the second part accounting for the early life of the Church in the Acts of the Apostles.

Spend some time praying before our St. Luke statue, praying for a deeper relationship with God, for greater strength in suffering, and for a heart that is healed and restored - as St. Luke himself is patron saint of healers.

St. John

St. John is depicted with a unique writing utensil, as are all the Evangelists, holding a stack of papers, in the midst of inscribing his Gospel account.

St. John, the beloved disciple, is depicted as much younger than the other Evangelists, as one still youthful.

His garments are flowy and almost life-like with the beautiful drapery of the sculptor.

At his feet is the symbol that represents John - the eagle - as it is a creature who dwells closest to heaven. This is due mostly to the fact that John not only wrote a Gospel account but also the Book of Revelation, in which the divine mysteries of eternal life were revealed to him.

Another reason for the symbolism of the eagle is that St. John begins his Gospel with a heavenly opening of the Lord descending to earth to take on flesh. It is a lofty and heavenly prologue, which unravels the mystery of the relationship between the Father and the Son (Jn 1:1-3, 14):
“In the beginning was the Word, the Word was in God’s presence, and the Word was God. He was present to God in the beginning. Through Him all things came into being, and apart from Him nothing came to be... The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us, and we have seen His glory: The glory of an only Son coming from the Father filled with enduring love."

St. John, more than any other Gospel writer, inspires the reader by diving into the most profound mysteries of the Faith, such as the long conversations between Jesus and Nicodemus or the Samaritan woman. He also pierces through to the confounding mystery of the Eucharist in his Bread of Life discourse as well as the character of Jesus in his depiction of Christ as the Good Shepherd.

Inscribed in Latin with "S." ("Sanctus") "Joannes" (John), this statue is meant to be a source of prayer for all those who seek to join the Lord's inner circle of friends and long to rest his head upon the chest of the Lord, as well as an inspiration to run to the Lord to meet Him when He returns, as John did at His resurrection.

Archangel Garden

Having passed through the Evangelist Garden, we walk through a set of two statues: the archangels Michael and Gabriel. Michael, the protector, and Gabriel, the messenger, remind us of the necessity to both listen to the Word of God while also remaining vigilant against the devil's words of deceit.

Select the next 2 tabs for more on the individual statues.

St. Michael

St. Michael is not a saint in the human sense, for he is not human at all. He is an angel. However, because any being in heaven in considered a Saint, he can rightly be called St. Michael or Michael the Archangel.

The term "Archangel" indicates that these angels are a rank above other angels. Michael specifically is tasked with being leader of the heavenly host of angels, with his main goal - to conquer Satan and ward of evil.

For this reason, our St. Michael statue is depicted as having control over Satan, whose snake-like body points back to the serpent in the Garden of Eden. His sword and his shield is the cross of Christ, by which he is victorious.

Michael is also traditionally believed to be tasked with escorting the faithful to heaven at the hour of their death, being a champion of all Christians and the Church, and calling all men from life on earth to their heavenly reward.
Michael is referenced many times in Sacred Scripture - in the Book of Daniel, in the Epistle of St. Jude, and in the Book of Revelation. He is also the patron of soldiers, police and doctors.

St. Gabriel

St. Gabriel, like Michael, is not a human saint, but an archangel. He is depicted holding an orb, which represents power over the earth. On this orb are the Greek letters "XC". IC is short for Isous (Ιησούς), which is how Jesus is spelled in Greek. XC is for Hristos (Χριστός), which is Greek for Christ. Thus, the letters "XC" on the orb indicates that Christ is the King of the Earth, with all dominion belonging to Him. This is the ,essays that Gabriel is sent to proclaim.

Gabriel is mentioned in both the Old Testament and the New Testament of the Bible. In the Old Testament, Gabriel is sent by God to appear to the prophet Daniel to explain his visions. And he is described as, "one who looked like man," as he interprets Daniel's visions. He speaks to Daniel while he is sleeping. After Gabriel's first visit, he visits Daniel again with more insight and understanding in an answered prayer.

In the New Testament, Gabriel is described as "an angel of the Lord" when he first appears to Zachariah, the father of John the Baptist. Gabriel tells him, "Fear not, Zachariah: for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you shall have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth." (Luke 1:13)

agter John was conceived by Elizabeth, six months later Gabriel appears to a lowly virgin in Nazareth, married to a man named Joseph. He greets her, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you: blessed are you among women." (Luke 1:28)

With a gentle and calm demeanor, Gabriel points upward back to Heaven, as do his messages - as depicted with his index finger pointing upward, while holding the spear.

Spend some time praying before this statue and ask St. Gabriel to help you remain open to the word of God that you may respond to it more readily.

Holy Family Garden

Enshrined on either side of the church office are the statues in honor of Mary and Joseph, who lead the Holy Family in their own roles. Similarly, we call upon their intercession to lead us as a parish family and to assist us in doing the holy will of God.

Select the next 2 tabs for more on the individual statues.

St. Joseph the Worker

St. Joseph's intercession is invoked using many different titles. We call him:
- Renowned offspring of David
- Light of Patriarchs
- Spouse of the Mother of God
- Chaste guardian of the Virgin
- Foster-father of the Son of God
- Diligent protector of Christ
- Head of the Holy Family
- Joseph most just
- Joseph most chaste
- Joseph most prudent
- Joseph most strong
- Joseph most obedient
- Joseph most faithful
- Mirror of patience
- Lover of poverty
- Model of artisans
- Glory of home life
- Guardian of virgins
- Pillar of families
- Solace of the wretched
- Hope of the sick
- Patron of the dying
- Terror of demons
- Protector of Holy Church
At St. Luke, we remember that St. Joseph was a hardworking protector of his household, imagining that he built his holy family's house with his own hands and with the help of God. In much the same way, we ask that - while our Blessed Mother is unraveling the knots - St. Joseph be right behind her, building up something new and wonderful.

We pray that he my help inspire holy men, holy husbands, and holy fathers, while also protecting us and our campus, especially our office staff and volunteers.

Mary, Undoer of Knots

As you may know, there are many names and titles we have for many. One of them is "Mary, Undoer of Knots," which is depicted so beautifully in the marble statue of Mary we have. This title is based on both devotion me a Baroque painting.

The painting was exquisitely completed by Johann Georg Melchior Schmidtner (1625-1707), who depicted the Blessed Virgin Mary standing on a crescent moon (a typical way of depicting Mary under the title of Immaculate Conception), which is captured in our statue. She is surrounded by angels, with the Holy Spirit descending in the form of a dove, and with 12 stars hovering over her in a halo. These symbols are not included in our statue. However, what is depicted is essential to this devotion: Mary untying knots from a long ribbon, while at the same time resting her foot on the head of a "knotted" snake. As with our St. Michael statue, the serpent represents Satan and Mary's crushing foot fulfills the prophecy in Genesis 3:15: "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and your seed and her seed: she shall crush your head, and you shall lie in wait for her heel."

The concept of Mary untying knots actually derived from a work by St. Irenaeus of Lyons, Adversus haerses (Against Heresies), in which he expresses a parallel between Eve and Mary, saying that "the knot of Eve's disobedience was loosed by the obedience of Mary. For what the virgin Eve had bound fast through unbelief, this did the virgin Mary set free through faith."

Lastly, the knotted cord was also used by Hebrew women to keep track of all the tasks they had to accomplish. When a task was completed, a knot would be unraveled, as indication that a "to-do" item was completed. In this way, we acknowledge that Mary has us, as a parish family, in her hands, gently taking care of the tasks we need to accomplish. We entrust ourselves to her care, who has never left us abandoned.

Christ, the Good Shepherd

Through the Archangel Garden, passing through the Beatitudes and the 10 Commandments, we enter the Church Courtyard, home to our Good Shepherd fountain. In John 10:11-15, Christ tells us,

I am the good I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. A hired man, who is not a shepherd and whose sheep are not his own, sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf catches and scatters them. This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep.

This image of Christ reminds us that, though earthly shepherds may fail us, Christ is our shepherd that will never fail us, never abandon us, never leave us wanting. With His staff pointing outward, He reminds us that He is our shepherd. The sheep in His hand reminds us that we are never too far gone, never too lost for Him to find us and bring us home to Him.

He stands upon a fountain, flowing beneath Him, for He is the fountain of life, the source of "living water," as He told the Samaritan woman. Beside restful waters, near quiet streams, He leads us and refreshes our souls.

Meditation Garden

Situated right next to our Perpetual Adoration Chapel is our Meditation Garden, a beautiful spot for prayer and meditation. As you walk through the iron gates of the garden, you will find the following:
- La Pieta
- Jesus at the Well
- Mary at the Annunciation
- Stations of the Cross/Rosary Walk
- Tomb of the Unborn
- Candle House
There will be more information on these sacred images and spots coming soon!

Our Lady of La Vang

According to the Documents of the Archbishop of Hue (1988): During the reign of King Canh Thinh (who ascended the throne in 1792), an edict banned religion. Some believers lived near Dinh Cat Hill (now the town of Hue) and had to find a place to hide. They took refuge in the mountains and forests of La Vang. In the sacred forest, through poisonous water, difficult circumstances, lack of food, illness, fear of military opposition, and fear of wild animals the believers entrusted themselves to God and the Virgin Mary. They often gathered together under the ancient banyan tree, praying together.

One day while praying the rosary together in honor of the Virgin Mary, they suddenly saw a beautiful woman, wearing a loose robe, holding the Baby Jesus, with two angels holding lamps on either side. They immediately recognized her as Mother Mary. She expressed kindness, affection, and comfort to the parishioners, encouraging them to endure hardship. She taught them to pick a type of leaf from a nearby tree, boil it in water, and drink it to heal any illnesses. She gave them a promise: whoever comes to pray in this place, she will accept their prayer.

This event happened on the grass near the ancient banyan tree where parishioners were praying. After that, Mother Mary appeared many times to support and comfort her children in their tribulations.

Since then, the Virgin Mary has appeared in the mountains and forests of La Vang for generations, and many people sincerely believe in and come to pray through the intercession of the Virgin Mary. Our Lady of La Vang is often symbolized by a woman wearing a Vietnamese ao dai holding a child also wearing traditional Vietnamese clothing.

Thank you to deep faith and generosity of our Vietnamese parishioners who have expanded our devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, and invited us to love her even more richly.