Mary's Garden at Immaculate Conception church in Mechanicsville, MD was originally conceived in 2015 as an activity to unite our Faith Formation students by Deacon Bill Kyte.
As this the activity developed and grew it evolved into an expression of God's gift of Mary to the whole human race with the relocation of the Mary, Mother of Light Shrine from Colton Point, MD to Mary's Garden.
We see God speaking to us in many ways through Mary's Garden: the natural beauty of creation where our hearts resonate with the artistic placement of stones and bricks, blooming plants and flowing water. But with the addition of a statue highlighting the Blessed Virgin, God speaks to us of His supernatural beauty reflected in the sinless Mother of Jesus who truly embodies the best qualities of the human race.
Also represented to aid spiritual reflection are sacramentals representing the Holy Family, a silent reminder of the importance of family as the bedrock of a stable and loving society, and the Cross of Jesus.
We encourage you to pray here, to meditate on God's love for us all, and to ask for Mary to intercede for us so that we may persevere through this vale of tears to be united with her Son for eternity.
Nestled in the heart of Mechanicsville, Maryland, Mary's Garden sits as a hidden gem waiting to be discovered by spiritual seekers and community members alike. Immaculate Conception church is a serene and prayerful church that serves as a spiritual haven for those in search of solace, guidance, and connection with the Lord.
 | March 1634
One hundred and forty European settlers arrive on the Ark and the Dove in what is now the United States of America at St. Clement's Island near Colton's Point, MD. After celebrating the first Catholic Mass of the thirteen Colonies - the Feast of the Annunciation presided over by Father Andrew White, S.J. - on March 25, 1634, the congregation erected a wooden Cross and recited the Litany of the Holy Cross on bended knee and declared religious freedom for all.
March 1934
The tricentennial of the first landing in early March 1634. In celebration, the local community erected a new 40-foot cross on St. Clement's island to mark the spot where the early European settlers arrived, again reciting the Litany of the Holy Cross.
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 | September 30, 1994
The Reverend Don Rinfret, the Director of the Jesuit Missions in Baltimore, Maryland, visited the site planned for the future Mother of Light Shrine. He held a first-class relic of Mother Elizabeth Ann Seton, a gift from Reverend Aloysius E. O'Connor, the Associate Pastor of Holy Angels Church.
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 | June 19, 1996
A statue of Mary, Mother of God, constructed to replicate the Medal of the Immaculate Conception, also known as the Miraculous Medal, positioned outside of the parish's rectory in a garden, is gifted to Millie Huseman by the Reverend Bert Akers, S.J., the Associate Pastor at St. Mary's Star of the Sea Catholic Church in Ocean City, Maryland. The statue was approved by Monsignor John B. Brady, Pastor, Holy Angels Catholic Church.
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 | October 5, 1996
His Excellency Bishop Leonard Olivier, Auxiliary Bishop of Washington, blessed the statue titled "Mother of Light," as Mary is the mother of Jesus, who is the Light of the World. During the blessing ceremony, the Holy Angels Catholic church Adult and Children's Choirs performed an original song composed by Millie Huseman, titled "Mother of Light, Our Special Love."
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 | September 27, 1997
The statue’s inaugural pilgrimage to the new shrine for positioning on bricks and rocks collected from historical religious sites worldwide, including the Holy Land. The Reverend Paul Liston and Sodalists visited the adjacent St. Clement's Island Museum and witnessed the newly built Shrine. They were the first Pilgrims to arrive, and Father Liston blessed the Shrine. A neighbor, Colonel Hart, was amongst those present.
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 | June 29, 2014
The Archdiocese of Washington celebrated its 75th Anniversary on historic St. Clement's Island. During the Mass, his Eminence Donald Cardinal Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington, blessed the Mother of Light Shrine.
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 | January 2003
Millie Huseman forms the American Delegation for World Peace. The delegation participated in the 4th World Families meeting, accompanied by Msgr. John B. Brady (Pastor of Holy Angels Catholic Church), Dawn Spranger representing Our Lady of Fatima's Sodality, Jim Bailey, and Preston Rose, a 4th Degree Knight of Columbus in the Father Andrew White Assembly #377. Together, they taught the Knights of Columbus how to make living rosaries and pray with them for world peace. Additionally, Mrs. Huseman signed a document with Mrs. Magsaysay, forming an Alliance for World Peace (recorded in the Courthouse in the Province of Zambales).
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 | November 2019
Deacon Bill Kyte of Immaculate Conception Church in Mechanicsville, MD, and Father Michael Tietjen, a former pastor of Holy Angels Parish and now the pastor of Immaculate Conception Church in Mechanicsville, MD, discuss relocating the shrine to their parish, where parishioners would assist in its maintenance. At the end of this meeting, Father Michael Tietjen concluded that the Shrine would be accepted at Immaculate Conception Church following documented permission from the Archdiocese of Washington.
Millie Huseman wrote a gift letter to the Archdiocese, submitted along with an interest letter written by Father Tietjen. Deacon Kyte, assisted by his wife Mari Kyte, communicated with Bob Messer, the Facility Director at the Archdiocese. Terry Farrell, the Executive Secretary of the Curia, subsequently expressed his support for the opportunity for the parish. The Shrine, now belonging to the Archdiocese of Washington, would be relocated to "Mary's Garden" at the Immaculate Conception Church in Mechanicsville, MD.
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 | January 11, 2020
Deacon Bill Kyte met with Millie Huseman at the Shrine, marking the beginning of its disassembly. The new home of the Mother of Light statue would be in Mary's Garden at the Immaculate Conception Church in Mechanicsville, Maryland, where Deacon Kyte served as Deacon. Assisted by parishioner John Krznarich, Deacon Bill arrived at Colton's Point to remove the statue from its archway. Don and Theresa Andresaks begin to restore the statue.
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 | January 2020
Stepping Stone, LLC in Mechanicsville, MD, disassembled the shrine’s pedestal brick by brick. Parishioners Don and Theresa Andresak begin meticulously restoring the Mother of Light statue.
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| April 3, 2020
Stepping Stone, LLC disassembled the Mother of Light Shrine in Colton's Point, Maryland, transferring the bricks and rocks from historical religious sites worldwide, including the Holy Land, to Mary's Garden.
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 | April 15, 2020
The future foundation for the statue is dug at Immaculate Conception Church in Mechanicsville, MD, by Stepping Stone, LLC. Parishioners from the Immaculate Conception Church continue to restore the Mother of Light statue to prepare it for its new home in Mary's Garden.
The bricks and rocks from historical religious sites worldwide, including the Holy Land, were rehoused inside the pedestal at Mary's Garden. These bricks were used in the original Mother of Light Shrine at Colton's Point, overlooking historic Saint Clement's Island.
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 | August 14, 2020: Feast day of Saint Maximilian Kolbe
Completion of the installation of the Mother of Light statue in its new location in Mary's Garden, along with bricks and rocks collected from historical religious sites worldwide, including the Holy Land.
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 | August 22, 2020: Feast of the Queenship of Mary
Rev. David Beaubien, Dean of St. Mary's County Priests and Pastor of St. Aloysius Church in Leonardtown, MD, leads the first pilgrimage group joined by Leonard Wathen, D.R.E. for St. Aloysius Parish, and the Southern Maryland Militia.
The Holy Family pond in Mary's Garden, the Circle of Life, was inaugurated in a ceremony presided over by Father David Beaubien, the Dean of St. Mary's County and Pastor of St. Aloysius Parish in Leonardtown, Maryland, along with Leonard Wathen, D.R.E. of St. Aloysius Parish in Leonardtown, Maryland.
Approximately 90 people attended the event and witnessed Millie Huseman and Deacon Bill Kyte crowning Mary, Mother of God, in Mary's Garden.
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 | October 4, 2020
His Excellency Bishop Dorsonville visited Immaculate Conception Church to celebrate Mass and bless Mary's Garden.
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 | October 10, 2020
Mary's Garden witnessed a Rosary Rally led by Deacon Joe Lloyd and Betty Hill, with Betty Hill serving as the rally's coordinator.
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Immaculate Conception Church in Mechanicsville, MD