We are excited to have you move on with us to a bigger and better website. Just in time to celebrate another anniversary of St. Josemaria's going to Heaven that June 26, 1975 in Rome. So now we are here to welcome you to meanings new and old of Walnut Grove.
Walnut Grove takes its name from the mighty tree that is so prominent across our vast country. There is much we can learn from the walnut tree, just as there is always learning taking place through Walnut Grove’s variety of activities.
The walnut tree provides food and valuable wood for building. In the same way, Walnut Grove provides spiritual food to help our souls grow in love for God and others. It also provides the materials and support we need to grow strong marriages and families.
The walnut tree provides bountiful shade, allowing all who pass by to rest from the heat under its boughs. Walnut Grove, for its part, provides opportunities for prayerful peace, where those who pass by can find peace, calm, and joy.
Each walnut tree grows a deep tap root so it can have reliable access to water, even when the outside environment is less than ideal. So, too, Walnut Grove aims to help us go ever deeper in our relationship with God, realizing that through our relationship with him, we draw sustenance. And just as the walnut tree’s deep tap root helps anchor it to the soil so it can weather passing storms, the deeper our relationship with God, the more we grow in personal strength, resilience, and perseverance to withstand whatever struggles come our way in everyday dealings with family members, colleagues, friends and neighbors.
While the walnut tree grows quickly, often two feet annually, it can take up to eight years to yield a harvest. Likewise, the formation we receive at Walnut Grove takes the long view, recognizing that each soul has specific challenges and needs that change as we grow. Nonetheless, the formation is provided at a steady, on-going pace, with the goal of readying us to be fruitful in our own lives at home, at work, and among our friends.
Farmers who grow walnut trees usually plant several together to ensure adequate pollination. Similarly, Walnut Grove facilitates people coming together, so we can learn from each other and grow more in our love for one another and the society in which we live.
And finally, walnut trees can live for 150 years – how many generations have sheltered under the branches of the mature trees that we see around us? They were seedlings in 1871, when our country was still recovering from the wounds and upheaval of the Civil War. That longevity which spans generations is essential to the mission of Walnut Grove. We are here to serve souls of all denominations, our country and the world, and we are here to do that as long as there are souls on earth. We are so happy to have you join us. So take a few minutes to look around and then stay connected!
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