Shovels hit the ground and soil piled high Sept. 6 as parishioners, Scouts and Knights of Columbus members at St. Peter’s Parish in Waldorf, Maryland planted 25 trees to mark the Holy Year 2025.
The project began with a blessing of the trees by Father Keith A. Woods, pastor of St. Peter’s. Afterward, Scouts, their families, Knights, and parishioners spread across the parish and school grounds, digging holes and tamping down soil.
“This is a way to commemorate the Jubilee Year and to honor God’s creation,” Father Woods said, noting that the effort reflects the call of Pope Francis’s 2015 encyclical Laudato Si’ to care for the environment. An arborist advised on the selection of trees, which cost about $3,200. “When something dies, new things come,” he added, explaining that several of the trees replaced ones that had been lost.
Father Woods, who has led St. Peter’s for nine years and has been a priest for three decades, said the planting is also a reminder of how faith takes root and grows. “Just as parishioners and students continue to grow in faith, they will also be able to watch these trees flourish for years to come,” he said.
Scouts take the lead
The project also served as the Eagle Scout project for Samuel Binsol, a ninth grader at North Point High School and a parishioner at Our Lady Help of Christians in Waldorf. Acting Scoutmaster Paul Wachsmuth said Troop 417 embraced the tree planting as a way to support both the parish and one of their Scouts. The Waldorf-based troop, sponsored by St. Peter’s Parish for 33 consecutive years, is among the oldest and largest in Charles County.
“It’s really cool that my project will have a lasting effect on the parish and school for years to come,” Binsol said. In his four years of Scouting, he said he has gained skills in leadership, cooking, and first aid. He encouraged other young people to consider joining. “If you like it, keep going,” he said.
Support came from all corners of the parish. Knights of Columbus District Deputy Anthony McGrath, who has two daughters at St. Peter’s School, said the Knights provided trucks, mulch, and manpower and are always ready to serve when called upon. “Many hands make light work,” he said as volunteers spread out across the grounds. He added, “And the John Deere doesn’t hurt,” as parishioner Harry Frauenfelder guided his tractor through the tough soil. Where the machine could not reach, Scouts quickly stepped in with shovels.
Brothers Michael and Eoin Morgan were among the Scouts pitching in, carrying on the work their father, Navy Reserve Commander Stephen Morgan, had helped plan before his deployment overseas. Their mother, Dawn, said the day showed the strength of the parish and troop community — support she especially treasures when her husband’s service takes him away from home.
Michael, 14, a freshman at St. Mary’s Ryken High School in Leonardtown, had already completed his own Eagle Scout project, building a gaga ball pit at Archbishop Neale School in La Plata, where Eoin is a seventh grader. He said one of the most meaningful parts of Scouting is helping fellow Scouts reach the same milestone. “We all step in when someone is working on their Eagle,” Michael said. “You get to see different leadership styles and learn from each other.”
As he worked alongside his brother, Eoin said the friendships he has made through Scouting are what mean the most to him. “Projects like this bring us together,” he said.
Other Scouts echoed that sense of teamwork. Liam Wachsmuth, 14, who completed his Eagle project by building garden beds for the Humane Society of Charles County, said it was rewarding to support a friend while picking up new skills. Seventh grader Jovero Forrest, a St. Peter’s student, said he enjoyed putting Scouting lessons into practice, from fire safety to woodcutting.
Fifteen-year-old Donovan Burke, a parishioner at Our Lady Help of Christians preparing for his own Eagle Scout project, said Scouting has given him discipline and leadership. “It’s also been helpful to watch Stephen take the lead on his project,” he said.
Thea Palma, St. Peter’s director of religious education, said she treasures the parish’s diversity and the spirit of events like this. “Our parish is so diverse, and days like this show how those differences come together beautifully,” Palma said. “It’s a reminder that everyone has something to contribute.”
By the end of the morning, the 25 young trees, rooted in soil turned by many hands, stood as signs of a parish looking to the future with the same care and commitment that has shaped its past.
For Michael Morgan, the moment carried special meaning. “When I was a preschooler here, I helped plant the bushes in front of the school,” he said. “It’s cool to know these trees will still be here when I come back years from now.”
Father Woods said that was the hope of the day — that the trees would grow as reminders of faith and unity. “They will stand for generations,” he said, “as living signs of the love and care of this community.”
