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The Story

So you Want to Know the Story Behind Living Stations?

Founder's Bio

Kelly Garver Nieto
Professional Speaker, Producer & Songwriter Biography

Kelly Garver Nieto is a professional speaker who combines her professional experience as a comedic entertainer with stories of her powerful conversion from Atheism and the New Age Occult to eventually becoming Catholic. In her incredibly funny and moving talk, “One Woman’s Journey to the Foot of the Cross,” Kelly describes how a non-believer came to be the creator, scriptwriter, songwriter, lyricist, and producer of Living Stations, an epic theatrical experience based on Christ’s Passion that is destined to become a Broadway sensation.

“What good is faith if you know you can do it all on your own? True faith is when you know that if God doesn’t intervene, you will fail miserably. And I like those odds,” Kelly said throwing her head back with a laugh.

Growing up, I never attended church, spoke of Jesus, sin, nor salvation. I battled depression as a child and suffered numerous medical illnesses, including chronic migraines. I found myself in a constant state of suffering and spiritual isolation. I was a child desperate for answers. Life made no sense because of my suffering, and no one seemed to have any answers. I remember asking my parents about God, but they couldn't tell me anything that helped. In my teenage years, I found myself attracted to the New Age arts of astrology, numerology, and transcendental meditation. I was fascinated with the occult.

"What can you do with Holy Week next year?" asked Monsignor Hurley, now Bishop Hurley of the Grand Rapids diocese. These were the words that began our Living Stations Ministry at Our Lady of Sorrows. Producing the RCIA Reflection and the Living Nativity that year gave me the credibility I needed to start our important work on the Living Stations of the Cross. Easter 2002 was on March 31st. I had 3 months. I knew that God had to intervene! This was a massive endeavor: the kind of production that would take a year with a full-time staff. It was not possible without God's help!

From our very first performance in 2002, Living Stations has been dedicated to our mission of igniting a personal love for Christ in the heart of our participants through an epic theatrical experience and deeply moving musical journey along His steps to Calvary. Now, looking toward the future in faith, we seek to spread this stirring message throughout the world.

Who are we? What do we do?

Living Stations is an experiential musical journey through Christ’s Passion and an interactive prayer engaging all of the senses. It is a spiritual wake-up call; a visual realization of what Christ went through on the Cross. The music envelops and propels the participants through the story and each feels truly present at the foot of the cross, not just as an observer, but as an active participant in salvation history. School children and seniors enjoy the convenience of our matinee show times, while families, church groups and individuals attend our weekend performances.

Future Vision

During the eleven years of producing The Living Stations of the Cross at Our Lady of Sorrows (OLS), Kelly had a deep inner knowing that Our Lady of Sorrows was not where the production should only take place. That's not to say that OLS didn't serve as a poignant and enriching venue for the musical. But back in 2000 when Kelly wept on Good Friday and was given the vision of a theatrical performance of the Stations of the Cross, she knew that it was meant for a much larger audience than what OLS could provide. Al Kresta, syndicated talk show host of Kresta in the Afternoon, confirmed her vision by saying, "If it can work in Detroit, it can work in Chicago, New York, Houston...There's no reason this can't become a part of every diocese in the country!" Kelly agrees wholeheartedly.

*Living Stations is based on the Stations of the Cross celebrated by Pope John Paul II in 1991. These stations reflect deeply on the Scriptural accounts of Christ's passion.