A real treat for me is to celebrate Mass in my home parish of St. Mary Magdalen in Worland. I was asked to fill in the for the pastor, Fr. Robert Rodgers, over the weekend and he asked if I'd also preside at the Mass for St. Mary Magdalen's feast day. Can do.
The present day church was built in the 1950s. In typical fashion back then, they first built a school gym that would serve as the church building until they got the real church built. But as often happened in the decades to follow, the new church never got built. Over time, the People of God and their various priests have worked well with what they've been given. First came the school portion, which operated throughout the 1960s. That same decade saw a remodeling of the sanctuary and later in the early 2000s a fuller remodel that really accepted that this is going to be our church. Within the past 10 years, they also put in an elevator.
This was also 75th anniversary of SMM as a parish. Many fond memories.
SMM in Worland was originally a mission of Thermopolis. Fr. Endres was the iconic priest who traveled the Big Horn Basin on horseback in the early 1900s, celebrating Mass and building up the Body of Christ. In 1949 Worland had become big enough that it was made it's own parish. Today the tides have changed and St. Francis parish in Thermop is now served by the priest in Worland.
This is the baptismal font that I was baptized in.
December 23, 1979. John Schmeltzer and Frances (Schmeltzer) Hesseel were/are my godparents. Fr. Cyril Hmelovsky presided.
Here's where I received my First Holy Communion. May 8, 1988. My cousin Beth Schmeltzer was beside me. Fr. Joseph Fraher was the priest for much of my youth.
May 8, 1996 I was Confirmed by Bishop Joseph Hart. My Aunt Nancy Martinson was my sponsor.
Though I wasn't ordained here, I do enjoy celebrating Mass for the family and friends I grew up with.
After the Mass for today's feast day, we had an interview with a long lived SMM parishioner. Dee Arps will turn 108 in a few weeks. She's sharper than a tack and has much encouragement for the younger generations. Like, Go to Mass!
A parish feast wouldn't be complete without a picnic to follow.
Fun stuff. This is what it means to be Catholic. The past remains present. We take time to celebrate all the Good water under the bridge. So many folks have gone before us to make this parish a reality. The Good News is that they are still with as members of the Body of Christ. It is in the liturgy where this truth becomes present. Thanks be to God for all who keep this parish alive. Worland thanks you. I thank you too. It is at St. Mary Magdalen that I received all my Sacraments of Initiation. Through this grace I have been able to hear God's call to the priesthood. Keep up the Good work, y'all!
No comments:
Post a Comment