are three delightful parishes in our diocese that I visited yesterday on my day off. It was a beautiful day for a drive through beautiful country. I can’t believe more people don’t move out here. It is amazing.
Salem is an incredibly beautiful gothic style church. It is in a small community about 30 miles from Sioux Falls and it is quite charming. The pastor there is a good guy and has been a very good friend. It was nice to see him.
If anyone wants to write a book on rural parish life in South Dakota it could be quite good. We have some magnificent church’s. We have some of those 70’s ones as well but I don’t think we will be seeing too many of those anymore.
Most of the smaller towns have the ones built by their parents and grandparents and the would put a priests feet to the fire if he tried to gut them.
It’s a great life serving on the prairie.
A Son Becomes a Father 
October 2, 2003 at 7:49 am |
yes… but isn’t it COOOOOLLLLDDDD?
Upstate NY is pretty chilly, but I imagine South Dakota to be positively glacial!
OTOH, you do get those wonderful sweat lodges.
Have you read Ray Bucko’s book on the Lakota Sioux and the ritual of the sweat lodge? I do recommend it! It has a great theology of the body for Christianity.
October 2, 2003 at 8:13 am |
Don’t look now, Father, but St. Michaels is, like, sooooo 70’s…. even though it was built in 81 (a little behind the ‘style’ times, you know) and I don’t think anyone would put your feet to the fire if you want to redecorate!
I’m so glad you see the beauty in our South Dakota countryside.
If you go a little further west of Salem to Alexandria, SD, there is a Fatima Family Shrine at the St. Mary of Mercy Apostolate. I stopped there recently to see what it was and was really surprised to see it tucked away in a small town along the side of the road.
October 3, 2003 at 2:04 am |
Dear Fr. Todd, Mickie is right about Alexandria–St. Mary of Mercy Church. Fantastic.
By the way, I sent a post yesterday but it didn’t show up . . . maybe I hit “cancel” instead.
It is great that you are so joyful as a young priest. I hope that you will get to know the boys and girls at O+Gorman High School and encourage them to come to know Jesus, Mary and Joseph. I just read in a newspaper that 2 young men at O+Gorman plan to enter the Seminary. What great news. Peace be with you, Fr. Todd.
October 3, 2003 at 11:11 am |
I have been to Alexandria many times. We have a lot of treasures in our diocese. I am trying to get to some of the Church’s I haven’t been to. I hear Tabor is magnificient as well. I look forward to getting out there.
Also I hope to get to know the O’Gorman students. Time is pretty rough for me at St. Michaels though. I have a hard time getting to know the kids hear. Maybe a little more experience will help me balance things well.
October 4, 2003 at 8:58 am |
Also, Fr. Todd, please go to the Church in Kranzburg in your Diocese–Holy Rosary! Father Richard Lee Baumberger (A Saintly Priest) was the Pastor there for some years. What a beautiful Church. Hank