Last night St. Michael's Catholic Church celebrated a Remembering Mass for the building at 302 East Magnolia. It was a beautiful moment in our Church's history. I must say, that of all the Masses Fr. Bill has celebrated at St. Michael's, it was by far the most reverent and emotional one. He barely mentioned the beautiful new building on North College, saving that for the dedication. Rather, in the most respectful way he celebrated the memories and the love that grew in St. Michael's on Magnolia.
In the spirit of that respect, reverence, and love, and I would like to share some of my thoughts and memories about the 302 East Magnolia building.
St. Michael's has been my second home for the past twenty-one years of my life. I grew in friendship and faith inside of those interesting brick walls. I fell in love with Jesus there.
I received all my sacraments at St. Michael's on East Magnolia. I was baptized there is 1988 by Fr. Bruce, who con-celebrated the Mass with Fr. Bill last night. In 1995, I received my first Reconciliation and my First Holy Communion at St. Michael's, and in 2001, I was Confirmed there. I always thought that this would be the long aisle I'd walk to be joined with my husband in Holy Matrimony, but, alas, my sacramental journey--God willing--will continue at another St. Michael's.
Still, in an unexpected way, St. Michael's brought much Sacramental joy to me and my family. In 2004, we celebrated a most joyous occasion as my father, in his forty-sixth year, was Confirmed and received his first Holy Communion. (See John 2:19-20).
Let's be real though, St. Michael's is perhaps the most bizarre church I have ever seen. In the shape of a cupcake, with a cross candle on top, St. Michael's is notorious in Auburn. Some architect somewhere thought it would be a good idea to make a red brick interior. Now, what compelled this architect, I have no idea, but, to say the least, St. Michael's has always been a little funny looking.
Last night, as Father Bill was reading some of the parishioners' memories of St. Michael's, he talked about the giant circular white light fixtures on the ceiling. One parishioner mentioned being a child counting the lights on each circle during boring homilies. I wouldn't say that I was bored during homilies, but I remember thinking that at any moment the large center circle would begin to spin and I, along with the rest of the congregation, would be swept up into the heavens.
To be entirely honest, I never thought Saint Michael's was beautiful until I saw these pictures a dear friend took after our Pan y Vino retreat. The building, with it's most precious treasure, is full beautiful in the light of the Eucharistic Presence.
I grew up at St. Michael's. Somehow, through all the Vacation Bible Schools, the CCD/CFF classes, the apologetics classes with Fr. Sofie, the hundreds of Confessions, the ridiculous Junior CYO meetings, the dinners, the Candlelight and Wine serving, the stock shows, the tag sales, the retreats, the Disney movies in the nursery, the talks in the Lower Center, the Adorations in the chapel, the hundreds of daily Masses, Sunday Masses, the fighting, the cantoring, the silliness, the lock-ins, the Sacraments, the Midnight Masses, the Easter Vigils, I grew up.
Thank you, God, for using this building, and the people there to help me to grow up.
St. Michael's Catholic Church on 302 East Magnolia is very dear to me. I am sad to leave. However, I know that what, or rather Who, made her most beautiful, is making the journey with us to our new building, and will lead me the rest of my life.
2 comments:
It's prob weird but, I'm going to miss it too, Ceec. Bible study with Callahan was always an interesting time!
The new church is beautiful(but I know it won't be the same)
I loved yesterday's Mass very much and I have to admit I almost cried (real men DO cry, so I'm not ashamed of admitting it). Though I haven't spent my whole life going to St. Michael's (I've been a parishioner there for roughly a year and a half) I will be eternally grateful for the time I've spent there.
I remember the very first time I walked into that ridiculously looking Church. I had no idea as to what to expect from this new place and all these new people (and the cupcake-look of the temple itself didn't do much to help). Little did I know that seven years later I'd walk in through those same doors (dragging all my earthly possesions along, remember that?), as clueless as to what was going on as the first time. And yet, during those seven years I always yearned to come back and praise God here, and to be able to hang out with the amazing people I met while at Auburn.
Walking into the CYO center brought back so many memories, specially when I saw the drawings Mike Ryan had made of us and all the pictures from the ski and rafting trips. It was so awesome! I also remembered the first time Maria and I went to CYO not even knowing what it was about and just sitting at a table looking totally confused and lost. I remember you sat at our table and just started asking us all sorts of random questions. I thought to myself "Man, these gringos are totally crazy!" And you guys truly are crazy for Christ and for His Church. I thank you for making me crazy about it too!
I've been to many much more beautiful temples than St. Micheal's but they lack that sense of truly being a Church, a community of believers, a family. It was St. Michael's ugliness that taught me that the true beauty of the Church doesn't lie in its temples but in its people. I will totally miss our cupcake!
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