Big Days Approach For St. Peter, Montgomery
Mark July 15 on your calendar, and July 18 and 22. St. Peter Parish in Montgomery is turning 200, and there’s a major celebration in the works.
History fascinates me. God has blessed me to be close to some places with significant places in the historical record. Some of them are part of our 12-county Catholic community, and St. Peter in Montgomery is one.
Regular readers of this space know that I grew up in western Pennsylvania – Fayette County, to be precise. It is home to Fort Necessity, now a national battlefield. There, George Washington suffered his only military surrender during the French and Indian War. Visiting the fort ignited a lifelong passion for history, and the past five years in Evansville have only fanned those flames.
St. Francis Xavier in Vincennes is the oldest parish in Indiana, and St. Peter in Montgomery is second. Our Minor Basilica of St. Francis Xavier is the oldest church in the state, and St. Peter Church in Montgomery is the second oldest. The historical record tells us that the first St. Peter Church had a “footprint” of “a scant 16 x 20 feet.”
The current church, which will host Masses and an organ concert during the bicentennial week, dates to 1865, when the cornerstone was laid. It is the fifth church building in parish history and remains a gem among our diocesan worship sites.
A quick aside – I believe many, if not all, reading these words are aware of the myriad of beautiful churches across our 12 counties. Some are majestic in their simplicity. Others are stunning in their architecture. All are more-than-fitting places to worship God and give thanks for all he has done – and continues to do – for us.
Take note that the organ concert will be held on July 18, which is the 149th anniversary of the dedication of the current St. Peter Church.
You simply must make a point of attending Mass at St. Peter on July 15 or July 22 or the organ concert on July 18.
Not even two weeks ago, I drove up to Celestine on a gorgeous early-Summer Sunday for the 175th anniversary of the town and its Catholic community. Mass in St. Celestine Church was wonderful, with Bishop Siegel and priests from Dubois and surrounding counties concelebrating. Joy filled the church that morning; I know the feeling will be the same in Montgomery beginning on July 15.
Visiting the Daviess County church also will give you a chance to visit the spectacular “Garden of Sorrow and Joy” that is adjacent to St. Peter Church. The Message has carried stories and photos about the garden, but words and pictures cannot capture the feeling one gets in that holy place.
I believe it is appropriate to call the 12 counties of our diocese “the cradle of Catholicism” for the central and western U.S. Pioneers built this diocese, and their witness inspired many to carry the spirit of God’s goodness from our home to their new homes on the plains, in “Big Sky Country,” and throughout the American West.
Celebrate that heritage with a trip to Montgomery for one of the St. Peter bicentennial events – or more than one. More than anything else – to me, at least – the trip will provide another wonderful opportunity to thank God for all he has provided to our Southwest Indiana Catholic community.
