Okay, sure, it's not quite as exciting as Paris, France, but it's a start, right?!
The Gold Team for Totus Tuus 2011 Springfield just arrived yesterday at our new digs in Paris, IL, still located in the very eastern part of our fine diocese/state. Paris is a town of about 9,100 and was founded in 1823 (I think that's what I read on the sign on the way into town?). This week, the three other missionaries and I will be serving the parishes of St. Mary (pictured below) and St. Aloysius (which is a smaller, rural parish nearby).
If you can't tell from the pictures, the architecture of the Church is astounding and fairly unique to our diocese (at least what I've seen of it). St. Aloysius was similarly beautiful, albeit in a less sweeping way. St. Al's is apparently (from what Father told us in the car ride over to Mass at 7 am this morning) the oldest running parish in the diocese, having its start in a log cabin built in 1817 as a part of some diocese in Kentucky. They're located only about 5 miles from the border to Indiana and we actually crossed the road which marks the border between the old United States and Indian Territory. A nice little piece of history for this morning!
After a long day of playing on a jet ski, swimming, and cooking out (with the girls' host family) at Twin Lakes, we settled down for the evening program, preceded by a performance from a band consisting of four of the kids who were coming to the program. The parish provided pizza and they provided the music...a nice way to get the kids to come out and participate! It must have worked, as 27 people ended up being our final tally for the night program (only about half that were previously registered I think...). Praise God! I'm feeling good things coming out of this parish!
Mary, Mother of God and St. Aloysius, Pray for us!!
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