The Institute of Christ the King, Sovereign Priest, has been invited by Bishop Edward Braxton of the Belleville Diocese (just across the river from St. Louis in Illinois) to administer the Traditional Latin Mass Community at Holy Family Parish Log Church in Cahokia.
The Holy Family Parish Log Church in Cahokia, Illinois is the oldest continuously sited church in the state of Illinois. The Holy Family Parish is the second oldest Catholic Parish in the state being established in May of 1699 when the French priest Father Jean St. Cosme and two workmen erected a missionary cross, a chapel and a log rectory. The original log church built by Father St. Cosme was destroyed by a fire in the 1730's and the subsequent church was also destroyed by fire in 1783. Only a bell suspended from a tree in the churchyard, a missal printed in 1683, a monstrance made in 1717, a chalice, and a paten were saved from the 1783 fire. Pope John Paul II used the chalice in his Mass when he visited St. Louis in 1999.
Construction on the present church, with a capacity of over 100 people, was begun shortly afterward but it was not until 1799 that the Church was dedicated. The church's construction is typical of the French Creole architecture of the era. Built in the poteaux-sur-solle (post-on-sill) manner, a vertical log style that uses hewn walnut logs placed upright on a horizontal base. The roof timbers are oak, and the roof itself is made of cypress clapboards covered by sycamore and the church is held together entirely with wooden pegs instead of nails. In l949, Father Joseph Mueller "rediscovered" the old log church that had been covered over with white clapboarding and the Log Church was restored in time for the parish’s 250th anniversary. An old cemetery that contains the graves of many of the parish’s priests and the locally prominent Jarrot family is located behind the church.
This is a very pretty church-- Rome of the West has photos here.
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7 comments:
That's wonderful news. Now if only we could have a Latin Mass in Madison County...
Timman,
Does this mean that the log church will be a parish with weekday masses also? Is Fr. Avis just going there on Sundays?
I always wondered what the church looked like. I am definitely going to go there with our family one time because it is so unique and pretty!
Just Sundays, as far as I can tell-- just a continuation of the current arrangement, but under "new management" by the Institute. Of course, that doesn't speak to future plans, just the short term.
Thanks for the information. I am an occasional attendee. [Obligated to attend sappy-clappy parish since we expect to send kids there; I don't dare bring my busy boys to this Mass. Maybe when they're over 8 and settled down a bit.] Novus Ordo at Holy Family/Sacred Heart (in Dupo) are good as well. Priest prays the Roman Canon.
I guess there are worries about Fr. Keefe's health that may have precipitated this change.
So, far the old form is just on Sundays. But they have taken advantage of the MP and held Mass on Christmas and some other HDOs, from what I recal. It is a nice group of people. It's a humble little Mass. I'll be curious as to how the conduct of the Mass may change---if it gets more elaborate and so on. High Mass is 2nd and 4th Sundays. Benediction follows low-mass. That's been the current form.
Peggy, thanks for the information. From the pictures, it looks absolutely charming. You will love the Institute priests.
I wonder if this arrangement wasn't prompted by the realization that if the Latin Mass were not continued for the future, given Summorum Pontificum, that St. Francis is a very short drive, all things considered, and thus the parishioners may have voted with their feet, so to speak. In any event, a good development.
Tinman,
Oh, yes! I am so glad that the bishop and the Institute could come together to preserve this Mass for the people of the diocese. Yes, I also am sure that the parishioners did their part, probably with the help of their current priest, to locate priests who could help. The Institute was a sensible place to start. [I keep wondering when our progressive diocesan paper will do a write-up on this community. Never.]
I understand that Fr. Myler, who is currently rector of St Peter's Cathedral--a good, orthodox priest--is responsible for obtaining the indult for this Mass some years ago. For all I know, he may have also been instrumental in ensuring that this Mass continues.
This is WONDERFUL NEWS! The faithful at Holy Family will be so blessed. They have no idea what they have been missing with NOT having the Institute there. Yes, the Extraordinary Form of the Mass is perfect by its self, but the Institute is like iceing on the cake. God Bless the "Log Church" and all who assist at Mass there.
Why can't the Institute be in all 50 states?
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