Inspiring Story of Catholics Sacrifice to Get to Mass
Sept 18, 2016 15:23:12 GMT -5
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Post by Pacelli on Sept 18, 2016 15:23:12 GMT -5
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McAdoo parishioners retrace ancestors’ journey to worship
BY RACHEL HOLLY / PUBLISHED: SEPTEMBER 18, 2016
One hundred twenty-five years ago, the faithful in McAdoo had to walk 16 miles in order to worship.
Carrying their Sunday shoes through snow, mud and all kinds of weather, they would listen for the church bells to herald their arrival in Shenandoah each week during the 32-mile round trip.
On Saturday, the faithful of St. Mary’s Ukrainian Catholic Church in McAdoo decided to commemorate the occasion by “literally walking in the footsteps of their ancestors,” a press release states.
“Before our church’s inception, faithful Ukrainians would walk 16 miles to St. Michael’s Ukrainian Church in Shenandoah to worship. As excitement around our significant quasquicentennial anniversary builds, events of historical reverence will be poignantly re-enacted, not just by the able-bodied of our own church, but by anyone who chooses to join us.”
The procession began at 7 a.m. in McAdoo, traversing the hills and valleys between McAdoo and Shenandoah, taking a brief pit stop in Mahanoy City along the route.
“The last time anyone did this was 125 years ago,” organizer and parishioner Connie Postupack said. “We wanted to relive the powerful journey of our ancestors, step by step.”
She and nearly 30 others proceeded all morning, some by car, most by foot. They were led by members of the McAdoo Fire Department to alert motorists of the group’s presence.
“It’s a fantastic turnout,” she added. “Seeing everyone make this walk, it’s been so moving.”
The second pit stop before arriving at the final destination — St. Michael’s in Shenandoah — was the Schuylkill County Historical Fire Society, where Joe Kufro patiently waited for the group.
“We live in such a throwaway society,” Kufro said. “The point of our museum here is to preserve history, and seeing a group like this, especially in today’s world, have such faith, it is worth noting and commending.”
Those in the group were from all ages — as old as their early 60s and as young as 16.
“I wanted to make the journey for the exercise,” Zoryana Duda, 16, of Lehighton said.
Duda, as the youngest member of the walk, is a junior at Marian Catholic High School in Hometown and attends church at St. Mary’s with her parents. “The hardest part was definitely coming up those hills into Shenandoah, that was rough.”
As the church bells of St. Michael’s rang for the group, the general consensus was that the decision to walk was a simple one.
“I wanted to do this as something to teach my children,” Donna Spotts of Frackville said. Four of Spotts’ children were present at the walk on Saturday.
For others, the decision was made simply by the heart.
“I wanted the experience, to literally walk in the path of my husband’s ancestors,” Sherry Postupack of Still Creek said. “I would definitely do this again.”
rholly@standardspeaker.com
McAdoo parishioners retrace ancestors’ journey to worship
BY RACHEL HOLLY / PUBLISHED: SEPTEMBER 18, 2016
One hundred twenty-five years ago, the faithful in McAdoo had to walk 16 miles in order to worship.
Carrying their Sunday shoes through snow, mud and all kinds of weather, they would listen for the church bells to herald their arrival in Shenandoah each week during the 32-mile round trip.
On Saturday, the faithful of St. Mary’s Ukrainian Catholic Church in McAdoo decided to commemorate the occasion by “literally walking in the footsteps of their ancestors,” a press release states.
“Before our church’s inception, faithful Ukrainians would walk 16 miles to St. Michael’s Ukrainian Church in Shenandoah to worship. As excitement around our significant quasquicentennial anniversary builds, events of historical reverence will be poignantly re-enacted, not just by the able-bodied of our own church, but by anyone who chooses to join us.”
The procession began at 7 a.m. in McAdoo, traversing the hills and valleys between McAdoo and Shenandoah, taking a brief pit stop in Mahanoy City along the route.
“The last time anyone did this was 125 years ago,” organizer and parishioner Connie Postupack said. “We wanted to relive the powerful journey of our ancestors, step by step.”
She and nearly 30 others proceeded all morning, some by car, most by foot. They were led by members of the McAdoo Fire Department to alert motorists of the group’s presence.
“It’s a fantastic turnout,” she added. “Seeing everyone make this walk, it’s been so moving.”
The second pit stop before arriving at the final destination — St. Michael’s in Shenandoah — was the Schuylkill County Historical Fire Society, where Joe Kufro patiently waited for the group.
“We live in such a throwaway society,” Kufro said. “The point of our museum here is to preserve history, and seeing a group like this, especially in today’s world, have such faith, it is worth noting and commending.”
Those in the group were from all ages — as old as their early 60s and as young as 16.
“I wanted to make the journey for the exercise,” Zoryana Duda, 16, of Lehighton said.
Duda, as the youngest member of the walk, is a junior at Marian Catholic High School in Hometown and attends church at St. Mary’s with her parents. “The hardest part was definitely coming up those hills into Shenandoah, that was rough.”
As the church bells of St. Michael’s rang for the group, the general consensus was that the decision to walk was a simple one.
“I wanted to do this as something to teach my children,” Donna Spotts of Frackville said. Four of Spotts’ children were present at the walk on Saturday.
For others, the decision was made simply by the heart.
“I wanted the experience, to literally walk in the path of my husband’s ancestors,” Sherry Postupack of Still Creek said. “I would definitely do this again.”
rholly@standardspeaker.com