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Diocese of New Ulm - March 2002 by Brent Boston One of my first experiences with the Catholic church was attending a weekend church picnic at one of the rural parishes near New Ulm. My wife, Lisa, and I attended several picnics that summer and fall with my in-laws, because from the very first one, I was hooked. Attending a church function with musical entertainment, a beer stand, and a gambling booth was about as foreign to me (having been raised Protestant in the Deep South) as actually walking on a frozen lake in the winter or plugging in your car. I was fascinated by these little parties amidst the cornfields and towering brick steeples. We’d stop first in the rectory garage to pick up jars of pickles, beets, homemade jellies, rhubarb crisps, prune smearkuchen, homemade breads and plants. There would also be quilts, throw rugs and hot pads crafted and sold by the women of the parish. We’d buy chances from raffles and drawings, or play a little poker, pulltabs or bingo. Usually then they’d fold down the door from a trailer to make a stage, and the music would start. Oftentimes it would just be one or two people sitting on metal folding chairs, playing polkas and waltzes on accordions and concertinas. I was mesmerized. We’d have a beer while waiting for our number to be called for dinner, and then we’d file downstairs where it was all-you-can-eat family-style. The food cannot be beat! Plates of ham, roast beef, sausage, fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, corn, peas, carrots, cole slaw, pickles and relish, bread and butter would be passed up and down, constantly filled by the parish kids working the dinner. We always left satisfied and anxiously awaiting the next weekend’s outing. I’ve wondered why this church picnic/festival phenomenon seems to be unique to Catholic churches. I’ve seen carnivals and dinners at other churches, but I think these festival extravaganzas are decidedly different. To be sure, the inclusion of gambling, games and beer is solely Catholic. One thought is the carry-over of the theme of celebration associated with the Eucharist. The magnitude of the ultimate sacrifice, Christ’s real presence and our invitation to this table is certainly worthy of a celebration. I also think Catholics celebrate because of their inherent sense of sin and humility. We’re human and we fail, but fortunate for us, we have the Sacrament of Penance. The act of reconciliation is a joyous event because you know your sins are forgiven. The solemnity and seriousness of Mass perhaps is another reason to "let loose," for lack of a better phrase. I remember the first few Masses that I attended with Lisa before we were married. The overpowering reverence, from the readings to the bearing of gifts, was a striking difference to me. I was used to people milling around with doughnut and coffee, strolling into the sanctuary and visiting and relaxing in the pews before the service started. In contrast, I was now watching Lisa refrain from eating at least an hour before Mass. Upon entering the church, she would cross herself with holy water, genuflect towards the Host and kneel in preparation and prayer. Announcements and church business were conducted only after the Mass had ended. This spring, Lisa and I are reluctantly leaving St. Philip parish in Litchfield. We’re moving back to the Twin Cities because of work, but you can bet that on weekends this summer and fall, we’ll be somewhere out in the New Ulm diocese, playing bingo, carting armloads of preserves to the car and asking for a second helping of the mouth-watering sausage. To everyone that has donated their time and efforts to these parish functions, I say thank you. These extravaganzas are a vital link and positive influence in your community. Most importantly they act as an outstanding witness of your faith. I can testify to that. I was received into the church as a confirmed Catholic the next Easter after my first summer of picnics and festivals. My experience of hospitality at those "little parties on the prairie" played a big role in my decision to become a Catholic. So get your dinner tickets, and we’ll see you in the beer line!
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