My lovely companion and I took a stroll around the island this morning, then a detour that took us past Our Lady of Lourdes church. On this Sabbath morning, it seemed appropriate to feature this house of devotion, or at least a couple of its salient features. The steeple is perhaps the most salient, visible from various points in the immediate area, including Nicollet Island. It is one of the various architectural treasures that, taken together, comprise the picturesque charm of the St. Anthony Main area. The oldest church building in Minneapolis, Our Lady of Lourdes has been in continuous use since the mid-19th century.
Here we see the fleur de lys motif ornamenting the bars on the lower windows, as well as crowning the uprights of the fence which encircles the building. I can see parishioners arriving for services near the front of the church, as we slip discreetly around the side. We proceed to the local grocery to stock up on refreshments to accompany Super Bowl viewing later in the day. While not big football fans, we've decided to indulge in this once-a-year ritual, which seems to inspire in the homes of many Americans a religious ferver seldom seen within a traditional house of devotion.I can't say that either the hope of eternal salvation or that of temporal athletic glory inspires much of a fervor in my humble breast, but I hope that--if only on this one day--Providence sees fit to smile on those who have a passion for such things.
Life flows on, in and around us—sometimes with the deafening roar of a packed stadium, other times with the serene yet impassioned reverence found in a house of worship.
D.E.S.
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