Most Holy Trinity: Augusta

I was able to visit Most Holy Trinity today. I live in Augusta and have taken this church for granted! It is absolutely exquisite.  Holy Trinity is the oldest surviving Catholic Church building in our diocese. Consecrated in April of 1863, the original parish community actually came together in 1810.  This fledgling community built and outgrew their original church in 29 years and began plans for a church that would be worthy of the great city of Augusta. 

Holy Trinity would have been completed sooner but its construction was complicated not only by the yellow fever epidemic of 1854 but also the Civil War (the Yankees set up a blockade that prevented artist and building supplies from being delivered).  Never the less, this fearless group of Catholics continued on. They housed victims and orphans of the yellow fever epidemic in their rectory and church buildings, and donated their own precious time and skills for the building of this treasure (now that’s stewardship for you!) Can you imagine coming home from work in the summer, in Georgia, and then heading back out to the local construction site?

Beautiful interior 

Dang. That is dedication! Speaking of dedication, this is the word that comes to me as I visited the parish.

I sat in the very back pew of Holy trinity yesterday and as the first reading was proclaimed the verse “through it you are also being saved,” caused me to pause and reflect. Of course St. Paul is referring to the message of the gospel but I couldn’t help but to think about how this actual building has played a role in perhaps thousands of people working out their salvation. It takes dedication to work out your salvation! 
I thought of those brother and sister Catholics in the sweltering summer of 1860 helping to build their church, the

innumerable dollars that have been donated to build and maintain such a treasure, the priest who have come and gone, parishioners learning a very new way of doing things after the second Vatican council, and even segregation and the social unrest of decades past, through all these things Holy trinity has stood with dedicated people for the glory of God. They are fiercely dedicated to the building, dedicated to the priest, dedicated maintain the beauty of the liturgy, and dedicated to working their salvation out with each other. Lots to learn from Holy Trinity!  

Sacred Heart: Warner Robins

Most sacred heart of Jesus, we trust in you!

 Warner Robins has a secret! Actually, it’s highly likely that Warner Robins has lots of secrets and some of them could probably be classified as “top secret,” due to the Robins AFB. But the secret I was so impressed with is a beautiful catholic church by the name of Sacred Heart.  The new church is absolutely breathtaking and although fairly newly built (comparatively speaking) there is a history that follows. While standing outside of the church, our host, Fr. Matthew Erickson, pointed out “the old church,” and the “old old church”.  What a beautiful testament to the growth of our church in middle Georgia!  The “old old church” was built in1945. The “old church” was built in 1962, and the new (current) church was finished in 2007.  I’m told that the first mass here was said over an altar created out of stacked Coke crates and wooden boards. Standing in the sanctuary of the new church with its beautiful stain glass, cool marble, and clean wooden lines, it’s hard to believe those humble beginnings.

One word that can describe this parish is “growth.” I think there is far more to be learned From Sacred Heart but after building three churches, a school, two rectories, and a convent, we can be sure that they know a little something about growth.  

 "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time." 1 Peter 5:6.

 For me, I've learned from Sacred Heart the beauty of a humble heart, which, with God’s remarkable right hand, grows and transforms Coke crates into imported African marble.

Baptismal font in the sanctuary