St Henry High School - Trojan Yearbook (Charleston, MO)

Page 33 text:

OUR PRIDE AND JOY The renovation of our parish church has taken much plannlng, work, and sacrifice But as every one will agree, it was more than justified in the result The renovation has brought to light some facts about the old altar which are most interesting The old altar was originally in the temporary church at St Henry parish in St Louis It is this fact that holds a personal aspect for our pastor, Father Schmitt, because St Henry's parish in St Louis is that parish in which Father Schmitt was born and lived Although Father himself had no personal contact with the altar, two of his brothers and two of his sisters were married before it A former pastor of our parish, Father Petri, brought the altar down from St Louis between the years of 1910 1912 The old altar did not originally have the large cruci fixion group on top This was added by Father Petri, himself one The old altar was only a wooden superstructure The real altar the consecrated altar stone, just sixteen by twelve inches small,wh1ch inserted into the wooden table of the old altar These stones are in ality portable altars WHS WHS Our new altar is a fixed altar which was consecrated in April of this Year It is constructed according to the requirements of the Church law for fixed altars The table itself, eight by three and one third feet, is of one piece It is permanently fixed to the marble supports, which, 1 turn, are resting on supports built up from the ground when the altar has been consecrated, it will be a symbol of Christ of whom the Sacred Scrlp tures say, NHe is the stone which the builders the Head of the corner W In the Holy Sacrifice Calvary, Christ Jesus is the Altar, the Victim, the Priest We, the students, would like to take this rejected, but which became of the Mass, as well as on opportunity to thank Father Schmitt for his zeal and planning in the renovation We know he ls proud of the church as we are proud of both him and the church Our deepest thanks, Father 1 l There ls quite a bit of difference between our old altar and the new J . . n