Tomorrow is the 150th anniversary of St. Peter’s Church in Mendota, MN.
My family belonged to the parish while I was growing up and I went to its Catholic school from 5th through 8th grade. My mother was a teacher there for many years and is still a member of the church.
This StarTribune article today on the celebration features the current pastor, Kevin Clinton, a guy who was a year ahead of me in the seminary, both Nazareth Hall and St. John Vianney.
I have mostly fond memories of the church and school, even though we had to go to Mass every day, memorize the Catechism, and follow silly rules like no talking at lunch. The nuns (Sisters of the Precious Blood) weren’t the vicious type. And the priests were okay — no evildoers that I know of.
Now that I think about it, I think the small, intimate nature of that school and church community played a part in my getting involved in the launching of Prairie Creek Community School (now a charter school) back in the early 80s when our boys were starting school. The big local public elementary schools were foreign to me, and my wife and I wanted something different for our kids. This influence continues. This year, my daughter is attending the new ArtTech High School here in Northfield, also a charter school and small — about 100 kids.