German Catholicism

The Saint Benedict Parish is located at the corner of 9th street and Ohio. The church was build in 1865 and was originally a catholic church for people of german origin. Today, the building still stands and is accompanied by three other buildings. There is the Parish Office across the street from the church. Then, to the right of the church there stands the house in which the priest lives. Next to the priest house is the German Catholic School. Every weekday from 11 to 12, the school has a soup kitchen for anyone who is hungry and doesn't have the financial assistance to alleviate the problem. I knocked on the door of the Parish Office and informed a woman who was working there that I was interested in the church. Then I requested permission to enter the church. I had assumed that I would be given a brief tour by a church official. Instead, the woman handing my a set of keys and reminded me to lock up when I was done. So, I unlocked one of the three main doors and entered the lobby of the church. On the right side of the lobby, stood a statue. It was a beautiful representation of Mary holding Jesus' wounded body as he lay dying. Then, I went into the main area of the church. A long line of wooden pews to the right and left of me travelled forward toward a pulpit. Above the pulpit, hung a crucifix. At the right and left sides of the room stood confessional booths. The ceiling contained beautiful paintings and gave an incredible spatial relationship to the floor below. At the tops of the walls were several stained-glass windows containing pictures. The light from outside gave live to the colorful windows and even though the inside of the building was dark, one could obtain a small feeling of peace looking up toward such an amazing work of art. The St. Benedict Parish is an incredibly representation of the types of cathedrals that one would find in Europe. I am so glad that Terre Haute has not managed to uphold tradition and demolish this wonderful part of it's history.