Recently I had the privilege of attending the 150th anniversary Mass at Holy Redeemer Parish in Perry.
This is a small country parish located about 28 miles from my home in Madison. I especially enjoyed driving through the beautiful countryside to get to Holy Redeemer Church, which is located up a hill in the middle of a farming area. There is no town around this church, just fields of corn and other crops, mixed in with some cows and sheep.
Historic church
Holy Redeemer Church was built in 1916 on the site of the first church erected in 1861. The church today is lovingly cared for by its parishioners. The stained glass windows sparkle and the beautiful Stations of the Cross tell the story of each part of Our Lord’s passion and death in detailed sculptures.
It was obvious that this parish — like so many in the Diocese of Madison — has a very strong faith life among its people. The church was packed for the anniversary Mass and an overflow crowd filled the basement and an outdoor tent.
It was pretty warm inside the church with no air-conditioning, but the people participated with energy and joy. They sang every verse of the songs and prayed enthusiastically throughout the Mass.
Passing on the faith
I sat next to an older gentleman with whom I talked after Mass. His name is Jerome Hamus and he traveled from Marshfield to attend the celebration.
Although not a member of Holy Redeemer Parish now, he said his ancestors are buried in the parish cemetery. They include his grandmother, Odelia Haag, and his great-grandparents. “Our faith has been handed down from one generation to the other,” he said proudly.
Descendants of the original Haag, Post, Goebel, and Keller families — and many others — still worship at Holy Redeemer Parish. They have kept the faith strong and — God willing — will continue to pass it on to future generations.