Parish With A Rich Heritage
Final Chapter"

May 31, 2003

The final closing for the parish was held with a final Mass at St Bonaventure.

The finality of a million memories from birth to marriage to death was silenced with the final blessing of the Mass and the final singing of "Holy God, We Praise Thy Name"..

Father Jacob Menchen's OFM dream of a new church in 1869 has now come to an end. All these years, his dream flourished and was fullfilled for over 100 years, and now has come to an end.

The place where thousands of Masses were offered to Our Lord will forever be silent.

Following the mass everyone migrated to the school auditorium, where reunions were held by individuals, food was served and dancing was enjoyed by everyone.

As usual, St. Bonaventure did it in style and went out in style.

But the parish still lives within all of us and that can never be shut down or  closed up.

The memories will linger and the friendships and acquaintances will remain and the parish still remains alive.

Please take a look at all the photos of the evening and of the Mass.

Farewell to Saint Bonnies
by Margie Goldrainer
June, 2003

A wooden door now closes
Only empty pews remain.
And as I stand outside it,
my heart is filled with pain.

Countless prayerful hours,
spent within this place,
an investment toward a journey
to someday see His face.

As I turn to walk away,
there appears a peaceful bird.
And through my tears, I clearly see
The Way, The Truth, The Word.

A church is not a building,
but rather, it's the people.
It's not the stained glass windows,
the statues or the steeple.

A community of love and faith
that unite as one, a parish.
The fellowship of family,
the memories that we cherish.

A wedding day, a funeral mass,
a hundred celebrations,
the altar and the choir loft,
and following the stations.

A smile forms upon my face
as the church bells ring for Thee.
The church lives on outside the walls.
It lives inside of me!