The journey down the country from New York City to Florida is fascinating. At this time of year you feel the gentle transition from the cold and rain as the weather changes to pleasant mild breezes. Jackets and sweaters are shed rest stop after rest stop. The trees begin to shift from oaks to pines to palms. The water begins to taste more brackish and the angle of the sun is more severe than in the north.
A route that is almost directly South, the travel exposes one to a most certain diversity that is experienced across the country. I am heading to Florida to visit my brother Chuck, whom I have not seen for almost two years.
I have changed a great deal since then and he has seen the face of war. More will be discussed about Chuck tomorrow. I figured that I would stop somewhere in South Carolina and go to Mass in the morning.
I have had a very powerful two weeks, filled with spiritual enlightenment, great liturgies, and great churches. I wanted to find a place that was simple, easy, ordinary. I found a church that on the map looked ideal. A mile off the highway and boasting of a parish base of 73 households. Absolutely simple, small and ordinary.
Only there was one problem. When I put the address into the GPS system, the address didn’t show up. I couldn’t track this place on the earth. It made me think… Technology is great. Part of my thesis in this project is finding the spirituality that the Internet and Globalization have provided to us. I could put the address in the system, but it wasn’t until I stopped at a gas station and asked the very nice Indian man working in the convenience store that I was able to find the church.
On day 14, I find out something very interesting. As wonderful as technology is, technology cannot help you find God… but the nice Indian man in the convenience store can. Good to know. If you have Google Earth loaded on you computer, you can view my pictorial by clicking here. St. Anthony is in Ridgeland South Caroline. It is a small town and serves a lot of people who are traveling from the north down to Florida, just like me.
One wonders sometimes, “Why are churches put where they are?” St. Anthony’s has a very specific reason. There was a faithful Catholic from New York who often visited Florida. His name was John Martens One time he petitioned the bishop of Charleston to build a church around Ridgeland so that he could go to Mass on his stopover on the way to Florida. The bishop noted that there were five Catholics in the county and could not justify building a church there. The man said “I’ll give you the money to build the church if you put a priest there.” They agreed to the deal, and so the Church was built.
The church is very simple. There is a fantastic stained glass window in the sanctuary which details the history of sacrifice from Able through Abraham through Jesus. The walls are not supported by the marble pillars I have seen the last few days, but by painted cinder block. There is no live music, but recordings played through speakers.
There is no pretense. It is a community of its own that also welcomes travelers and passersby as they come from and go to the coast. So even in my attempts to be simple, there are amazing connections being made by the simple action of going to Mass. I attended a Mass of a church built by and for travelers. But then again, aren’t we all travelers?