ST. ISIDORE THE FARMER – HEAVENLY PATRON OF THE AMERICAN FARMER AND FARMING COMMUNITIES: Salem parishioners should have noticed by now the new shrine to St. Isidore in the rear of St. Mary Church, on the Epistle Side. The statue was obtained for the parish from Spain by the Carmelites nuns in Alexandria (St. Isidore the Farmer is also Patron Saint of Madrid).
This weekend you will also notice the grotto Shrine to St. Isidore on the ea
st side of the church. This grotto was made in 1957 by deceased parishioner Wilfred E. Schulte (October 15, 1924-July 16, 2002), and donated to the parish by Jerry & Karla Blindert. After Jerry carefully dug up the grotto and moved it to the parish (it was very heavy!), Chad Krempges transported it over to his shop, cleaned it and repainted it to brand new appearance. Now…on the right side of the base of the grotto there was a large capped pipe sticking out, and I (Fr. L..) asked Chad to cut it off.
Inside the pipe was a time capsule from 1959! WOW! Inside the plastic bottle were two holy medals (one of St. Michael and a “four-way” medal of St. Christopher, etc.), a wheat 1959 penny, and a hand-written “History” from Wilfred himself (in beautiful penmanship), dated May 24, 1959(coincidentally, the Feast of Our Lady, Help of Christians, Patroness of the Salem Church). Special thanks to Jerry & Karla Blindert for donating and transporting the Shrine, to Joe VanHout (who organized the whole project), to Chad Krempges (for cleaning and painting the Shrine), to Bill Eichacker (who helped Chad & Joe move the Shrine to the parish and painstakingly place it in its new location, to Jim McCormick for painting the statue and adding the gold halo, and to the late Wilfred E. Schulte for being such a fine Catholic gentleman and farmer. May he rest in heavenly peace!
It was February, 1945 that I moved to this farm with my parents and 2 sisters, Wilma & Dorothy. The building was in bad shape and the land was infested with cockle burrs, sunflowers & jennys. We got the farm buildings wired and connected to the REA line in Sept., 1950. In 1954 we saw water run out of the hydrants & faucets for the first time. This shrine was erected in 1957. I was the architect; my father helped some in building it. On Sunday morning, October 20, 1957, I placed the statue of St. Isidore in the Shrine. We asked Saint Isidore to pray for all our neighbors & friends and all who pass by on the road or enter the driveway. Our present Pastor at St. Mary’s Church in Salem is Rev. Father Patrick Conway; the assistant priest is Rev. Father Robert Grabowski. This history was written by Wilfred Schulte on May 24, 1959.
location of time capsule
It was February, 1945 that I moved to this farm with my parents and 2 sisters, Wilma & Dorothy. The building was in bad shape and the land was infested with cockle burrs, sunflowers & jennys. We got the farm buildings wired and connected to the REA line in Sept., 1950. In 1954 we saw water run out of the hydrants & faucets for the first time. This shrine was erected in 1957. I was the architect; my father helped some in building it. On Sunday morning, October 20, 1957, I placed the statue of St. Isidore in the Shrine. We asked Saint Isidore to pray for all our neighbors & friends and all who pass by on the road or enter the driveway. Our present Pastor at St. Mary’s Church in Salem is Rev. Father Patrick Conway; the assistant priest is Rev. Father Robert Grabowski. This history was written by Wilfred Schulte on May 24, 1959.
location of time capsule