Just a gal from Glidden: Symbols of continuity between generations
BY KATE WINQUIST
kate@yoursouthwest.com
Nothing improves my emotional and mental health better than a drive in the country. When I am on my adventures with my camera in tow, nothing excites me more than coming across an old country church for the first time.
Now, I have never really considered myself a religious person. Yes, I believe in God, but I’m one of those that call myself more spiritual than religious. Country churches give me a sense of peace and purpose. It allows me to spend time with nature, contemplating life as it were.
As you know, I have spent most of the past twenty-eight years in southwest Saskatchewan, and I was lucky enough to visit more than a few of these old country churches. St. Anthony’s Roman Catholic Church, also known as Illerbrun Church is located between Gull Lake and Shaunavon in the Rural Municipality of Bone Creek and was built in 1915. The White Valley Lutheran Church was founded in 1911 by Norwegian settlers, with the church being built in 1928. It sits on the open prairie, close to the communities of Frontier and Eastend. Billimun Church (St. Martin’s Roman Catholic Church) is 13 kilometres northwest of the Village of Mankota. This architectural landmark is visible for many miles with its distinguished tall steeple. It sits prominently on an elevated, isolated site.
The most impressive of the country churches, in my opinion, is a little closer to home. Ten miles (16 km) south and another four miles (6.4 km) east of the Town of Leader in the RM of Happyland sits Blumenfeld Roman Catholic Church. It was built as a tribute to the early German settlers in the area in 1915.
Along with the church, the four-hectare parcel of land set apart by hedgerows from the surrounding fields includes a clapboard prayer house, cemetery, memorial cairn, fieldstone shrine and an open-air Stations of the Cross. Located on a prominent ridge, Blumenfeld Church has a commanding presence on the local landscape.
Although the church hasn’t been used for regular services since 1962, it is still used for special occasions such as weddings, funerals and community gatherings. Hundreds of people make an annual pilgrimage to the historic church every June. Unfortunately, due to COVID restrictions, the pilgrimage did not take place this year.
The church and grotto were designated as a provincial heritage site in 1983.
When my daughter Jaidyn and I stopped back in May, we had the entire property to ourselves. I had been to the site once before, so I knew what to expect, but the look on Jaidyn’s face when we drove down Blumenfeld Road to Saints Peter and Paul Church was priceless. Jaidyn considers herself an old soul, so she appreciated my brief history lesson and the walk around the grounds.
Jaidyn found an owl feather near the Stations of the Cross. I told her that an owl feather symbolizes trust, honour, and freedom and that some people believe that a feather is a sign from God. We both agreed that we should come back and attend a pilgrimage, perhaps in search of life’s deeper meaning.
Blumenfeld is regarded as an important symbol of continuity between generations and as a memorial to the district’s early settlers. On this day, I believe it brought two generations a little closer together.
