REFLECTION
BY JIM SCHROEDER
Sacred Heart Church, Evansville
Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Evansville
The bells tolled. The multi-colored panes of saints shone to my left and my right. I had been here what seemed like 1,000 times before; but this time, on our 37th historical visit at the age of 37, she and I had come back to where our life together had officially begun. Four years after our diocese pilgrimage started, that familiar song echoed through the church; as always, the words summoned me, as I sensed its request had for generations in this sacred place:
“Will you come and follow me, if I but call your name? Will you go where you don’t know, and never be the same?”
In celebration of the marriage of Marvin Wilbur Lehman and Elvira Marie Bergwitz, Feb. 14, 1934, at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church.
“Will you let my love be shown, will you let my name by known, will you let my life be grown in you and you in me?”
In observance of the holy baptism of Thomas Darrell Lehman, Jan. 3, 1943, at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church.
“Will you leave yourself behind if I but call your name? Will you care for cruel and kind and never be the same?”
In observance of the holy baptism of Mary Kathryn Kunz, April 1, 1945, at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church.
“Will you risk the hostile stare, Should your life attract or scare? Will you let me answer pray’r in you and you in me?”
In solemn mourning for the death of William John Kunz, Mass of Christian burial on Dec. 7, 1956, at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church.
“Will you let the blinded see if I but call your name? Will you set the pris’ners free and never be the same?”
In celebration of the marriage of Thomas Darrell Lehman and Mary Kathryn Kunz, Oct. 12, 1963, at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church.
“Will you kiss the leper clean, and do such as this unseen, and admit to what I mean in you and you in me?”
In observance of the holy baptism of Amy Marie Lehman, Jan. 13, 1978, at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church.
“Will you love the ‘you’ you hide if I but call your name? Will you quell the fear inside and never be the same?”
In solemn mourning for the death of Mary Francis Kunz, Mass of Christian burial on March 9, 1985, at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church.
“Will you use the faith you found, to reshape the world around? Through my sight and touch and sound, in you and you in me?”
In solemn mourning for the death of Marvin Wilbur Lehman, Mass of Christian burial on Nov. 12, 1991, at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church.
“Lord, your summons echoes true, when you but call my name. Let me turn and follow you and never be the same.”
In celebration of the marriage of James Francis Schroeder and Amy Marie Lehman July 8, 2000, at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church.
“In your company I’ll go, where your love and footsteps show. Thus I’ll move and live and grow in you and you in me.”
In solemn mourning for the death of Elvira Marie Lehman, Mass of Christian burial on June 16, 2009, at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church.
As the Mass ended, my paternal grandparents slowly made their way to the front to embrace my maternal grandmother, who was visiting with my aunt Mary from Indianapolis. It had been years since they had seen each other; the mutual admiration and respect shown through their sage smiles. Four generations of friends and family posed beneath the altar on the marble stairs that led to the base of that familiar cross. I glanced out. They had been there. They were there. And for a moment, there she was, walking down the aisle towards me in brilliant white as the congregation rose in anticipation….
This reflection is from Jim Schroeder’s book “The Evansville Diocese Historical Tour: Footprints of Our Catholic Brethren.” Jim, his wife, Amy, and their kids live in Evansville. They are parishioners at Holy Redeemer Parish. Jim is a pediatric psychologist and Vice President of the psychology department at Easterseals Rehabilitation Center. “The full story, including illustrations, is available on Amazon or with his other books and articles at www.james-schroeder.com.”