By St. Benedict Cathedral School Students
Special to The Message
St. Ben's students were asked a few questions about the cathedral and its renovations. The Message thanks students for taking the time to share their thoughts.
What is your favorite thing about the cathedral?
Kindergarten
“My favorite thing is the tile. It kind of holds the top of the church up.” By Josie Lyon
“I like the books. They help you listen to sing.” By Etta Frounfelter
“I like the altar because it’s pretty and Jesus is bigger than I expected.” By Charlotte Ford
“I like the pews because they are cold.” By Addi Hildebrandt
“The stars on the ceiling are very pretty.” By Reed Elpers
“The sun is bright and looks pretty.” By Soleil Waggoner
“I like the new Jesus statue that is by the altar.” By Sarah McMinn
“The ‘boss’s chair’ is tall and pretty.” By Rose Grant
First Grade
“I like the floors. I like the Mary on the side and I like the Joseph, and I like the Jesus.” By Fiona
“I like the new chairs that are on the top part of the place that the priests stand on.” By Madeline
“I like the ceiling. I think it has lots of colors. I like the pews. They are beautiful.” By Grant
“I like the stained glass on the church.” By Kate
“My favorite things in the cathedral are the dome, the colors on the ceiling and the statue of Jesus.” By Cooper Sills
“My favorite things in the cathedral are singing, songbooks and candles.” By Ruthie Quade
“My favorite things in the cathedral are statues, candles and the books. I like the songs and ceiling.” By Kora Lauer
“My favorite things in the cathedral are the candles, songbooks and writing on the ceiling.” By Lainey Stute
“My favorite things in the cathedral are the stained glass windows, candles and statue of Mary.” By Juliann Effinger
“My favorite things in the cathedral are candles, cathedral dome and the stained glass windows.” By Ashley O’Daniel
Second Grade
“My favorite part of the renovated cathedral is the column because I like the design and texture of it. It looks like extraordinary orbs and represents pearls in some way.” By Cameron Nagle
“I think the choir loft is cool because it is so high up you can see the whole church from it, so you can get a good view.” By Caleb McMinn
“My favorite part of the renovated cathedral is the column. It is extraordinary. It has marbles in them. It has a nun on the side.” By Isaac Harris
“My favorite part of the renovated cathedral is the marble and the stained glass windows. The reason I like the marble is because Father Godfrey told me that in 1928 when they were transferring the marble to the church from Italy, it cracked. I like the stained glass windows because they are very colorful.” By Emme Frounfelter
“I like the altar. It has a cross in the middle. It also has a dome.” By Henslie
“I like the dome and the stars. I like it because I think I like it a little better than last year’s. There is blue on the background and gold on the stars.” By Hank
“I like the stained glass windows.” By Josie
“I like the ceiling because I like the colors, and I think it is cool. I think it is pretty, too.” By Michael
“I like how it’s white because it feels like the angels are flying at the top of the building.” By Jaide
“I like the bishop’s chair. I like it because it looks cool. It also is red. I like the color red.” By Hurley
Third Grade (some worked in groups)
“St. Benedict Cathedral Church is beautiful in many ways. We love the stained glass, statues and marble that represents the legacy of Jesus. We celebrate by Father Godfrey teaching us about Jesus and our ways to get to Heaven. The cathedral is peaceful, holy and luminous. The stars in the dome remind us of Heaven. That is why we love our cathedral.” By Griffin Hamilton, Lila Goebel, Brian Zehner, A.J. Laudonio, Jack Graber and Reagan Shaw
“St. Benedict Cathedral is a good place to pray. We like going to church because we receive the body and blood of Jesus with our Mass buddies. The stained glass has paint in them and are very colorful. It is quiet and peaceful on Sundays to pray. Mrs. Korba sings beautifully, and the songs are joyful. We thank Father Godfrey for leading us to Heaven.” By Ashlyn Sills, Mallory Chandler, Phoebbe Gander, Ethan Fritcshle, Caroline Hope and Marshall Schmidt
“The cathedral is welcoming for praise and to love Jesus. When you walk in you see holy water, stained glass windows and statues of Mary and Joseph. We like to learn about the readings, we like to listen to and sing the songs, and receive the sacraments. We love how Father Godfrey helps us learn about Jesus.” By Lola Purcell, Townes Wooton and Vincent Villines
“We like to celebrate God in our cathedral because there are many holy things to look at. The marble and gold paint are very pretty. The stained glass is detailed about the saints, and the statues remind us that Jesus is always by our side. We pray to God for our faith, forgiveness and to be kind to our friends and family. St. Ben’s Cathedral is a place to worship and learn more about God.” By Vika Manion, Sophia Johnson, Tally Carlino, Feliks Lauer, Gracie Tucker and Michael Briddell
“St. Ben’s Cathedral reminds me about Jesus and how he sacrificed himself for our everlasting life in Heaven. The cathedral is holy, faithful and royal like Jesus is in our hearts. We get baptized in the church, and we eat the bread and drink in our cathedral. We pray to God and sing to him, too. If we sin or do something bad, he will still forgive us … Father, God’s Son and the Holy Spirit. Even the smallest baby, Jesus praises everyone. We thank God our Father, who watches over us. Amen.” By Hunter Happe
“I like celebrating God in the cathedral by praying right when I get there so I can be even closer to God. I like going because it’s always so quiet and peaceful. Did you know that St. Benedict Cathedral gives (money) to St. Vincent de Paul? It is nice to make people smile. You go to church to learn and to love Jesus. We also have a great priest and leader in the Psalms. The priest is Father Godfrey. He teaches us to praise and love Jesus. Our music teacher has a beautiful voice. She is amazing at singing the Psalms. Almost all grades get a chance to sing with her. I love that they kept the same stained glass. It is beautiful. I think that you should always go to St. Benedict Cathedral!” By Lilly Graber
What is Mass in the cathedral like?
Fourth Grade
“Mass in our cathedral is magnificent with all of the renovations finished. The old colors were dull and boring. Now that they painted the blue, gold and white, all the colors are unique and look very artistic. The ceiling is amazingly unique, too. There are phrases on the ceiling that tell you to follow God and Jesus. The readers and canters are loud and clear, and you can hear Mrs. Korba’s beautiful voice throughout the church. Also, Mr. Korba’s amazing piano playing is loud and clear. It is very bright from the new lights and the stained glass windows. Before the renovations, Mass was amazing, but now it is magnificent!” By Walt Collins
“I love my church because it’s beautiful. It is very nice and a great place to give thanks to God. You can also sign up for choir. Our music teacher, Mrs. Korba, usually leads the songs, and she is really talented and kind. I love hearing her sing at church. She is amazing at piano, singing and keeping everything under control. She is a real musician. The bishop also comes to church sometimes. He comes on special occasions or even in general. I think this church is a gorgeous place to give thanks to God. Father Godfrey, our priest, does a terrific job. He is funny and knows a lot about God. He is an amazing leader. So many teachers and kids interact with each other. I love our church!” By Clara Ann Brinkmeyer
“Mass in the cathedral is calming and peaceful. Also, we learn new things about God and how things were back then. It has detailed windows, beautiful stone floors and very tall chairs for the bishop! It has loud speakers, and it is huge so it can fit 430 people! Our church is amazing.” By Hadle Darke-Schreiber
“Mass at the cathedral is very holy. I love looking all around the church. It is gorgeous. The verses on the ceiling are fascinating. There is a statue of Joseph holding baby Jesus. I love Mass at the cathedral. It is amazing.” By Addelyn Wilhite
“Have you seen the cathedral yet? The colorful walls, roof and designs in the church make it look beautiful. When I go in for Mass I feel so calm and relaxed. The church is so gigantic and they renovated everything. I love the new look of the church!” By Beck Riley
“What do you think of the cathedral? I think it is gorgeous because Mass is joyful. It is colorful, not dull. It’s a little weird because the outside is the same, but the inside is super different than before. The new bishop’s chair is really tall. I really like the new pews. Mass is really nice to go to.” By MacKenzie Dozier
“I have always loved to go to church nut now I love it even more. After the renovations the church has looked better than ever. The statues, lights, ceiling and pews are outstanding! My favorite part is the front with stars. Also there is Mary, baby Jesus and a Joseph statue at the front of the cathedral. Now since the church is done I never want to miss another Mass ever.” By Chase Johnson
“Have you ever been to St. Ben’s Cathedral Church? It is stunning. It has the most dazzling lights you would ever see. All around the church it has stained glass windows. Above the dome there are stars on the ceiling. It looks like outer space. There are statues of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. I love going to Mass at St. Ben’s Cathedral Church.” By Wade Barrett
Fifth Grade
“St. Benedict Cathedral is a sacred place where we gather to learn about God. We receive communion which is the body of Christ. It is a privilege for our community to have St. Benedict Cathedral Church. Our church is a very special place to pray. We love our church and are excited to have a fresh and new church in the inside.” By Ella Elpers
“My family has been going to St. Ben’s Cathedral School for a long time. We love the new church as much as the old church. The things I love about our church is I feel like I am special or that the people here are spectacular and are really nice. Everybody treats everybody like St. Ben’s family. Another thing that I like about the cathedral is Father Godfrey; he is really fun and he encourages the parish to raise their lives up to Jesus. We all are a CHRISTIAN family.” By Maggie Goedde
“St. Benedict Cathedral is a very privileged parish. It has many different people who attend the church. Yet all are united by their Christianity. Mass at St. Ben’s is understandable for almost all ages. People can participate at Mass in many different ways. Some include reading or cantoring at Mass. I am very proud to go to St. Benedict Cathedral Church.” By Madeline Nagle
“Mass, to me, is like home every time I look at it I feel like I’m at home. As soon as I get there I kneel and thank God. I pray for loved ones and know ones that have died are my guardian angels. Whenever I look at the church I think of family.” By Cece Miller
Sixth Grade
“The cathedral means a lot to me. It has always been a place of prayer and calmness. My favorite part of the renovation is the tile. It is so pretty. It makes the cathedral feel so much bigger. When I walk into the cathedral there is always something going on. Either I am serving on Saturday and the rosary is going on or any other day before or after Mass there are people praying. One word to sum up the cathedral’s new renovation would be beautiful.” By Cate Barron
“I like the cathedral because during school my classmates and I can go to Mass because it is really close. I love the new cathedral’s seats they put in and the new book holders because the other ones were old and broken. During the renovation I still went to Mass and was excited every time I came to church because there was always a new surprise waiting for me. I hope the church stays forever because I love serving and I hope people in the future will be able to serve, too. I love the church and hope you love it, too.” By Cypress Wooton
“The cathedral symbolizes our faith and love for God. With the new renovation, we have welcomed God with all our hearts. Every time I walk in I feel an amazing welcoming feeling myself. When I pray in the new cathedral I feel connected to God. God is with us in the cathedral.” By Grayson Koch
“The cathedral means a lot to me because it is the place where my family and I gather to pray. I especially love the stained glass windows because they tell me about the history of our world and Jesus Christ. This church is very peaceful and filled with the goodness of God. I will always have a connection to the cathedral because it is where I was baptized and received my first Holy Communion. This church is my home and will forever be a part of me.” By Josie Hartmann
Seventh Grade
“The cathedral is a place where many different people come together to praise God. However, what makes the cathedral special is not the building itself, but the people who go there. Without the parish, the cathedral would just be a large, empty shell, but the parish instead makes it a place of love and worship. Because of all of the loving and forgiving people at the cathedral it is a place where people go to be loved and forgiven. The cathedral is more than just a building, it is a community.” By Benjamin Honnigford
“The cathedral has always been a part of my life. It was there when I first started going to St. Ben’s, when I made my First Communion, and still here now in seventh grade. I like certain parts of the renovation and others not so much, but overall it makes the church look beautiful! I also get to go to church every week with my first-grade Mass buddy, this way I can learn more about God and help my Mass buddy learn more about God. This church means so much to me and my family.” By Adelynn Hamilton
“The cathedral at St. Ben’s means a lot to me and the people in my community. We use the cathedral in so many ways. For starters, the parish at St. Benedict Cathedral School is a family. We all gather together every Saturday and Sunday to give thanks and pray to God. The cathedral is an amazing place to worship. The cross is a great example because it helps me realize what Jesus did for us. Jesus’s expression on the cross shows us how much he cares for us and how he will do anything for us. The cathedral is also where I make all of my Sacraments. Still to this day I remember my First Communion at St. Benedict Cathedral. It was so beautiful with God’s presence and with all my family and friends. I can’t wait to worship at the cathedral now and when I’m older.” By Emmi Feldhaus
“The cathedral is a place where I can listen and pray to God. As the church was being renovated, the thing I noticed and loved a lot was the painting on the ceiling above the altar. The painting made me think about what heaven is actually like. The stars remind me about all the light in the world. The new renovations help me better understand the life about Jesus. The cathedral is the best place for me to listen to God’s word. As I sit in Mass, I enjoy looking at all the new updates that have been made. The cathedral is now a better and improved place for everyone. It now lets more people understand the word that Jesus is teaching.” By Clara Collins
“I love our new church. The paint is very cool and has great designs. The windows and walls are very aesthetically pleasing. The ceiling has a very inspirational sentence. The pews are so comfortable that I could sleep on them. There are very nice bathrooms with comfortable toilets. There is good service in case you need your phone for an emergency. The cry-room in the back is very large. The people there are very nice and welcoming. I love the cathedral very much because I was baptized there.” By Karter Stratman
Eighth Grade
“The cathedral means a lot to me because we get to have church every week. The cathedral also has a lot of history in its past because it has been here for over 100 years. It is nice having a big church because our whole school can fit and still have plenty of room for visitors. The cathedral also has cool stained glass art inside. The cathedral means a lot to me.” By Sebastian Wilson
“When I think of the St. Ben’s Cathedral I think of many things. The first thing I think of is my kindergarten buddy. Every Mass she sits by me and we have a good time singing. Another thing that catches my eye is the ceiling and the area with stars. I have been at this church for a long time and it is fun to get to see all the new renovations. Seeing all the hard work and time put into the renovations makes me think about how much our community really cares about the church. I can’t wait to graduate in there!” By Reegan Siewert
“For me the cathedral means love. Every time I walk into the church I’m surrounded by family and kindness. Right above the altar you see Jesus hanging on the cross. When you look up there is a statue of him with his arms out. For me this represents him dying for us and rising up into heaven. He shows that he loves us and will always be there for us. Every time I go to church this is what I focus on and it always reminds me of what Jesus did for us so we could experience everlasting life and love with him.” By Greta Diehl
“The cathedral is a special gathering place for all people. I think a cathedral is special because it is so big and full of sculptures and paintings that have so much meaning. A cathedral is unique for me because I get to see and pray with the bishop on special occasions. I have seen St. Benedict Cathedral go from a dark, boring place to pray and worship God to a bright and cheerful way to pray and worship God. The part that I like most about our cathedral is all of the stained glass windows. To me, seeing all of the new mixed with the old shows so much meaning in one building.” By Riley Bader