By Kelley Kepler
Catholic Herald

Cable Catholics gather to celebrate parish centennial

CABLE --Anyone who has stepped inside St. Ann Church recently has noticed the interior looks strikingly different than it has in the past. In fact, many guests who returned to Cable for St. Ann's centennial Mass on July 28, and even Bishop Raphael M. Fliss who presided over the Mass, admitted they were anxious to see the new renovations.

As he welcomed those who gathered to observe St. Ann's centennial, Fliss said, "It's beautiful. It really is very well done and I commend everyone ... who participated in making this become a reality. I even like the washroom," he joked.

Helen King, who was visiting St. Ann after being away from the parish for years, said, "I think this celebration today is a huge milestone in the history of this parish. It's something they've been working toward for a number of years."

Fliss also stressed the importance of history and commented on "the power of setting to our celebration." Indeed, just by examining where the worship has taken place, one can see that St. Ann has come a long way in the past 100 years.

It all began in 1902 when six Catholic families in Cable gathered for mass in a private home. Soon that small group of people donated land, materials and labor, and they worked very hard to construct St. Ann's first church --a tiny building

But more important than the setting, of course, is the community of people that gather within it. And the building isn't the only thing that has been revitalized in recent years. According to Parish Council Chairman Jim Hinman, the entire parish seems to have come back to life.

Hinman said the parish community really came together in the process of renovating the church and preparing for the centennial. "We've got a lot more people involved in our parish now, and nobody questions getting involved. There's a genuine input from all the people," he said.

In celebration of the centennial, St. Ann is holding a special activity each month of the jubilee year. For instance, in January the parish had an Epiphany party and distributed holy cards and medals of St. Ann. These cards and medals are available to all parishioners and visitors throughout the year.

On August 24, the parish will have a polka Mass and an outdoor potluck picnic. The picnic is open to the entire Cable community, and all are welcome to attend. Other upcoming activities include an annual ladies tea in September, Octoberfest, a Thanksgiving dinner that is free to the public, and a Christmas party at Lakewoods to close out the jubilee year.

Hinman also credits much of St. Ann's recent success to the efforts of Sr. Virginia Schwartz, who became parish director after Fr. John P. Slowey, the last resident priest, retired seven years ago. "Sr. Virginia has the whole community going in the same direction, and she's very visible in the community itself, not just here at the church," Hinman said.

He isn't the only one to praise Schwartz. "She gets so many things going that inspire the people, and they just love her for it," said John Jalowitz, the oldest member of the parish. Jalowitz just turned 88, and Schwartz lead the centennial Mass congregation in singing "Happy Birthday."

Schwartz, who has planned all the centennial festivities, said, "St. Ann has a nice community of people, and they're very diverse because they come from all over." According to her, less than ten percent of the parishioners have lived in Cable all their lives. The majority "are locals in the sense that they've all moved up here to retire," she said.

St. Ann also welcomes many seasonal visitors. "People who are maybe not officially part of our parish feel a part of our parish because they spend so many of their weekends here every year," said Schwartz.

Even King, who has been away from St. Ann for eight years, said she felt at home during her visit. "It's wonderful to meet all my old friends, and it's really amazing because all the people here are so friendly," she said.

According to Schwartz, all the members of St. Ann's community, whether they are full or part-time residents, developed a spirit of ownership after the priests left the parish. "They became more involved and more willing to take part because it's theirs," she said. "They've got something good, and they don't want to lose it."

As St. Ann looks forward to the next hundred years, Fliss reminds the community not to forget about the past. In his homily, he said, "We don't dare forget the many stories of the people that have gone before us." He urged everyone to take the time to tell their own individual stories, and more important, to be patient and listen to the stories others have to share. "Each journey of faith is very special ... and the word of God is in those stories," Fliss said.

Fliss continued by sharing a short parable of a basket weaver. He was a simple little man who loved weaving so much that he whistled and sang every day while he worked. He was friendly to those he met and lived a happy life. But one day, a wealthy passerby was so moved at the weaver's humble existence, that he gave the poor weaver $1,000. That night the weaver went home and started to worry that the money might not be safe in his little hut. He worried so much that he didn't sleep, and the next day he couldn't concentrate on his weaving. He could no longer sing or whistle. Finally, the weaver went to the wealthy man's home and gave the money back to him. In return, the weaver asked the wealthy man to give him back his happiness.

Fliss suggested that in a world where people often obsess over money and material things, that people can learn from this weaver who refused to trade in his happiness. He urged the congregation to follow the weaver's example and chose what is really important in life: "Go for what will give you, and me, and everyone of us, full, full, happiness, and not something that only lasts for that moment," he said.

Fliss asked them to choose things like, "The sense of joy and fulfillment found in serving and giving for the sake of others." Happiness comes from "things like love of family and friends, and the support given and received in being part of a family ... and in being part of a community like St. Ann's parish," Fliss said. "To seek anything else is to settle for so much less than God has given us."

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© Superior Catholic Herald, 2002