St. Michael the Archangel

St. Michael the Archangel of Poplar Springs, MD

Mystery

Always, there is the mystery

that confronts you everyday.

An angel appears,

or Christ visits,

no one is sure to this day.

But a Protestant farmer

in remote Poplar Springs, MD,

hears him make a request:

"Please allow a small group

of Catholics to worship

in your farm house living room

and celebrate the Mass

from this Sunday forward.

I will be back to help them."

Against all logic,

the farmer does as requested.

A small gathering starts

Mass is celebrated.

The mass goers wait

for the Archdiocese of Baltimore

so far away in 1846 miles

to send the priest who visited

the Protestant farmer…

but no priest appears.

So they write the Archdiocese

to ask when the priest who visited

will return to say Mass for them.

But the Archdioceses, so heavy,

like the government , with bureaucrats

replies that they know of no priest.

Like the government,

sensing opportunity

to extend its territory still further,

in the earthly realm,

and concerned about the flock’s

sacramental and spiritual salvation

it eventually does send a priest.

and Mass is celebrated

Sunday after Sunday.

The Protestant farmer,

aware of the mystery,

converts,
and gives his land

to the One,
Holy, Catholic

and Apostolic Church

A small church

is built on his land,

and named "St. Michael the Archangel"

Despite the church building,

and the other church buildings

added over the years

the territory added

to the earthly kingdom

the mystery continues.

The mystery always continues

to confront you

in the birth of a child,

the death of a parent,

the disease of a spouse,

the love of a spouse,

the survival of democracy,

the horror of the jihadi's war.

It is a mystery,

but one that with faith,

eventually gives the answer

in this life

or the next.

October 6, 2002

Written in the St. Michael's parking lot about the mysterious origins of the founding of St. Michael the Archangel Church in Poplar Springs, MD