August 15, 2020 Mass, St. John's Chapel, Sweet Springs, WV

Because of the corona virus, we had planned to erect a tent at the entrance to the chapel and have Mass outdoors, with bottled water and ice cream after. But it rained all day, and the temps were cool, in the 60's. So we moved back inside for the Mass. Father Kelly, the retired priest living in Clifton Forge, and Father Jim Conyers concelebrated Mass for 35 people who came expecting Mass to be outside in the rain. With God's help we had just the right seating arrangement for proper social distancing. Hank Richter and his son were there and Hank rang the bell for the Angelus. Sue Richter fell yesterday visiting her sister in the Greenbrier State Forest cabin area and broke her hip--surgery on Sunday morning. Regina Wrozniak was the reader and there was a gentleman from New Martinsville and his lady friend from Squire, McDowell County; five from the Bethleham Farm, and Knights and their spouses as well as the biggest surprise.

At the end of the Mass I announced that those who would like a tour to stay around and I would brief them on the history and show them around. The Bethleham Farm people did as did two wives of the Knights who have moved into the area this year, and a young man who said shyly "I am not a Catholic. I am a Pentecostal Holiness minister and I just wanted to see what a Catholic service and church was like." He may have been the first Pentecostal minister to visit our historic church.

Note also that there was a recent burial in the New Catholic Cemetery, behind the church. It is of Leonard Cole, 12/28/48-12/16/19. His grave in near Tedd Urice's grave.

Mike Williams, Knight of Columbus, August 15, 2020