Trinity Heights on June 13 to host 13th Annual Prayer and Celebration Days

By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor
May 27, 2004

Trinity Heights will host its 13th Annual Prayer and Celebration Day on June 13 in Sioux City.

"This is an opportunity to give people who are interested in or have a connection with Trinity Heights a chance to get together to pray and celebrate everything that has been accomplished here," said Judy Verschoor, associate director of Trinity Heights, Queen of Peace. "Each of them are responsible for what has happened. It gives a chance to get together and enjoy one another's company and thank God for all that he has done up here."

Beanie Cooper, executive director of Trinity Heights, said that when they started this celebration 13 years ago the intent was to have a day where they could gather with supporters of Trinity Heights for prayer in thanksgiving for all of the accomplishments they have had along with celebrating these same things.

The day will begin with an open house on the grounds of Trinity Heights from noon to 3 p.m. Those whom attend will have the opportunity to meet Jerry Traufler of Le Mars, carver of the life-size Last Supper figures that are located in the St. Joseph Center.

Msgr. Leonard Ziegmann and members of the spiritual committee from Trinity Heights will lead a prayer service at 3 p.m. The service - the liturgy of the hours - will celebrate the Feast of The Body of Christ, formerly known as Corpus Christi.

"We always want to include a special prayer time here on the grounds of Trinity Heights. The prayer service will be followed by the rosary at 4 p.m.," noted Verschoor.

Once again a banquet will be held at the Sioux City Convention Center. It is slated to begin at 5:30 p.m.

Ellen Soukup, a contemporary Christian singer, will entertain. She has entertained thousands of people throughout the Midwest at such places as the Midwest Catholic Family Conference, Marian Peace Conference, the Nebraska State Knights of Columbus Convention and nationwide via EWTN Radio and the Catholic Music Network.

At the banquet, Cooper will inform the people about present projects at Trinity Heights.

"We will give people an update of what we have done and what we are going to do," said Cooper.

Among other things he will report on the findings of a survey of the proposed senior housing project designed for persons 55 years old and older.

"We received about 118 replies to a three-page survey," said Cooper. Through the survey they discovered that people liked the idea because they would be living close to Trinity Heights and the chapel and they would be living in a community of people with like desires. People also interested in the housing project expressed interest in volunteering at Trinity Heights.

"If we go with the project it will be because of those three things," he added.

Another big project that Cooper is expected to address is the progress of The Way of the Saints and the pond/stream with St. Francis statue.

Organizers of the Prayer and Celebration Day stressed the fact that this is not a fundraiser. Ticket prices were kept as low as possible to give everyone the opportunity to attend. Tickets are $20 per person or $150 for a table of eight.

"We always look forward to this because we get to see people that we don't have the chance to see the rest of the year," noted Verschoor.

Tickets to the banquet are available at the Queen of Peace, Inc. business office at Trinity Heights, 33rd and Floyd Blvd., Sioux City, or they can be ordered over the phone at (712) 239-8670.