Trinity Heights holds Prayer and Celebration Day

By KATIE LEFEBVRE, Globe staff reporter
June 30, 2005

The 14th Annual Prayer and Celebration Day at Trinity Heights in Sioux City was celebrated on June 26 with a eucharistic procession and banquet.

Jerry and Arlene Traufler of Le Mars, who donated the woodcarving of the Last Supper to Trinity Heights, were available to answer questions about the carving from noon to 3 p.m. on June 26. Dale Lamphere, sculptor of the Queen of Peace, Sacred Heart of Jesus and other statues, was also on the grounds to answer questions.

At 3 p.m. people gathered in the Divine Mercy Chapel, part of the St. Joseph Center, for the eucharistic procession. The procession started in the chapel and traveled across the parking lot to the Marian Center where benediction and the Liturgy of the Hours was prayed.

Father Le Roy Seuntjens, pastor at St. Mary's Church in Hawarden, carried the Blessed Sacrament in the procession and blessed the monstrance with incense during the ceremony. He gave a homily about the Year of the Eucharist and his experience in Guadalajara, Mexico at the International Eucharistic Congress.

Larry Walsh, a member of the spiritual committee at Trinity Heights, along with others planned and participated in the ceremony.

At 5:30 p.m., people gathered at the Sioux City Convention Center for a banquet and entertainment. Father Seuntjens gave the invocation before the meal began.

"Good and gracious father, you gather us together and we thank you for all your gifts," said Father Seuntjens. "We thank you for the gift of life, for the gift of your mother Mary, for the gift of Trinity Heights. We ask your special blessing on all those who are devoted to promoting the devotion to Mary and today especially the devotion to the real presence of Jesus remaining with us always in the Eucharist."

Following dinner, Beanie Cooper, executive director of Trinity Heights, took the stage and introduced the Trauflers. Cooper recognized them for donating the Last Supper woodcarving and mentioned that it was the carving's 10th anniversary.

"That gift that Jerry and Arlene gave just changed everything in a hurry for us," said Cooper. "We wanted Trinity Heights to be something for everyone. We are Catholic in philosophy but ecumenical in intent."

The couple was presented with a plaque thanking the couple for placing the Last Supper at Trinity Heights.

"Most people haven't ever seen a Last Supper like this," said Jerry Traufler. "There are only four in the world. It is doing everything that we ever wanted it to do. All in all it has been very good. I am very happy with it."

Dawn Kinsman, a nationally-known singer, was the entertainment for the evening. Christ's real presence in the Eucharist is the theme of her music and life. Cooper noted that it was appropriate to have her sing since this is the Year of the Eucharist and the 10th anniversary of the Last Supper carving.

"I had such a desire to devote my life to singing," said Kinsman, who is from Pierre, S.D. "I found such joy in it. Before the Lord allowed me to sing in this kind of a way, I had to be just as happy singing for him over a sink of dirty dishes or pushing a vacuum or doing a simple task in life. I did."

She sang nine songs including Ave Maria, Amazing Grace, On Eagle's Wings and a few of the songs she has written. Kinsman invited those gathered to join in with her during the songs they knew. She also told stories behind the songs she had written and how she felt God was speaking through her and to her.

"In the beautiful, holy Year of the Eucharist, we need to cling to this rock of our faith and be thankful for the true presence in the Eucharist every day," said Kinsman.

After the entertainment portion of the evening, Cooper gave a progress report of Trinity Heights and explained a few of the future things to happen on the campus.

"We are going to finish the Way of the Saints," said Cooper. "On the exterior are six little shrines. Each shrine contains 10 saints in clusters of five by what they were involved in - education, doctors of the church."

The entry to the Way of the Saints will be a gate similar to the gate at the entrance of the Circle of Life on the Trinity Heights grounds.

Lamphere talked about the newest statue that he is working on for Trinity Heights. It will be close to 7-foot, bronze statue of Moses that will be a part of the Way of the Saints. The head of the statue and a small model of the statue were displayed for people to see.

"Pope John Paul II refers to Moses as the pre-figure to the modern bishop," said Lamphere. "It also mentions Moses as a courageous man, a man with a spirit, a man with a radiant face. I included all of those thoughts as I worked to create this."

While Lamphere was in town, he and another man, Tom, worked on restoring the Mary and Jesus statues after they were vandalized.

Cooper talked about the vandalism that happened earlier this year.

"It was six young men who were undoubtedly not thinking very well," said Cooper, who was gone at the time of the vandalism. "Duane Sudbeck did a marvelous job of documenting everything and taking pictures."

He pointed out that the Sioux City Police Department, the county attorney and all the people involved were good about their pursuit of the young men.

"Our insurance company has been marvelous, too," said Cooper. "We will be reimbursed for everything that had to be cleaned up, fixed up and replaced."

Cooper also explained the progress of the plans for Trinity Trails, a luxury senior living facility for active adults 55 years and older, and showed a diagram of what it will look like.

"We have been, for two years now, studying this senior housing idea," said Cooper. "We have thought from the beginning that there would be a lot of people in our age group that would like to live in an environment close to a place like Trinity Heights. We had a lot of encouragement from early surveys that we did. We worked with engineers, architects and planners. I think we came up with some pretty nice ideas."

For those interested, brochures about Trinity Trails were available and there was a person on hand to answer questions.

"I would say that it will be affordable," said Cooper. There will be 16 duplexes and an apartment building. "The nicest thing about the apartment complex is that it is situated right behind the St. Joseph Center. The elevator will give a direct entrance into the St. Joseph Center."

At the end of the evening, Cooper brought Kinsman back to the stage to lead God Bless America with those gathered singing along. Deacon Jerry Reicks then prayed the benediction.