Saturday, August 8, 2026

Bringing it Back

On August 10, 1851, Fr. Pierre Jean De Smet S.J. celebrated Mass at what is now know as Lake De Smet. To mark this historic event, the priests in the area have had a memorial Mass at this site up until the 1980s or 90s. With this being 175 anniversary of that first Mass, we decided to bring back the memorial Mass.


This monument was erected in Fr. De Smet's honor back in 1940.


Needing some attention, the Knights of Columbus of Sheridan and Buffalo had the monument refurbished and did a lot of work around the site to restore its beauty.


With all our ducks in a row, parishioners came from Worland, Sheridan, Buffalo, Gillette, and New Castle to celebrate a Mass of thanksgiving. 


Good stuff. 


This was a great opportunity to recognize the missionary efforts of Fr. De Smet. In his 50 years as a Jesuit, Fr. De Smet traveled 180,000 miles across the Rocky Mountain frontier. He also made 19 crossings of the Atlantic Ocean in fundraising efforts. 


Fr. Clement, visiting from Nigeria, concelebrated Mass with us. 


About 100 Faithful were in attendance. 


After Mass we had a nice reception and presentation. Lynn Dooley, of the Knights of Columbus in Sheridan, was responsible for much the work done here. He took time to thank all who had a hand in these renovation efforts.  


After that, we rededicated and blessed the moment. 


A fun time was had by all. 

Such a great cause. Too big to comprehend, really. Fr. De Smet's missionary efforts are an inspiration for all of us. We are all called to proclaim the Gospel, the Good News of life in Christ, to those in our circle of influence. We do this first by our actions and then with our words. Special thanks to all who made today's celebration happen. Let's do it again next year! 

Wednesday, August 5, 2026

Hand Cleaning

Keeping a farmer's hands clean is a constant battle. Over the years I have tried Fast Orange, GoJo, Lava, and gasoline. All have their place in certain circumstances. But none of have proved to be the universal hand cleaner for me, until now.


Our test plot will consist of grimy brake dust off of White Horse's front end.


Might not have the greasiness of other jobs, but the same result will remain.


Detergent is my hand cleaner of choice. Watch and see. 


Just a bit on the palm.


Rub hands together under hot water, making a good lather.


Rinse.


 And in no time they're clean as a whistle. 


For fine tuning, I'll dab a little detergent on a scrub brush. 


Gets good under the fingernails. 


Better than new.


Both sides. 


Well deserved. 

I've known of the detergent trick for years. On the off chance that I'd find myself doing dishes with a sink full of suds, my hands would come out looking ready for a dance. However, it was only up until recent years that it has become my hand cleaner of choice. I still have a little Fast Orange in the truck. But for quick, clean up at the house, you can't beat dish soap detergent. I hope this helps all those weekend warriors and shade tree mechanics out there. There's no need to show up to Mass with half clean hands. Get some detergent and get the job done!

Mary Major

What we say about Mary says more about Jesus.




Tuesday, August 4, 2026

St. Lawrence

Pray for us!            https://youtu.be/dpWXlQxTjVw