Homilies
Father Rodger Scheckel, currently Pastor of Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish, in Richland Center, Wisconsin delivered this homily on September 25th, 2004. It exemplifies the purpose of Round Hill and serves as a source of inspiration for the Round Hill Corporation board of directors and the faithful of the diocese interested in family and youth. It reads the following:
Mass at Round Hill
Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
September 25th, 2004
Let us begin by giving thanks to God for this wonderful autumn day on which we gather in faith and prayer at this beautiful site of Round Hill.
It is truely a blessing to gather in what we might call "the cathedral of God's creation"- joining with the creatures that inhabit the woods and water to express with joy our praise to the Creator. God's goodness and generosity to us is revealed through his creation and the Round Hill site in particular provides us with a wonderful opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate this divine goodness displayed within the natural order of creation.
This revelation of God's goodness through the natural order is surpassed only by the supernatural revelation that is present in the celebration of our faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ, who is the perfect and complete revelation in God, will soon become present here at this altar under the appearance of bread and wine.
What a wonderful opportunity that is given to us this day in which to celebrate the wonder and beauty of God's work of creation with his even greater work of redemption.
This Round Hill site has been a place for people to gather and celebrate their faith in Jesus Christ for well over 300 years. The first explorers and missionaries came to this region in the lat 17th Century. The exact year of 1680 is recorded in the journal of Father Louis Hennepin, a recollect of Franciscan Friar who, along with two other companions, a Michael Accult and Anthony Picard explored this upper region of the Mississippi River. While it has never been confirmed beyond doubt, it has been promoted by local and regional historians, including Monsignor Stephen Anderl of happy memory, the former pastor of the Assumption of Mary Parish in Durand, that Father Hennepin and his companions explored the Chippewa River, no doubt passing by this site in their canoe and in all likelihood stopping here, in that this level and gentle shelf along the river and at the foot of Round Hill was a place of trading among the Native Americans who at that time inhabited the area.
In the past century, in the 1930's, this site was acquired by Father Joseph Laufer, an Oblate of Mary priest, who laid the foundation for a Catholic religious presence by building dormitories and a chapel. A few years later, a group of priests and brothers from the Society of Mary rented the property and built a school for their postulants, establishing the site under the name of "Mary Hill," after our Blessed Mother. From this development came forth a retreat movement that encouraged people from surrounding parishes to come to Round Hill for days of recollection and formation of their Catholic Faith.
...to be continued....