We had the honor last week to serve as witnesses for my brother Jimmer’s blessing of their wedding vows. Jim and his wife Michelle have been married for over 20 years, but were only bonded civilly. Lately, Jim’s Catholic faith has become stronger, and he wanted to bless his matrimonial vows. Father Michael Chenier planned a touching ceremony for us, and I had the privilege of serving as a lay reader for the ceremony. Jim married the former Michelle Lusardi and they live in Michelle’s hometown of Iron Mountain, Michigan.
The ceremony took place at the Mary Immaculate of Lourdes, aka the Immaculate Conception Church, on the north side of Iron Mountain, Michigan. The parish dates back to the 1890s when recent Italian immigrants working in the local iron ore mines formed the “Italian Church”. Iron Mountain is a 45-minute drive east of my home in Caspian, and the north side of the city is still known for its Italian culture, including famous NFL football coach and NFL Network commentator Steve Mariucci and Michigan State Basketball Coach Tom Izzo. The church was completed and blessed by Father G. Pietro Sinopoli on January 1, 1903. That is ancient history for America! It was a strange juxtaposition of a Mediterranean courtyard and Italian-style facade set in the northwoods of an Upper Peninsula former mining town. That is America. They treated us to lunch at the Moose Jackson Cafe downtown afterwards.
It was a sweet and touching ceremony, and Nadia and I were happy to be there for them.
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