The Journey
Cheboygan MI - St Charles Borromeo
2019 St Charles was purchased and William Price alone has been working for three years on the restoration of this hundred and ten year old church. Cheboygan is twelve miles south of the famous the Mackinac Bridge, where Michigan’s lower and upper peninsulas join at St. Ignace; another beautiful city founded by Fr. Marquette. Cheboygan, part of the Greater Straits Area, was once over eighty percent Catholic due to Pere Marquette’s heroic missionary efforts in the 17th century. Eventually Michigan paid tribute to this priest by naming its most prestigious Upper Peninsula city Marquette, in his honor. St. Charles Catholic Church, built in 1912 belongs to the architectural age of classic buildings. Its basilica form is a living witness through centuries that copied its portrait for the purpose of worship. When I saw this noble old structure waning from decades of neglect, it became a symbol to me of what Christ received during his visit on earth. For the most part I have financed this operation from my VA disability. Ten years ago I made a claim after the VA decided to not remove a piece of mortar shrapnel embedded in my shoulder. They decided to substantially increase my disability payment instead and I chose to use my retirement toward the rescue of this beautiful old Catholic Church. St. Charles Borromeo. I'm a Vietnam veteran from the Marine Corps, married 45 years, Father of six and grandfather of 17, so far. |