A beautiful and excellently maintained church, located in the village of Hardin, county seat of Calhoun County.
A lovely church.
Other Catholic churches in Calhoun County, previously featured here, are Saint Mary in Brussels, and Saint Joseph in Meppen. These photos were taken on March 6th, 2009.
The altar. Stained glass windows in the sanctuary show Saints Thérèse of Lisieux and Norbert.
The Holy Family.
Saint Norbert Church is part of the Saint Francis of Assisi parish cluster (Calhoun County - North). According to the diocesan directory, this parish has 996 Catholics in 364 families.
Arch above the sanctuary here depicts the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.
A depiction of Saint John baptizing Our Lord decorates the lid of the baptismal font.
Statue of Saint Norbert (ca. 1080-1134). Born into German aristocracy, Norbert lived a life a pleasure and accepted ordination as subdeacon merely as a means of gaining wealth and prestige. But he had a conversion when thrown off his horse by a lightning strike, and henceforth lived a life of poverty. He founded a religious order in the Prémontré valley near Laon, preached against heresy and laxity among the clergy, performed miracles, and helped restore unity to the Church.
Holy water font.
Stained glass window depicting Father Jacques Marquette, S. J. (1637-1675), who was in the party of the first Europeans to explore this region. The flanking panes depict symbols of the Indians.
Window of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini (1850-1917), the first canonized U.S. citizen, and foundress of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart.
Calhoun County is surrounded to the south and west by the Mississippi River, and to the east by the Illinois River, seen here. This is the Joe Page Bridge in Hardin, dedicated in 1931, which is the only bridge into the county; travelers from the Saint Louis area typically cross the rivers by ferryboat.
Hardin, Illinois was originally named Child's Landing after Benjamin Childs, who settled here in 1835, and got its present name in 1847 after Col. John J. Hardin, killed in the Mexican War.
always red or blue carpets in churches, why? Take out the carpet and put back the rail and this gem would sparkle. I really don't like carpet.
ReplyDeleteThe carpet was installed 3-4 years ago as part of a remodel that changed EVERYTHING about the church. The old color scheme was full of gold leaf and a light cream-color paint. The floor was polished terazzo, and all of that marble painting on all of the altar and accessories was a simple white. I thought it was fine and could use a touch up...never thought they'd completely change the look of the entire place.
ReplyDeleteI have been here numerous times in the past few years. Hardin is a wonderful little river town and this is a wonderful little church. I find it to be a vary pretty rural parish church and it is lovingly cared for and it shows. Also stop for awhile at the picturesque cemetery on the hill above town. The view is superb.
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