St. Rose of Lima in Metropolis was the last parish in the Diocese of Belleville visited by Pete Joergensen (second from left) during the last five years. Joergensen is pictured with members of the church council: (from left) Len Maggio, Fr. Michael Chris Mujule, Christy Willmes and Caroline Korte (Submitted photo).
“You can pick any parish in the diocese, and there’s a story there,” said Pete Joergensen, 83, of Belleville.
He discovered many of these stories on his personal pilgrimage to visit all 99 parishes in the Diocese of Belleville.
The journey began after his wife, Virginia, died 10 years ago. He then started a number of activities to fill the void. He began visiting parishes five years ago.
When Joergensen attended Mass during these visits, sometimes the priest would invite him to tell the parishioners what he was doing and why.
“I let them know that when someone close to you dies, you should surround yourself with loved ones, friends and relatives,” he would tell them. “Then I point to them and tell them, ‘You are my relatives; I have come to meet you. You are my brothers and my sisters in Christ Jesus, and I have been longing to meet you.’
“Sometimes, they would treat me like I was someone important because I was from Belleville and took the time to go there, to drive hours to get there.”
But this journey was a personal quest for a deeply spiritual man.
Joergensen explained that when he would drive through the towns in southern Illinois, he’d see the steeples, the churches. He would wonder what that parish was like and thought maybe one day he would visit that parish.
“It’s been a lot of fun. It’s kind of neat. The people are like the most beautiful people on the face of the earth,” he said. “The faith in these farm communities is so strong. Stronger than in the big city. They put one seed in the ground, and they trust God for everything else.
“I’m overwhelmed to see how dedicated the people are to their community, their church, their parish. They are proud to tell me what they do for the church, like unlocking doors or setting out the vestments for the priest.
“You see generations. Grandma and grandpa, their children and the grandchildren. They all sit in the same pew in church. It’s a family thing.
“People love their priests; they really do. I loved hearing the different homilies.
“I’ve been to farm churches where they come to Mass on Sunday morning in the summer. They have their bib overalls and T-shirts on, and they are heading right to the tractor when Mass is over. A whole different world than what I grew up in.”
During his visit to St. Polycarp in Carmi, Joergensen said he was invited to a farm and was asked if he wanted to see how soybeans are harvested. While there, he climbed in the combine and rode through a field.
“There were TV screens in the cab. It’s being run by satellites up in the sky,” he said.
“Everywhere I went, I learned something new, and I had a new experience. It’s like, ‘Wow, I’m glad I am doing this.’ I promised some of the parishes I would come back. I can’t do the whole thing again. I don’t think I have that many years left in me.”
During these visits, he witnessed a blessing of the Jeeps and the last Mass for St. Joseph in Equality,
“At St. Joseph in Elizabethtown, two big German families would hang around after Mass for an hour or two, catching up with each other.
“At St. Paul in Johnston City, Fr. Brian Barker, who is a concert pianist, played the piano when the Lord’s Prayer was sung. He also led the singing. Everyone would then repeat his words. I looked around, and the people were happy and clapping.
“I then followed him to Marion, where he would celebrate Mass at St. Joseph. It was the same thing there.”
When Joergensen traveled throughout southern Illinois, he drove his van, which has a mattress in the back where he would sleep at night. He had a Garmin for navigation but planned the trips using paper maps. He would find campgrounds to spend the night.
He has a binder with all of the bulletins from his visits and his paper maps.
Joergensen has three children, seven grandchildren and four great grandchildren.
He was born in East St. Louis and grew up in Belleville, attending the Cathedral of St. Peter parish. When he married, his family moved to St. Louis so he could head the printing department for the City of St. Louis. He retired 30 years later. They moved back to Belleville about 15 years ago.
Joergensen also keeps busy by organizing the St. Vincent de Paul Saturday morning breakfasts, as Grand Knight of Knights of Columbus Council 1028 (for the second time), as a Third Order of Secular Franciscan, and by serving as a sacristan at the Cathedral of St. Peter.
“Just as I visited these parishes, I encourage people to visit the Cathedral. That church belongs to you,” he said.
“This whole thing has changed my life. I hope people can find time to visit
their brothers and sisters in Christ in other communities,” he said. “They are important. We need to let them know that a great treasure has been found —
a pearl of great price — down some country farm road.”
