I along with my siblings attended St. Luke's from the mid-late 50s to the mid 60s.
I was there from beginning school year 1962 to 1968, ending school year...then went on to St. Anselm beginning school year 1968 to 1971.
I served as altar boy for 2 years with Fr. Kelley, Fr Carroll and of course, Fr. Ryan who later became Monsignor.
Some of my best memories are there roaming the school halls, the lower church and main church, the convent and rectory, great nuns that really taught me about servanthood, Fr. Ryan who caught me in the sacristy preparing the sacraments... sipping on wine before service one Sunday.
He socked me so hard on my right arm, I had to hold back the tears. It hurt for over a week. He said to me " Suck it up and don't ever let me see you do that again."
After church, he talked to me and rubbed my arm and said that he bet I'll never forget that again, and he smiled.
Of course he was right...it was all good.
I'm just about 59 y/o, live in Texas and hold those memories close and dear to my heart. True spirituality is soo important to me and I owe so much to St. Lukes for planting the seeds early on.
Look at all the details inside the church, the smell of the burnt wax from the millions of candles lit reminding everyone that prayers are reaching heaven, the smell of the incense captured by the walls and ceilings that are a pleasant sacrifice to GOD Almighty, the precious souls that have come and gone through those doors either in a vertical or horizontal position...marriages, baptisms, first communions, confirmations, high masses, Christmas masses and processions, coming in to sit down during hard times and asking The Lord to guide, teach, carry us when we just can't, protect families...so many prayers that are marked and memorialized in heaven because of that church and school.
I've been blessed to live and visit Europe for almost 6 1/2 years and visited 6 countries, always including visits to churches and cathedrals, Notre Dame, St. Lukas (St. Lukes) in Munich, St. Stephan in Vienna and just too many to list, I always compare the odor to St. Lukes...ALL these churches carry the same fragrance and odor... like St. Lukes.
Don't take it for granted, GOD is alive, in control and still in the blessing business.
I salute you St. Lukes, give you a thumbs up, fist bump and a high 5 all the way from San Antonio. TX.
From an ol' skool New York Rican...
As we use to say, "Cojelo con take it easy" and may GOD always continue to bless you.
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