SOMONAUK—A weekend of Masses and fun events rounded out St. John the Baptist Parish’s sesquicentennial.

Wine and hors d’oeuvres followed the June 13 evening Mass, and all were welcome after the June 14 8 a.m. Mass to enjoy a continental breakfast. The 10:30 a.m. Mass June 14 was followed by a parish picnic at nearby Somonauk Park.

In his homily at that mid-morning liturgy Father Kevin Butler, parochial administrator, reminded everyone about the history behind this “incredible milestone.”

“Think of the countless Masses … around 54,000 celebrated right here, making Jesus present right here,” he said in his homily at the 10:30 Mass. “Think of all the babies baptized … perhaps you were baptized here,” he said, before reflecting briefly on the first communions, the marriages, the confessions, funerals, eucharistic and Marian processions experienced within St. John the Baptist walls over the years.

At least one first Mass had been celebrated in the church, Father Butler noted, nodding to the parish’s guest, Priests of the Sacred Heart Father James R. Schifano who celebrated his first Mass at the parish in 1975.

Father Schifano traveled from Franklin, Wisconsin, for the day and was happily photographing families at the picnic to add them to the materials he is gathering for his family tree. He is, he said, related to the Parisot family on his mother’s side, and to “the other half of town” through the Castler family on his father’s side.

“It is my privilege to be here, and I hope to get a lot of stories!” he said.

After a picnic lunch of chicken, pork chops, hot dogs and the trimmings, Father Schifano continued his visits as Father Butler gamely headed for the dunk tank.

Armed with three small water shooters and one huge, green-and-orange water gun, Father Butler happily squirted several of those taking their turn lobbing three balls toward the target.

Some of Father Butler’s family members, including his mom, Patricia, joined the effort to keep him from drying off as his dad, Jerry, strove to get a photo of the perfect splashdown.

Nearby, other parishioners tossed beanbags toward targets, shot basketballs in a “P-I-G” challenge, performed karaoke, had their faces painted and caught up with neighbors under an outdoor tent, on the lawn and in the park pavilion. Events scheduled a bit later in the afternoon included a trivia contest, talent show, pie-eating contest, bingo and “water fun.”

“What I believe was the key to our parish these past 150 years and will be so for the years to come (is) the love of the heart of Jesus,” Father Butler said in his bulletin letter.

His written hope that, “May we return that love with love,” could be seen in the smiles and heard in the cheers as his parishioners celebrated their parish’s sesquicentennial together.