Corpus Christi Church, located at the “Superman Corner” of Clark and Kent Streets on the East Side of Buffalo, was dedicated in 1909. The congregation has long maintained that during construction, the copper crosses atop the domes of the church towers were filled with hundreds of letters written by the parish’s school children. However, lacking any documentation, these messages became the stuff of urban legend. More than 100 years later, those long-ago letters have been found.
Since 2005, a multi-phased, multi-million dollar initiative has been underway to restore Corpus Christi to its full splendor. The current focus of this comprehensive project is the restoration of the iconic south tower. As work on the tower crosses began, those hopeful messages were discovered, along with small holy medals and other religious items. Unfortunately, time and exposure to the elements had destroyed this historic treasure trove, leaving behind just soggy clumps of paper and bits of corroded metal. Still, the discovery has captured the imagination of both the contractor and the congregation, and has inspired an invitation to current and former parishioners to record their own messages of faith and thanksgiving for their beloved church.
What a great idea!
I’ll have to make sure I go to mass this weekend. 🙂