Holdingford may be home of the Huskers, but until this fall, it apparently had never been home to a corn maze.
On County Road 17, just across from the high school, 10 acres of corn were specially planted for the “Get Lost in Faith” corn maze put on by All Saints Parish, part of the Two Rivers Area Catholic Community.
The maze sits on land donated for the parish’s future church, making the fall attraction a temporary way for parishioners and their neighbors to gather on the property before construction begins next year. Rather than a fundraiser, the maze is meant to build community and introduce people to the place that will eventually become the parish’s worship space.
Participants are encouraged to “get lost in faith and find your way to Jesus,” as they make their way through the maze to get to the middle, where they are greeted by volunteers and rewarded with holy cards and blessed medals.
A scavenger hunt is also part of the fun, as participants are tasked with finding the 12 saints hidden along the way.
Volunteer Scott Rausch said he sees the maze — which opened Sept. 19 — as a way to promote the Catholic faith, since it is open to all and many visitors are not from the parish or not Catholic at all.
“The intent was to bring some exposure and get all ages in the community to participate and be on that land, which someday will be our worship space, a place of God,” said Father Gregory Mastey, pastor of All Saints.
Last year, he was looking for a way to bring the community together and generate excitement for the new church building project. He thought of the land that had been donated for the new church and wondered if there had ever been a corn maze in Holdingford.
According to the Holdingford Area Historical Society, there has never been a corn maze in town, Father Mastey said.
Steve Auer, a member of the parish building committee and volunteer at the corn maze, said the maze was meant to be fun, promote the new church building and help people get excited about it.
He said if everything goes as planned, there will be no need for a corn maze next year. The water and sewer and other excavation work is expected to be done on the property this fall and construction on a new building will likely begin next summer.
Father Mastey said he aims to keep the community involved in the process of building the church so it, “doesn’t become about just a few people who have money,” he said.
“It has to be our whole community coming together — how can they see what we’re doing and be part of it, even the kids,” he said. “The confirmation kids are helping and younger kids are helping with their parents. Not everybody can give money.”
Among those helping to plan and run the maze are members of the parish boy scout troop, confirmation students and parish members, as well as members of Immaculate Conception Parish in St. Anna, another parish in the Two Rivers Area Catholic Community.
“It’s not just about the Eucharist,” Father Mastey said. “It is the high point of what we do, but there are a lot of other things in between that make us a community in the Body of Christ.”
If you go:
The maze is located at 1278 County Road 17, Holdingford and will be open Wednesday, Sept. 30 from 4-6 p.m. and Oct. 3 and 4 from 4-7 p.m. Suggested donation is $1. All are welcome.
Pictured above: A volunteer arranges holy cards in the tabernacle located in the middle of the maze. (Dianne Towalski / The Central Minnesota Catholic)
