Cathedral of the Plains at Victoria, Kansas

On Sunday when we were coming back from Kansas Dialogue in Colby, I asked Martha - our chauffer extraordinaire - if we could stop at Cathedral of the Plains in Victoria. She, Andrea and Teresa love it just as I do, so we stopped.

There was a tour bus there when we arrived, but fortunately they left shortly after we went in. Not until after one of them snapped a photo of me saying a prayer after lighting a candle. I swear, I don't know what is wrong with people sometimes. But I know that everything that is wrong with them is magnified in a tour group.

I'm not Catholic, but this cathedral is an amazing place to be, regardless of your religious affiliation, or lack thereof. It is truly a sacred space. I generally stop on every trip that direction, and I am always moved to tears.

The other day when we were there there was a brief thunderstorm, complete with thunderclaps, while we were inside. We came out to find everything freshly washed from the rain and the temperature a bit cooler. That was certainly welcome because there is no air conditioning in the building. They have fans around, but no AC.

It was started in 1908 and finished in 1911. The German immigrants who settled this area sacrificed much to bring this building into being. Stunningly beautiful bits and pieces were gathered from Europe and moved to the site from railroad some distance away. Our forefathers were made of much stronger stuff than most of us are.