EASTON — Under the picture-perfect blue skies of a September afternoon, rural parishioners gave thanks for the bounty of the upcoming harvest in southern Minnesota.

Area Catholics gathered Saturday at an outdoor Harvest Mass on the Easton farm of Connie and Arnie Sonnek. The farm, set on a dusty gravel road between open fields of corn and soybeans, provided a natural setting for the mass.

“Farming always brings people closer to God, the creator of life and food,” Rev. Eugene Stenzel said.

“In this community, if people do not live on a farm, they have something to do with farming,” Stenzel said.

“What we have is a gift from God,” affirmed Deacon Gene Paul.

During the tri-parish mass and blessing for about 450 church members from Easton, Wells and Minnesota Lake, prayers were offered asking for good crops and the safety of those working the land.

“We pray every year for a safe harvest,” Paul said. He explained that this time of year, “farmers push hard” to get the crops in, increasing the chance of a farm accident.

A tabernacle, part of the tri-parish’s history from “the old church in Minnesota Lake,” was displayed on a covered folding table serving as an outdoor altar.

The assembly sat on metal chairs framed by maple and apple trees in Sonnek’s well-groomed yard. The farm setting was filled with God’s creatures — butterflies, bugs and cicadas.

Adding to the rural setting, a young heifer joined the choir, directed by Sue Johnson, singing praises of “Seed, Scattered and Sown.”

“In our area we have always been blessed with rain and sun shine and we have really good crops,” noted Cletus Rath, an Easton farmer.

“In all these years, I’ve had poor crops but, never a crop failure,” said Rath, who has farmed for 51 years. “When you have your whole livelihood setting out in the field and dark clouds approaching, you learn how to pray.”

In a companion seasonal mass celebrated every spring, Stenzel blesses both seeds and soil. “People bring seeds that they will plant in their gardens and farms to be blessed during the service,” said Paul. Others bring small bags or boxes of soil to be blessed that they return to their fields.

These traditional agricultural celebrations, Paul said, point out the dependence that all people, both urban and rural, have on the fruitfulness of the earth.

For years Rath has participated in both masses. “I believe in these blessings, it is part of my faith,” he said.

Chris Schultz, who farms with her family near Easton, explained, “It is a way of giving glory back to God for what we have received and trusting in God for the upcoming harvest.”

Stenzel said the pre-harvest celebration grew out of the companion harvest mass celebrated by the Winona Diocese, comprised of parishes in 20 southern Minnesota counties. Similar to the diocese-wide celebration, held in Adams last month, the local harvest mass is held on a different farm site each year.

Stenzel is credited with starting the local harvest mass in 1996 and the tri-parish ceremony five years ago. “After the diocese harvest mass was held on a Wells farm, the people here enjoyed it so much,” said Stenzel, “that we decided to hold our own.”

One of the origins of this rite, however, dates back to when the Romans celebrated during the harvest season, according to Paul. “Later the church adopted this celebration.”

In addition to the religious theme, the outdoor mass “is always a real celebration, where we enjoy each other’s company.” said Stenzel.

The tri-parish consists of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Easton, St. Casimir in Wells and St. John the Baptist in Minnesota Lake.

After the mass, neighbors and relatives speculated on this fall’s yields and prices. “The crops look really good,” said Connie Sonnek. “The only thing we have to worry about is an early frost.”

“The crops are good this year, but the price of corn will be lower,” said Rath. He repeated an old farm saying, “We plant our crops with faith, we raise it with hope and we sell it with charity.”