Easter show raises funds for Mission murals

Silence accompanied with an electric anticipation filled St. Ignatius Mission parish last week along with hundreds of spectators just moments before musicians began the first notes of their performance.

The combined orchestra and choir of more than 100 people of different faiths joined together for “Lamb of God,” a musical portrayal of the final days of the life of Jesus Christ. “Lamb of God” was composed and written by Rob Gardner.

Opening the program were Patience Matt and Iris Arlint, dressed in regalia and singing a Salish number.

Organized by Janis Cates of St. Ignatius, the idea for the multi-date performance was borne in hopes of raising money to restore murals throughout the church.

The program, Cates said, “started from one little old gal’s dream that came to fruition.”

Admission to the performances was free, but those who attended were able to donate at their will.

Monies raised will benefit the mission’s murals, which are cracking.

Since Jan. 1, more than $16,700 has been raised. The funds will be matched by a private donor, Cates said.

A dress performance took place at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Missoula on Wednesday, March 21, followed by a performance open to the public on March 22 at St. Anthony’s Church in Missoula, and on March 23 and 24 at the Mission.

“Well over 500 people” attended each performance in St. Ignatius, the Rev. Craig Hightower, pastor of the mission, said Monday afternoon.

Cates said she noticed that at the Mission performances, people entered the church and turned around to leave because there simply wasn’t any room.

“People were thirsty for something like this,” especially during the Easter season, she added.

Hightower said that the restoration project is anticipated to begin this summer.

“We have some monies already set aside,” he began, adding that gaining permission from Rome, where the money is held, is the next step in the process.

Hightower said that work on the murals is expected to take at least one month to complete.

Plaster is crumbling off the lath, he explained.

Gaining access to the inside of the walls through the back rooms, “what you have to do is take down the lath and plaster on the backside of the wall,” then inject plaster, pull the crumbling wall back in and seal it up.

Pushing the murals in from the front would further damage the murals, Hightower said.

According to documents at the church, Hightower said that the murals were painted in 1904-05.

Cates said that she prayed for the positive outcome, and the show was possible due to the orchestra, choir and crew.

Pausing for a moment, she added, “we had help from above, too.”