Crossing the River

Monday and Tuesday, Sister Elaine and I “crossed the river” to attend Mass at Sacred Heart Church in East Grand Forks since most of the priests of the Fargo Diocese are gone for their workshop/gathering. 
 
As we were driving home Tuesday morning, we started talking about bridges. 
 
I noted that there is an interesting difference between “back home,” where the bridges over the Mississippi are known for the street they are on (e.g., Robert, Smith, Wabasha), and Grand Forks, where they seem to have special names unrelated to their location.
 
Sr. Elaine mentioned an interesting tidbit.  She said that there was a saying that “Sr. Fortuna helped build the Kennedy Bridge,” since she used to sit outside and watch the construction being done on it. 
 
This would have been around the early 1960s. 
 
I had heard about Sr. Fortuna when studying the history of our province as a postulant or novice, but I hadn’t remembered that she had been in Grand Forks.  Sr. Fortuna had been such an important person in the history of the community in Hankinson; I found it interesting that she had ties up here in “the North Country.”
 
This morning, Sr. Elaine had to cross the river all by herself since I am working the front desk and will go to St. Mike's this evening.  The priests are scheduled to be back for the evening Mass.