Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Our renovation continues to move forward and remains on schedule for Archbishop Lori to celebrate the dedication of our church and the consecration of the new altar on August 20. (Stay tuned for a separate flocknote with all of the details surrounding our return to the church in August.)

Please enjoy some of the updates below as we move closer to completing our renovation.

In the photo below, you can see our new altar with the Latin inscription from John 1:14 "And the Word Became Flesh." This is the mystery that continues each time we celebrate Mass as Jesus, acting through the priest, changes bread and wine into His Body and Blood.

Below, you can see our newly restored tabernacle, which has been completely refinished. It is now mounted and secured on the tabernacle pedestal, which bears the Latin inscription from John 1:14, "And Dwelt Among Us," completing the verse inscribed on the altar. At every Mass, Jesus, the Eternal Word, becomes Flesh and remains with us, truly present in the Sacrament of his Body and Blood reserved and honored in the tabernacle. 

To the right of the tabernacle is the image of St. John, looking out at the congregation and pointing us to Christ on the Cross. 

The refinished tabernacle shows off even more beautifully the traditional Eucharistic image of the pelican with her young. The pelican is a symbol of the Eucharist due to the ancient belief that it pierces its own breast to feed its young with its blood, which is seen as a parallel to Christ's sacrifice and the Eucharist. Early Christians adopted the pelican as a symbol of Christ's self-sacrificial love, drawing a connection between the bird's legendary act of self-sacrifice and Christ's giving of His Body and Blood in the Eucharist. 

Our tabernacle features the image of the pelican feeding her young at its center, surrounded by the additional Eucharistic symbols of wheat and grapes.

Above the entire sanctuary, the scene from Revelation 5 is beautifully painted in our new dome: the image of the elders worshipping Christ, the victorious Lamb of God. The image in the dome reminds us that at every Mass, earth and heaven join in worship of Almighty God. The dome painting invites us to unite our worship with the angels and saints in heaven as they worship Jesus, the Lamb of God.

The renovated shrine to our Blessed Mother continues the use of mosaic found in the sanctuary. Below you can see the beautiful fleur de lis that will rest above the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary (which is currently being cleaned and restored). 

Outside, significant work is also taking place. The plaza area is being completely renovated as we replace the old, badly damaged, and cracked concrete. A stone paver system will be installed over a new concrete foundation. New planters will also be installed, providing both beauty and security from vehicle traffic on the parking lot. A large section of the curb will be removed and made flush with the parking lot to facilitate easier access for wheelchairs and walkers to the plaza and church. We also hope to include a statue of Christ, with his hands raised in blessing, as a focal point for the plaza and the church entrance.

Above all of this, crews have begun removing the old church roof to install new insulated roof decking, a water and ice shield, and new shingling. This upgrade will finally give our church the standard "R30" insulation rating that has been common in homes and newer buildings for years. (Thank you for your patience as the corner of our parking lot has become the storage place for all of the insulated roof decking still awaiting installation.)

Finally, work is progressing on the church restrooms, which are also undergoing a facelift in preparation for the church's opening.

All of this has been made possible through your generosity, and I am so grateful that you are allowing us to make such a significant investment in our parish church at this time. The beauty of the art and the upgrades to the building itself will ensure our parish church remains a vibrant place to celebrate the Sacraments and encounter Christ for decades to come.

Thank you for making all of this possible! 

Please stay tuned for more information next week on all the celebrations surrounding the dedication and opening of our church this August.

Sincerely in Christ,