In February 2008, Fr. Roger asked Pastoral Council to create a group of parishioners to help make St. Thererse a more welcoming, spiritual parish. People with artistic and design backgrounds were encouraged to bring their ideas to the A & E meetings. Throughout the months, the size of the committee has fluctuated, but we have made steady progress. First we formulate a “wish list” of projects and then prioritized them, with our primary emphasis being the Sanctuary.
Wish list; Here is a list of the main improvements/ changes we considered:
- A Crucifix on the main wall of the Sanctuary
- Enhanse a sense of sacred during the Eucharistic feast
- Change focus to the Tabernacle in the Eucharistic Chapel
- Display Holy Oils
- Add a nice Cantor Stand by the choir
- Add hand rails to the Sanctuary steps
- Enlarge the gathering area and clear clutter from main entry
- Improve the sound system in the church
- Consolidate the Stations of the Cross
- Bring the mosaic of Our Lady of Perpetual Help to where it can be seen and enjoyed
Projects Accomplished; as of December 2008
- The focus of the Eucharistic Chapel has been changed with chairs facing the Tabernacle
- Sacred Vessels for Sunday Masses were purchased with private donations
- The “Today’s Missal “ has been placed in the pews
- A place for gathering has been cleared out at our main entrance
- The grounds outside the Church are continuing to be made more inviting, thanks to the generosity and work of the Knights of Columbus and other church members
- The sound system of the church was upgraded, thanks to the generosity of a donor
Projects Underway;
We are in the process of purchasing a beautiful, six foot Corpus of Jesus Christ. We are having a twelve foot cross built by a local craftsman. The finished Crucifix will be mounted on a wooden backdrop and become the central image behind the altar. The goal is to have the Crucifix in place, by this Easter. Why a Crucifix ?
According to Built of Living Stones, “ The central image of the Christianity is the Cross, calling to mind the Passion, Resurrection and Christ’s final coming in glory. Every work of Christian work or architecture shares in this image and embraces the ambiguities of suffering and death, healing and resurrection, recognizing that ‘by his wounds we are healed’. Such art draws from the mystery of redemption a unique power to provoke and invite the world more deeply into the mysteries of our faith”.
What is next; Other changes to our Sanctuary that are being considered are,
- Move the mosaic of Our Lady if Perpetual Help
- Build a free-standing stand for Holy Oils
- Build and install two sets of hand rails
- Add four more rows of lights to those on the church ceiling
- Open up the meditation-shrine area
- Enlarged and/or recognized the main entry
How to get involved;
When we discuss other beautification projects for the Sanctuary; new drapes, painting, murals, stained glass, ect. .. we will be asking your ideas. Perhaps you could submit your thoughts or draw your ideas for consideration. If you want become more involved, please contact one of the committee members or come to our open-door meetings.
Funding;
None of your Sunday offering donations are being used for any of the A & E projects. Both the Knights of Columbus and the St. Therese Women’s Association are helping to fund, some of the projects. Private donations are helping with the other efforts. Thanks to a generous donor, we have established a restricted A & E account to fund the changes. You are encouraged to contribute. Just write the word A & E on the envelope and drop it in s collection basket or leave it at the parish office. Thank you for your patients and on going support.
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Arts & Environment Committee Members
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Sue Anker
Virginia Durin
Joan Galles
Bob Green
Gail Hebert
B. J. Katigbak
Verna Lansing
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Mary Anne McNeil
Willilah Mosbrucker
Henry Ngan
Jean Olson
Marko Susnjara
John Wuitschick
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A & E Meeting Schedule-------------------------------------------------------
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