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| The proposed interior of St. Mary Church in Fennimore features many elements that aim to restore the beauty — if not the exact details — of the original church. The project, according to Fr. Miguel Galvez, pastor of Queen of All Saints Parish, is projected to begin in June. (Illustration courtesy Conrad Schmitt Studios, Inc.) |
FENNIMORE — The sanctuary of the church, where Jesus resides in the Blessed Sacrament, should be “heaven on earth” — both visually and spiritually, said Rick Statz, national project director at Conrad Schmitt Studios of New Berlin, a firm that specializes in restoration and conservation.
In the latter half of the 20th century, though, in an effort to egalitize and modernize the churches in the post-Second Vatican Council age, many Catholic churches lost the symbolism that reminded worshippers of the extraordinary place they were entering.
Newly built churches were made without any ornamentation and existing churches were stripped of reredoses, statuary, murals, and many other beautiful elements that had been built and purchased at great cost by previous generations.
In recent years, however, a growing number of parishes around the country are returning to a recognition of the importance of beauty in the life of the Church and particularly to its worship spaces.
“There has been a growing trend toward recapturing the original architectural beauty of the Church,” Statz said. As a project manager, he is involved in many renovations large and small that seek to recapture the Church’s long-standing tradition of beauty in art and architecture.
Returning, not turning back
The majority of this renewal is not necessarily an effort to “turn back the clock” or restore piece-by-piece the ornamentation of yesteryear. “We’re seeking to use some direction from the past and taking that information and creating something that is of today, but informed by tradition,” he said.
Parishes around the country have engaged in projects to beautify their church interiors. In the state of Wisconsin, well-known projects have included the recently completed restoration of the Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary Help of Christians at Holy Hill and the 1996 restoration of the Basilica of St. Josaphat in Milwaukee, both executed by Conrad Schmitt Studios. Local projects currently in planning stages include St. Paul’s University Catholic Center in Madison and St. Mary Church in Fennimore.
‘Restoring the Beauty’
The recent project in Fennimore, which will be renewed through Conrad Schmitt Studios, is one of the latest efforts of “Restoring the Beauty” in the Church.
Fr. Miguel Galvez, pastor of Queen of All Saints Parish, a recent merger of Fennimore with St. John Nepomucene Parish in Castle Rock and St. Lawrence O’Toole Parish in Mount Hope, said the aim of the project is to return to the beauty that can help the faithful perceive the mystery and splendor in the liturgy and serve as a “visual catechesis” of the faith.
The mystery of the Mass and the Eucharist, Father Galvez said, is “something too deep, too great for us to understand fully, so we need the help from these beautiful elements to help elevate our souls to God.
“When we enter a church, we should be mindful we’re in a different place — we are in a house of God,” he said. “God doesn’t need the precious gold or the ornamentation . . . but we need to offer that — we need to express our love and gratitude, in the same way Abel offered the best of what he had.”
Rich in symbolism
The design for the new interior of St. Mary Church features stenciling to emphasize the architecture as well as a mural of Our Lady Queen of Heaven — the patroness of the parish — and paintings of angels to signal the importance of the sanctuary as the Holy of Holies and the location where the Sacrifice of the Mass, the prefigurement of Heaven, takes place. An altar rail will, as a beautiful monstrance does, Father Galvez said, enhance and frame the beauty of the sanctuary, as well as serve as an opportunity for those who prefer to kneel for Communion.
The high altar, inspired by the church’s original, will include the statuary of the crucifixion, as well as of St. Peter and St. Paul. Two side altars will enshrine both Mary, the Blessed Mother, and St. Joseph. The freestanding altar for the Novus Ordo Mass will feature a hand-carved Last Supper relief to commemorate the first Eucharistic banquet.
The Stations of the Cross that have for years ringed the walls of the church will each be framed by carved wood. The austere hanging lights will be decorated with metalwork.
The co-patrons of the parish community (St. John Nepomuc and St. Lawrence O’Toole) will appear in the mural of Our Lady Queen of All Saints.
Two other saints, St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Theresa of Avila, who are noted for their dedication to the Eucharist and mystical contemplative prayer, will be featured in the back panels to honor the parish’s devotion to constant prayer and Eucharistic Adoration. The parish has maintained a perpetual Eucharistic Adoration Chapel at the church since 1996.
The beauty of the projected church interior, Father Galvez said, has been received well by parishioners. “It’s objectively beautiful, in the same way people can appreciate the beauty of a sunset. I think most people will be able to experience the beauty of this project and should be able to understand it without explanation — the same way we understand a sunset.”
Collaborative effort
There is currently a pause in fundraising for the Fennimore project, but Father Galvez said that it will resume in April with an aim to begin the project in June this year.
As the project moves forward, the design will continue to be perfected through color choice and detailing.
“A project like this is a very collaborative effort,” said Statz. “A variety of different people engage together for one purpose.”
All of the design elements have to work together, from the paint colors to the type of wood. “It requires working in concert with the same goal in mind,” he said. “It needs to meet all needs liturgically, architecturally, artistically, and financially.”
Statz said that he is happy to work on a project like this because of its goal of the recreation of an environment.
“It’s an opportunity to really create something special, something that means something, that can affect someone in a meaningful way.”