Remodeling unifies three wings of the church

By David Eck

ST ANDREW DEANERY — It wasn’t just a regular Saturday afternoon Mass at All Saints Church in Montgomery three days before Christmas. It was a homecoming.

For the past six months, the congregation met in an auditorium and later in their own school gym while their church underwent a $3 million renovation. Just beating a Christmas deadline, Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk celebrated the first Mass in the remodeled church and consecrated the new altar on Dec. 22. Several priests who have a connection with parish concelebrated.

CT/E.L. HUBBARD

Archbishop Daniel E. Pilarczyk presided at the Dec. 22 altar dedicaton.

"It feels absolutely wonderful," said Jeanne Jordan, who has been a parishioner at All Saints for about 10 years. "I just love the paintings above the altar. I missed that. It feels good to be back home."

Jacque Warner, who went to grade school at All Saints and was married there, was back for a visit.

"It’s a very elegant house of the Lord," she said. "It looks like a very peaceful, reverent place to worship."

Dianne Elliott, who has been a member of the parish since 1987, said she noticed the new pews right away and likes the kneelers.

Parishioners began arriving about 45 minutes before Mass started. They looked and pointed as they wandered around the newly refurbished wings of the church, and the new sanctuary.

"We pretty much gutted the whole inside," said Micki Harrell, the parish’s development director. "We refurbished all of our stations of the cross. It’s really uplifting."

A key feature of the renovation was a new, 4,000-pound altar, a 10-inch thick slab of marble imported from Spain.

"The center of the church is the altar," said Father Dennis Jaspers, pastor of All Saints. "I think we certainly gave that a priority. That set the tone."

In his homily, Archbishop Pilarczyk spoke of the altar and its role in the church.

"Today we are celebrating the dedication of your new altar," the archbishop said. "The altar in our churches is like the magnifying glass that brings together all the rays of the life of the parish and concentrates them in one focal point.

"Everything that has gone on in the parish, everything that goes on in the parish now, and for that matter, everything that goes on in the church, universal, is somehow directed toward the altar and has its source in the altar," the archbishop said. "The altar is a sign of Christ, and more specifically, it is the sign of Christ’s sacrifice.

Holding to tradition, the first part of the Mass was held in a darkened church, the only light streaming in from the stained-glass windows lining the main seating area. A light shone over the choir so members could read their sheet music.

The dedication of the altar came shortly after the homily. The archbishop anointed it by pouring oil on the altar and then burned incense on it, symbolizing the Eucharistic sacrifice.

The altar was covered in a white cloth before the first candle was lit. Other candles were lit and the lights were turned on.

The service was very moving.

"It’s very interesting," Jordan said. "I’ve never been to one like this before."

After the Mass, the congregation celebrated the renovation with a reception and light refreshments.

In addition to the altar, the renovation included new pews, better lighting, new carpeting and an updated sanctuary. The marble both inside and outside of the church was cleaned, and the fixtures were refurbished.

Another goal was to make the three areas of the church unified.

The north wing of the church was originally built as a multi-purpose room and also handled overflow seating for the church. Although it was no longer used for parish events, the area, which was built onto the church about 20 years after the main church opened, had a dropped ceiling and folding chairs. There were no kneelers. It didn’t fit well with the rest of the church.

"The challenge was to create a space in the north wing that was compatible with the other two wings of the church," said Jim Donnelly, a retired architect and 46-year All Saints parishioner, who worked on the project. "We were trying to unite the three wings of the church to the extent that we could."

As the renovation began in early July, the congregation began meeting in the old auditorium next door at Moeller High School. The parish was able to have an altar set up there all summer, Harrell said.

In September, the parish began meeting in their own school gym — which meant setting up for Mass around basketball games and other events.

Through it all, the Mass schedule was maintained. "It was a combined effort, really, of all of our parish staff, our music ministry and boosters," Harrell said.

Archbishop Pilarczyk congratulated Father Jaspers and all those who worked on the renovation project.

"These projects are never easy," the archbishop said. "I pray that what you have done here will not remain just a material accomplishment, but that it will be a sign and an instrument of a renewed faith and energy and thanksgiving for you and for all God’s holy church in the years that lie ahead."

The congregation gave the archbishop a standing ovation when Father Jaspers congratulated him on 25 years as Archbishop of Cincinnati.

The project strengthened the bond parishioners share, officials said.

"It brought everyone together," Harrell said. "We really have been working on the vision. I think it will unite us more as a parish."