This week the architect and civil engineer in conjunction with the pastor and our attorney are reviewing and making some minor revisions to the proposed site plan and church footprint to give us the most functional and aesthetically pleasing design with the best chance of approval by the Borough. No major changes look to be in store, but the revised drawings should be ready by next week.
The bishop and James McCrery share a moment before our Sunday mass.
It occured to me that many of you may not have met, nor do you know of the reputation of the architect who has been working with us for the past many months.
So, I thought it might be interesting to let the Carmelite Monks of Wyoming do the introduction; they are the "Mystic Monks" whose coffee you may have tasted. They have engaged Mr. McCrery to build their new monastery and they have some interesting things to say about him, with which I fully agree!
As an answer to prayer, James McCrery of Washington, DC manifests all of the necessary qualities, being first a man of faith and then a man of marvelous talent and learning. His firm, McCrery Architects, practices throughout the United States and is particularly dedicated to exercising its talents in service to the Catholic Church. In addition to this major undertaking for the New Mount Carmel of America, Mr. McCrery is renovating the Cathedral Churches of Manchester, New Hampshire and Charlotte, North Carolina. He is also a frequent lecturer on Church art and architecture.
New Mount Carmel Monastery on James McCrery
Architectural drawings with minor revisions to the interior of the proposed church plans were sent to the Diocesan Building Commission today.
I have been asked not to publish drawings until they are approved, hence, stay tuned.
Based on discussions with the Diocesan Building Commission over the past several weeks, some modifications have been made to the interior church design, making it even more beautiful in the same architectural spirit.
We received the revised drawings from our architect today and as soon as the Diocesan Building Commission approves them, we will post them online.
During Lent, and especially during this week, pray for the Holy Spirit to guide the outcome of our church project to produce a beautiful, prayerful, traditional church adequate for our needs now and into the future.
You know that I have been fasting and offering mass on Wednesdays for this intention and will continue to do so during this Lenten season - a time to draw closer to our Lord Jesus Christ.
Oremus.
Chapter 5 of the General Instruction of the Roman Missal also deals with the "Arrangement and Furnishing of Churches for the Celebration of the Eucharist."
Dedication of a Church and Altar also gives important theological explanations of the nature of a church building and the altar. There are no on-line editions of the revised ICEL rite and translation which was approved in 1989. For historical purposes, here is the text of the previous edition.
I know it's been a while since we've posted anything on the construction blog, but it doesn't mean things were standing still.
We've been collecting comments and suggestions from parishioners and discussing the layout of the church with the Diocesan Building Commission.
We appreciate your help in correcting any errors or in updating original pledges and memorials you may have made to the very first building campaign in 2002-2004.
While we await the two drawings of the proposed church from a view on Ward Avenue, and a view from the ground as one approaches the church from the parking lot to the southern entrance, it behooves us to familiarize ourselves once again with church history, architectural terms and the church architectural guidelines we have from the USCCB and the Diocese of Trenton.
Two very helpful resources in this regard are a newly published book by Denis McNamara and the document from the USCCB Built of Living Stones. The bishop's document was issued in 2000 as a "a series of guidelines approved by the Latin rite bishops of the United States to assist diocesan bishops in the building and renovation of churches. It replaces Environment and Art in Catholic Worship. Where the document quotes liturgical books, those norms are binding on all communities".
McNamara's booksis lavishly illustrated and does a terrific job of condensing, explaining and presenting not only the history of church architecture, but the theology and ecclesiology to which the architecture gives expression.
We'll feature highlights of the book along with the corresponding material in the USCCB document as we begin to have working sessions on the interior design and layout of the church building. This process is just beginning; we want to be certain that we accomodate our present and future needs and incorporate as many necessities as we can to the relatively limited footprint of our church.
McNamara's book is available at Liturgy Training Publications and a link to Built of Living Stones has been posted here for some time under Church Documents. It is repeated here.
