Diary of a Parish Priest

Small Color Sketch of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Stained Glass Window

St. Anne and the Virgin Mary Stained Glass Window

Here is a color version of the new St. Anne window. 

Sanctuary and Transepts

Tuesday's Progress

 

Sunset on the West Facade

The Main Entrance Getting Ready for Siding

 

Electrical wires hang from each arch in South nave

Should We Have a Sunday 5 PM Mass?

Help us decide whether it is worthwhile to plan adding a 5 PM mass to the regular schedule when the summer mass schedule is complete.

It seems to be a popular time based on attendance by our confirmation students and their families once per month. 

While having more masses is a virtue for convenience's sake, the best reason to introduce the 5 PM would be to enable more families to attend mass, especially at Holy Cross. Please address these reasons in your comments.

Thanks and keep praying,

Fr. Manning

Click here to take 5 PM MASS SURVEY

Color Stain for Pews

Here's a sample of the custom pew stain for our Church, with all the proper disclaimers about monitor variations, etc. 

I don't have an exact picture of the pews themselves at this point, but we'll post when available. 

In case you haven't been to mass earlier enough to see them (hint, hint), there are slideshows of past week's construction progress beginning about 10 or 15 minutes before mass.

Construction Quiet, Garden Growing

Everywhere on the campus, our garden continues to grow.  Francisco has transplanted many, many of the flowers, shrubs and bulbs that were growing around the church to the front of the school and the perimeter of the playground. They are doing remarkable well. Take some time to enjoy them. The plantings along the school and around the gymatorium have also prospered this year. 

My own garden has its successes and failures. The hot, wet, cold weather has given all my tomato plants a bit of trouble, but they are keeping on and I've already enjoyed a small treat or two from the earliest ripening fruits. No wonder many gardeners advise to plant more than you think you will harvest.

I was able to photograph a black swallowtail caterpillar beginning to pupate today. I had planted fennel and dill in the garden to invite them and yesterday was delighted to see several of them on the plants. When I returned with camera today, I could find only one. With so many birds in and out of the yard, I'm sorry to think they became bird food.

In approximate order left to right, top to bottom:

Cherry tomatoes, a couple of beefsteak ripening, oregano plant, red runner bean blooms, corn stalk beginning, mullein, Meyer lemon, fennel with pupating swallowtail (find it!), indigo rose tomatoes, pulmonaria, onion crop, bedding plants along with Julia Child and John Paul II roses, pot watermelon, "fire" lettuce, cleome everywhere, New Dawn rose, pineapple sage, red poppies, three "Lazy Housewife" beans, Lemon marigolds and petunias, ? monarda, spaghetti squash vine, Shrimp plant, Elephant Ears, Love in a Mist, Hosta spikes, pupating Swallowtail, planter filled with three plants from the Holy Cross Plant Sale.

 

Broad Strokes and Some Fine Details

Both broad strokes and some details were added today. The insulation sheathing continues to be added, carpentry work outside to frame out the buttresses and around the base of the building. An air handler unit was installed in the North transept.

 

An Expensive Bird House

Hmm. Methinks a group of birds are building nests in the South transept.

I wonder when the glass for the windows is coming?

Preliminary Sketch for St. Anne and Virgin Mary Window

The symbols and the final design are still being discussed.

Any favorite symbols of St. Anne you would like included?

St Michael Window Cartoon to Be Painted

St Michael Cartoon for Stained Glass Window by Conrad Scmitt Studios

Interesting Aspects

Solid wood form for the copper clad dome which will be atop the spire on the west end of the church. It appears as if they routed a large number of circles of decreasing diameter, piled them atop each other and glued them. Pretty cool shadow too.

More work on the butresses on the south side of the church.

The round steel support columns will be concealed in drywall framing.

The elevator shaft is now open as workers prepare to install the mechanical equipment.

 

Our growing collection of materials stored in the stored for installation.

Drywall Delivery Today

Today a truckload of drywall was off loaded into the basement. The basement has been ready for drywall for some time, but workers needed to wait until more of the building was enclosed.

With the last several driving rains, there are once again puddles in the building and not too much remained dry. Let's hope the dry wall stays dry!

 

The Reds Have It

Our survey had 99 responses. Since a significant number opted for the clear glass, once we know how challenging the votive lights are to keep clean and manage, we might switch the colors out occasionally. Thank you for responding. Whatever the color, they will look (and smell) great!

And the Winds Blew and the Rains Came...

The heavy rain and thunder didn't hit until just before quitting time today, so most of the day was a productive one for workers.

The HVAC crew has been working diligently all along, though their progress is a bit harder to detect, especially since most of it has taken place in the dimly lit basement. However, the duct work continues to grow in the worship space and cartons filled with oddly shaped ducts and connectors are everywhere.

It looks a bit tricky getting the rigid insulation under the metal struts on the exterior of the building, but progress is steady. Some of the buttresses were built out on the rectory side of the church today. 

 

Side Aisle Arches Take Shape

Main Church from the Choir Loft to Sanctuary View

 

 

More and More Progress

Panorama View From the Sanctuary

First Ripe Tomato of the Season

OK, so it's not  a huge salad. The first ripe tomato of the season with a little fresh picked basil a dash of artisan extra-virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Almost as good as ice cream!

Seven Eleven Friday

Interesting construction shapes today. The insulation is being applied to the exterior of the church turning it into a giant reflector! Duct work for the HVAC continues as does the construction of the arches along the main and side aisles of the church.

We reviewed the final full sized cartoon for the St. Michael window.

 

Earth and Sky Church

Duct Trees

 

North Transept looking toward Sanctuary

Thursday Deliveries

Today we accepted deliveries of the air-conditioning units and the insulation which will be applied to the exterior of the church as the first step in preparing for the cedar shingles.

More of the arches were completed inside the church as well as some major HVAC ducts from basement through the old church (the new sacristy) to the ceiling.

We received the contracts for the St. Anne with Virgin Mary window and the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton window from Conrad Schmidt Studio.

 Planning meetings will begin for the dedication of the new church. All committees and subcommittes are in need of assistance. If you are willing to help, or would like more information on how you can help, please call the Parish Office. 

Our group of church docents is being formed and will receive a packet of informational material as soon as it is collected. We are still happy to add more volunteers.