In light of yet another one of those mysterious delays in construction, paving of our driveway and parking lot has been postponed until later this week.
Saint John the Baptist
is the patron saint of roads and road workers.
Tomorrow the bell master will visit to install our old electronic bell system and also to test the installation to the original Holy Cross Steeple Bell. This should allow us to chime our original bell for special occasions!
It will be great to hear the bells of Holy Cross again after so long a period of silence.
They won't be rung again until the dedication!
Sorry for the inconvenience, but though we were apparently ready on our end, the driveway paving truck and workers didn't arrive so that leaves us with only two driveways into the parking lot again this weekend.
Happily it will be completed before school opens and the parking lot traffic becomes more intense.
All current prayer garden pavers have been installed and look great. There are matching unengraved bricks in the path which can be removed and replaced with engraved pavers as the need arises. Orders for bricks have generally been placed when approximately 10 donors have pledged new brick.
Several of the important yellow caution lights on the road to the dedication have turned green. A couple remain, but all indications are that the dedication will take place as scheduled on September 19th.
Yesterday our staff had a pleasant meeting with Fr. Michael Hall, Director of the Office of Worship to finalize the liturgy planning.
No formal invitation to the dedication liturgy is required --- everyone is invited!
Please come and join in the praise to our God in our new church with our diocesan bishop, David O'Connell, our pastor and our entire parish community.
Technicians from Monte Brothers and Stadele Organ Company were at work today configuring the speakers for the digital organ and microphone sound systems.
Today we celebrate one of Holy Cross' "Window Saints." King Louis IX of France was canonized for his piety, charity to the poor and defense of the Church from Turkish incursions into North Africa and the Near East.
King Louis took St. Francis as a patron and is closely associated with the Secular Order of the Franciscans. This connection led to his being included in the collection of stained glass from St. Francis' Church which is now proudly in our possession.
He died of infectious disease during his second crusade. The advice he gave to his son is an amazing instruction to a Catholic ruler not to compartmentalize his faith from his governance.
Let us pray to lead integral Catholic lives at work, at prayer and at play. The love of Christ should fill and overflow any and all arbitrary compartments.
The subcontractor informs me that the main drive on Ward Avenue should be passable by Thursday or Friday. Meantime, thank you for your patience and caution using the one drive.
Today volunteers began sprucing up the chairs from the St. Michael Media Room that will be put in the St. Joseph Hospitality Room in the church basement. They had already been cleaned by our carpet cleaners, but due to heavy use over the years by our school students, hospitality and our own parish meetings, they needed quite a bit more spot cleaning and some good old fashioned elbow grease.
Thank you for helping not only by cleaning the chairs, but by building pride in our new church and ensuring it becomes a place of welcome and grace for parishioners and guests alike!
We will need plenty more help when we're granted access to the church itself, so please call the office if you're willing to help with anything from dusting to heavy lifting!
Due to construction, the entry drive on Ward Avenue will be closed this weekend. Since most of our traffic arrives and departs at approximately the same time, use caution when entering the usual exit drive on Ward Avenue.
We brought some candlesticks and the main altar cross into the church last night and put them in place to begin arranging the sanctuary. We've done a walk through with the construction manager to determine locations for the Stations of the Cross, the Consecration Candles, poor boxes and brackets for the sanctuary lamps.
Monte Brothers are working on the sound system speakers.
Installation of the outdoor sprinkler system continues and the plantings should be mulched on Monday.
The triangular architectural details are being installed on the church steeple today. (Pictures to follow)
The main entry drive requires more excavation than anticipated. Rather than patching the edges, a entirely new drive is required due to discrepancies between grade and curb height. By the looks of things, it will be impassible for the weekend masses. It might be one way in on Ward and one way out on Rumson for the weekend; we'll let you know and post signs.