Our Memorial Donor Book for the church's capital campaign has been engraved and returned to Holy Cross. Thank you to all our generous donors.
It is truly a worthy remembrance for those who have given so generously to Holy Cross Church. Our next engraving will likely be in six months to one year depending on when pledges to the campaign are completed.
Work is scheduled to begin this week on adjusting and repairing the main entry doors to the church. The repairs will be capably handled by Merrick Builders who have been completing much of the construction left undone or only partially completed by our construction manager and subs.
We signed a contract with Beyer Studio to fabricate two additional stained glass windows from the glass we have from our St. Francis purchase. They depict events in the life of St. Francis.
They will fill the North Transept with color and beauty!
Once we have a timeline for completion and delivery, we'll let you know.
One of my great grandfathers was an Irish immigrant who worked as a plumber at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. His son, my grandfather, was more of a gardener and painter (walls and furniture, not canvases) than plumber, but we inherited a lot of the tools great grandfather used.
There were all kinds of mysterious tools in the basement of the home in which I grew up, including any manner of rasps, hand drills and bits, miter boxes, assorted moldings, sharpening stones, saws of all kind and drawers of heavy monkey wrenches of all sizes.
My grandfather's solution for almost anything that didn't turn out straight was "put a piece of molding around it."
Well, we're adopting his solution for the inexplicable gap between the walls and our floor in the new church. After nearly a year of hand-wringing and finger pointing over the responsibility for the flaw, we've finally been able to hire Merrick to fix it by...putting a piece of molding over it.
The molding has already been cut and painted, but it will take a while to install, since each of the columns in the church is an octagon, and those alone will take eight small pieces of precisely mitered molding.
It will surely neaten the appearance of the building.
It was great seeing our fountain finally flowing again. As you know, the original placement and specifications for the fountain pump were problematic, but that has now been corrected. Some work still remains, but at least we can enjoy the relaxing sound of the bubbling, flowing water.
Holy Cross Church has closed out the construction contract in non-binding mediation (a required prelude in our contract to either binding arbitration or litigation). The settlement provides that Holy Cross pay out the balance of the contract less sufficient money to complete what the construction manager had not yet done and correct deficiencies.
Quite soon, you should see shoe molding installed throughout the building and around the columns to hide the gap between the floor tiles and the walls. The main entry doors will also be either adjusted or replaced. They must open smoothly from right or left doors and insulate from drafts and precipitation. As a fitting commentary on the agreement reached on Tuesday, one of the exterior doors partially dropped off its hinges and wouldn't close at all over the weekend.
Jesus' admonition to settle with your opponent before taking things to court merits prayer, even if it's not always practical. Justice can be expensive and isn't guaranteed in this life anyway.
Meantime the church building has deftly handled the congregations at Christmas, Easter, confirmation, graduation and First Communions without a hitch. Thanks for being patient and supportive. Deo gratias!
Holy Cross' statue of "Jesus Calming the Storm" will be dedicated on Father's Day after the 10:30 AM mass. The plaque has arrived and been affixed and we hope the more modest-sized lights are in place for the dedication.
The Calming of a Storm Mark 4: 38-40
Jesus woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Quiet! Be still!” The wind ceased and there was great calm.
Then he asked them, “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?”
They were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?”
"Quiet! Be still!" Words to a storm at sea, but so clearly words to turbulent souls as well. Both meanings were intended, a reason we have entitled the sculpture "Jesus Calms the Storm" without calling it a sea storm.
The sculptor, Nick Ring, worked with us to depict Jesus facing the Atlantic Ocean and being buffeted by great winds, but neither afraid nor angry - serenely confident. His garments blow and he needs to hold his cloak securely clasped. His right hand is held in a powerful blessing gesture, not meant to be a rebuke, but to demonstrate control and security. The statue is designed so a person can walk directly up to it and stand under Jesus' visage of blessing. His reassuring words echo down the centuries, Quiet, be still, have faith.
An inscription with the title of the sculpture and biblical citation along with a donor acknowledgement will be affixed soon. After the plaque arrives, a formal blessing of the statue will be announced.
Our bronze statue of Jesus Calming the Storm should arrive tomorrow, a day ahead of schedule. The sculptor is driving non-stop from Atlanta with his precious cargo.
The statue will not be installed until after Easter, but will be placed near the Carriage House so we can see it up close.
A revised memorial brochure has been posted online. It can be downloaded by clicking it on the icon in the column on the right.
The brochure has been updated to include some of the needs we have postponed from the original capital campaign. They are substantive gifts but items which will be important for the liturgical life of the community and the safety of our new home.
Please consider a donation in full or in part for one of the requested items.
Thank you.
Thanks to our helpers at Merrick Construction, Holy Cross has its cross back and securely mounted on Ash Wednesday along with a completely rebuilt cross shrine on Ward Avenue.
We are moving forward with a few items which have been mired in punch list and construction cost discussions. These will be accomplished outside the project itself, which paperwork and permanent CO will hopefully be closed out in a few weeks.
Our pair of angels have landed astride the doors on Ward Avenue and actually look toward the tabernacle beneath the church steeple.
They will be carrying instruments of the Lord's passion, a lance and a reed sponge.
The former entry doors on Ward Avenue take on a more finished look, restored to the familiar red color.
We certainly had the third grade's attention this morning with the continued progress on the garden pergola. So far it's been good weather for the outdoor task; it will be great to see it finished within a few days or so.
Much of the woodworking was done off site and the many pieces of the pergola are being assembled.
It will serve as a fitting backdrop for our Christmas creche.
Jesus isn't getting bundled up for winter, rather for a trip to the foundry and casting. Our statue was shipped to the foundry and is safe and sound, now in the manufacturing process.
It's wonderful that Mary has arrived in time for Advent. Our waiting for Mary, at least, is over. Now she can help us observe a blessed season of watching and waiting for the commemoration of the Coming of Christ and the longing for Him to come again.
The yellow glow of the setting sun shines in the marble of the statue and imparts a warm glow in the late evening.