LAPORTE – “I was ecstatic. It brings something back to the church,” remarked Marcia Krueger. Krueger, a longtime Holy Family Parish-St. Joseph church parishioner and secretary, was commenting on the church’s new high altar that was recently installed.
On May 14, Father Nathaniel Edquist blessed the new altar to the joy of many parishioners, including Krueger.
“I’ve had a lot of positive reactions,” said Father Edquist. “I’ve been told it looks like it was always meant to be there. It matches the semi-gothic architecture that’s already there and blends in well with it. It helps the tabernacle to stand out as well.”
Father Edquist explained the new high altar now matches the main altar, ambo and baptismal font, a project started by former pastor, Father Ian Williams.
Father Ian Williams and Deacon Mike Green began the sanctuary transformation when they acquired a used altar from a closed church out east. Soon after, a parishioner donated money for a new baptismal font, custom made to match the altar. Then, a new ambo was custom made to match as well.
The high altar, ambo and baptismal font were designed by Henningers, a Cleveland company which specializes in designing and building sanctuary items. The components were then made in Italy.
“It made sense to eventually go for the high altar so that everything would match in the sanctuary. When I emailed them about eight months ago, they already had the plans written up,” said Father Edquist.
The new high altar was part of a larger parish project. As a pastor of a three-church parish community, Father Edquist said, “You don’t want to focus on just one church; we figured if we do something at one, we have to do something at all the churches.”
The idea of new bell systems at Sacred Heart and St. Peter began to toll in their heads. St. Peter has been silenced since the bell towers were lowered years ago. The timing couldn’t have been better as the cast-iron clapper for the bell at Sacred Heart snapped this past winter and fell to the ground. Father Edquist noted that repairing the single bell was very pricey.
“We thought that would be a perfect opportunity to get carillon bell systems into both communities,” he said.
New higher end digital bell systems have been ordered. The parish is waiting to receive them in hopes to have them dedicated on Father’s Day, June 18.
Father Edquist shared how bells have been a big part in the history of the Church since very early on. Before people had clocks, people relied on the church bells to tell what time it was. “It reiterates our presence in the community. It shows we’re a strong part of the neighborhood.”
A month-long fundraiser financed the $64,500 project.
“Like most priests, I don’t like asking for money. I didn’t know what to expect,” said Father Edquist. The people responded, with money still coming in two months later, far surpassing the targeted amount. Leftover money will be used to make memorial plaques.
He remarked graciously, “I was thoroughly impressed. People are very supportive. They don’t mind giving to a project, something they are going to look at or listen to every Sunday. They wanted to be part of these projects that give permanence to our churches.”