Week
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October 10, 2001
Inside the Register
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Spirit of Christ dedicates new church
Modern $6.8 million structure reflects medieval grandeur
By Alwen Bledsoe
Though built of modern brick and in contemporary style, Spirit of Christ's new church shares the spirit of medieval cathedrals built to reflect the grandeur of God and to lift the mind and eyes toward heaven.
The
more than one-year building process and the four-year planning process
to erect the symbolically rich church came to a close Oct. 6 when Archbishop
Charles Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., celebrated a dedication Mass at the church.
An estimated 1,300 attended the Mass, overwhelming the 1,200 sanctuary
seats and leaving many standing in the back through the two-hour service.
Not only had the church outgrown its former space, it had also outgrown the dark, windowless design of its mid-1970's architecture, which, said Spirit of Christ pastor Father Robert Kinkel, inhibited the church's quest to involve the congregation in "full, active and conscious intimacy with the celebration of the word and the Eucharist." The question guiding the design was "what is a sacred space?" he said.
A many month re-examination of the church's "core-values" brought a fledgling answer in the form of rich spiritual symbolism, an effort after Vatican II's own heart in its appeal "to open up the symbols we already have," making accessible the ancient Christian symbols and liturgy, said Janette Fayhoe, liturgist for the last 13 years.
In dramatic opposition to minimalism - the artistic philosophy that "less is more" - the church favors a more opulent design featuring bigger-than-life symbols of faith that, asserted Fayhoe, "have the power to form faith."
Most unmistakable of those symbols is the "antiphonal seating," in which the congregation forms a full circle around the altar.
"Our folks cannot gather around the bread as the body of Christ without encountering the body of Christ in the person across from them," explained Fayhoe.
A bronze baptismal font at the sanctuary entrance flows with water drawn from a 95-gallon baptismal pool.
"When you see that much water you can finally understand what it means to wash," explained Fayhoe. "It's the same association you want to have when you teach that baptism washes away sins and brings life in Christ."
Mirroring a life's progress through faith, wooden doors signify "Jesus as the doorway to faith," the baptismal font echoes the entrance into faith through baptism, the ambo and altar testify to the sustaining power of Scripture and Eucharist, and the design of the tree of life extending from the floor onto the windows where it "explodes into an eschatological experience of faith," hopefully brings to mind the next life, said Fayhoe. Built in the shape of a pentagon, the church adopts the medieval symbol of the crucifixion - the five sides representing the five wounds of Christ, explains a church brochure.
Appropriate for the dedication of a church with a vision for the visible opening of the soul to the spiritual, Archbishop Chaput's homily reflected on the spiritual, purpose of the church.
As Ezra's reading of the Law to the Israelites in Nehemiah caused his listeners to fall on their faces weeping because "they knew they had unconverted hearts," said Archbishop Chaput, so should we "ask that we too might experience in our hearts a desire to weep for our sins, to be converted, so that we might change and give ourselves time and time and time again to the Lord, because this building, this place where God's word is proclaimed, has been given in order that we might be changed."
Quoting from Ephesians, he added: "`You are strangers and aliens no longer. No, you are fellow citizens of the saints and members of the household of God.'" The first half of the verse is etched on the sanctuary wall.
"When we gather to worship in this place ... we participate not only in this liturgy, but also in an eternal liturgy before the throne of God in heaven," he said.
He concluded with the story of Zacchaeus, in which Jesus' visit to the home of the notorious tax collector and sinner resulted in Zacchaeus' conversion and decision to give half of his possessions to the poor. At the dedication, said Archbishop Chaput, the church became Christ's home as well as the parishioners'.
"When he comes to stay with us ... he stays in the house of sinners because the Church, though it is the bride of Christ, is a sinful Church," said Archbishop Chaput, later adding, "When you meet the Lord in his holy place, your lives are changed."
In his concluding comments, he said, "The greatest glory we can give to God is not so much this building, but the conversion of our lives."
The $6.8 million edifice was designed by architects Bill Beard and Richard Smith, who held extensive meetings to gather parishioner input before going to work, said Father Kinkel. Franz-Pittman were the contractors, and parishioner Einer Peterson was building project superintendent, he said.
Parishioners called the church "beautiful" and "breath-taking."
Fifteen-year-old Gabriella Yates came dressed in a formal blue gown, on her way to Thornton High's homecoming with Daniel Langfield, 14, also decked out in formal garb.
"We felt God was more important, and God was here," she said. "Then we'll go to homecoming."
Daniel's mother, Tess Langfield added, "We're so excited about this community and this incredible house to glorify the Lord."
The first time they walked into the new church, said Kim Mazzotti, 41, a parishioner of 20 years, "everybody was in awe." But, she added, "The people are the spirit of Christ, and that doesn't change. ... It's just full of love and care about each other and full of a lot of spirit and faithfulness."
Father Kinkel also called the church "beautiful," adding, "I think it will serve this community for years to come in helping people experience the transcendence, the majesty and glory of God, as well as the immanence, the intimacy and closeness of God with us."