We have a piano now!

The piano was delivered today, Friday, December 17, 2010. Just in time for Christmas!

Work is also being done to raise the edges of the ramps on the sides of the altar plinth. These new edges will be finished with wood similar to the altar plinth.

Fr. John playing the new piano shortly after it was delivered.

The cross has been mounted on top of the church

The electricians working on the wiring for the lighting of the cross.

The cross is very heavy and required a crane to move it to atop the church.

Moving the cross into position to be lifted up and placed on top of the church.

Pictures from the Open House

The Open House Committee did a great job noting what all the items are in a Catholic Church.

More signs with descriptions of important items in our church.

This picture shows the backside of the altar where you can see the aperture where the relics were placed. The enshrining of holy relics is an ancient custom within the Catholic Church. This practice hearkens to a time when persecuted Christians in the early church would celebrate Mass in the catacombs near the remains of martyrs. Our relics are of Saint Philip of Jesus, Saint John Vianney and Saint Flavia Domitilla.

I wide view of the church during the open house. Acoustical curtains have been hung in the back of church to help absorb sound and provide space for storage.

At the Open House, there were tables set up with descriptions of each of the Seven Sacraments and some of the symbols associated with each sacrament.

A couple more Dedication pictures

The Archbishop really pours chrism on the altar! The picture above shows how well the he anointed the altar. A brazier is placed on the altar after the anointing and incense is lit by the Archbishop.

The dedication stone was taken from the same stone used to make the baptismal font.

More work to be done

Detail of face of Our Lady of Guadalupe tapestry.

Close up of Mary's left eye.

Detail of Angel below our Lady of Guadalupe.

Baptistry having tiles installed.

Kathy Marshall and Cliff Yee assembling podium for Children's liturgy of the Word. Notice storage area behind acoustical curtains.

Kathy Yee and Peggy Brice finally have an office after hours of hard work.

More Dedication Pictures

This is the view through the windows on the west side of the church. The sun was shining on and off throughout the day on Sunday as you can see in this picture taken before the dedication. This is a temporary tabernacle. The construction blog will continue to be updated for many more weeks and months as there are many things yet to come.

A view of the altar and church before the dedication on Sunday morning.

Up close view of one of the dedication crosses and candles. There are four of these crosses and candles in the church. The candles were lit during the Dedication and will only be lit on special feasts such as Christmas, Easter and the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Catholic Sentinel St. Juan Diego Church Dedication article

Dedication Pictures

What an amazing day. Here are some pictures from Almira Ko, parishioner and photographer.

Dedication Day Pictures.

We have a sign... it's official!

The sign on 178th has been installed! We're official now.

Since we will have a tabernacle, we need a sanctuary light. This is the holder for the sanctuary/tabernacle candle. This candle will be lit for the first time when the Blessed Sacrament is placed in the tabernacle during the Dedication Mass on Sunday.

The altar has been delivered.

Our Lady of Guadalupe

The primary image of Mary in our new church will be a tapestry of Our Lady of Guadalupe, by the artist John Nava. His most famous works are the tapestries in the Los Angeles Cathedral (one image of which is St. Juan Diego; another image is of St. Bridget of Sweden). Fr. Kerns had admired a similar tapestry at the Trappist Abbey of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Lafayette, Oregon, which inclined him to procure this one for our church.

A closeup of the tapestry.

Don Farnsworth putting the finishing touches on the tapestry.

Links:
John Nava's tapesteries at the Cathedral in Los Angeles

Trappist Abbey (Our Lady's picture is right at the top of their homepage)

5 days until the dedication!

The stations of the cross by mosaic artist Ruth Frances Greenburg are ready to be set in place.

Baptistry is ready for tiles to be applied.

The altar platform is shaping up. Notice in the background all the handrails are in place.

Kathy Yee is piously testing out the prie dieus.

Pews are being installed

The painting was completed with the dark trim.

Doors are being hung like this one to the office.

Plumbers installing the baptismal circulation system.

The ambry will be completed after the dedication, but one can see the wood template on the left that will guide the fabrication of a metal cross.

Pew being put together before installation.

The hardwood floor being installed at the altar plinth.

Handrail at the ramp next to the presider's plinth.

Panorama of the pews set in place before they are bolted to the ground.

This stained glass window was in our cathedral before the renovation in the 1990s. Fr. George Wolf gave it to Fr. John Kerns for the new church. For now it will be in the chevron winow over the entrance.

The pews are here! The pews are here!

The truck delivered the pews on Thursday morning.

Each pew is set on the ground in its proper location. Footings will be placed on the sides and they will be fastened to the floor.

View of pews from the presider's plinth. Notice that the altar plinth is ready for hardwood floor installation.

New Holland pew manufacturers threw in 4 prie-dieus as part of the deal.

Screens that go in front of the first pew in each section.

Pre-drilled bolt holes will hide the attachment mechanism.

Automatic door mechanism.

Machinery for automatic door.