Praying during the Fortnight

Anyone who has been in our chapel knows that the tabernacle looks like this:

But during the Fortnight for Freedom, we would like it to look like this:

To do that, to expose the Eucharist in the Monstrance, we need to make certain there is someone in the chapel every hour between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. starting June 21st. If you can commit an hour to help, please sign up here. If someone is signed up during the hour that woul work for them, know that you can come and pray too.

Preparing

The baptismal font may not look any different from last weekend, but underneath the work is progressing. It should be ready for use on Wednesday.

Here's a little peek to give an indication of what the base will look like.

Today the doors of the tabernacle are open, anxious to receive the Eucharist for the first time.

After communion, there will be a Eucharistic Procession ending with the arrival of the Eucharist in this tabernacle.

That also means that the Adoration Chapel will soon be open for silent prayer.

Inspected

Above Jess Long from Boyd Jones Construction presented Fr. Damian with the Certificate of Occupancy from the City of Papillion and let him know that the Fire Marshall has approved the new chapel and sacristy for use.

Archbishop Lucas has advised us that when we move the Eucharist to the new tabernacle it ought to be done within a Eucharistic Procession when many of the faithful can be in attendance. The plan is to close the 5 p.m. Mass on Saturday with that Eucharistic Procession. This means that the chapel will be used for private, silent Eucharistic Adoration starting around 6 p.m. on Saturday.

Stained Glass at Night

Here's how the stained glass windows look at night.

Installing the Old Stained Glass

Our second church, built in 1923, had a lot of stained glass windows. Before that church was torn down, Don Schram led a group of parishioners who crated those windows for storage.

After 30 years in the basement, they were cleaned up 

Now it's time to install two of those sets (four windows) in the new chapel.

The two panels to the right are of Jesus, with His disciples, beginning his ascension as he gives our parish mission statement, "Go and Make Disciples."

The two to the left are of Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not what I want but what you want.” Meanwhile the angel is there with the "cup."

Finished Shingling

This week the shingling was 

completed for the Adoration Chapel.

The shingles used when the church was built

thirty years ago are no longer made.

But it turned out that we have enough left over from that original project to complete the chapel. Bill Heese, our Maintenance Coordinator, said, "There's been a pile of the shingles in the corner for year. They never got in my way so I left them there."

Since they haven't had any wear, these shingles look slightly different in color, but that difference should be less in time.

Bringing in the Light

Work on the chapel continues. This morning

 there was progress on the window.

 

 

 

 

It is much brighter now.

In the next week or so, stained glass panels from our previous church will be inside the clear panes. But even with this step done, it allows the construction to move forward in the chapel.

Pictures from Today

 A new door was added this morning.

Installing glass panels.

The tabernacle will be in the center.

Working inside the chapel.

 

 

 The new ambo arrived.

 

The snow won't slow us down but...

We have been blessed by great

 weather during construction this year.

 

 

 

Earlier this week we were informed that the metal frame which will hold a clear, glass window (as well as four stained glass windows from the previous church) is not done. Until that is installed, much of the interior work of the chapel can not be done.

 So for now it is sealed and what

 can be done will be done.

Fr. Vogel is among those of us who can't wait!

(Behind Fr. Vogel is the chapel side of what will become the tabernacle.)