Bible on Four Walls

Understanding the design and beauty of the new altar

05/17/2025

In 2000, Bishop Robert Barron wrote an obscure little book called, Heaven in Stone and Glass. He lamented that we live in “iconoclastic times” explaining that “our church buildings have become largely empty spaces void of imagery and color, places where people gather but not places that, themselves, tell a story.” In semianry we called them “Pizza Hut churches.”

Instead, Barron insisted, a church building should basically be like a book, indeed, a catechism. He went on: “In their windows and towers, vaults, naves, roses, labyrinths, altars, and façades, these Gothic churches…teach the faith and focus the journey of the spirit.” In other words, every time we walk into church it should feel like we entered the Bible on four walls.

And I would like to share with you how our new back altar and new statues also “teach the faith and focus the journey of the spirit.” I will structure this homily in the form of FAQ’s, that is, frequently asked questions that people have posed lately about our recent renovations.

First, how long did it take to develop the design and construct the back altar? We worked with a company called King Richards for the past 16 months to design, build, ship, and install the new altar. As you know, the arrival was delayed due to shipping, so it took 4 months longer than we planned.

Second, what material is the altar made from? A company in Carrara, Italy built the altar out of two colors: pink and white, to match the pink and white in the current altar, and communion rail. You will notice we reversed the color scheme: instead of a pink frame with white panels, the new altar is white frame with pink panels. Mark Twain once observed: “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes.” So, the two colors of our altars don't repeat, but they do rhyme.

Third, what do the symbols in the new altar mean? Like Bishop Barron said, the altar tells a story, and these symbols play a prominent role in the book of Revelation. The alpha and the omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, and Jesus declared himself the Alpha and the Omega in Rv 22:13.

Incidentally, the Italian company sent us an extra marble Alpha and Omega. So I am going to put the Alpha on my office door and rhe Omega on the associate priest’s office door. So everyone knows who the Alpha priest is in this parish.

And in the middle panel is a Lamb sitting on a book with seven seals. Rv 5 speaks of Jesus as the Lamb who alone is worthy to open the seven-sealed book. And by the way, the seven seals signify the seven sacraments, which open up God’s graces to us, and Jesus alone unlocks.

Fourth, how did we decide on the other design features for the reredos? The central cupola directly above the tabernacle mimics the exterior of our church roof directly above the central transept. You have to step outside to see that.

The six niches with pointed arches framing the candles connect the altar with the pointed arches atop the stained-glass windows. The arches are not arbitrary but intended to make the altar harmonious with the original design of our Gothic church. The new altar should feel like it could have been the old altar.

Fifth, where did we get the statue of St. Patrick? King Richards designed it in their studio – with our input – carved out of wood. Then they painted it to match the statues of Mary and Joseph on rhe other end of the sanctuary. Why St. Patrick?

Well, I want to pay a debt we owe to our Irish forebearers who built this church. Sunday after Sunday we walk into this magnificent Gothic church, and we can easily take it all for granted. But the sacrifices they made yesterday made possible this Bible on four walls we enjoy today.

Sixth, why did we move the Sacred Heart statue to where the tabernacle was? That altar to stage-right (your left) was designed deliberately for the Blessed Sacrament because of the gold in-laid stone background. In art, gold always signifies divinity, like a golden halo symbolizes divine grace that makes a saint holy.

So, the only statue that could legitimately stand before the sign of divinity was the Son of God, Jesus Christ, and not a saint, not even the Blessed Virgin Mary. And honestly, I think the Sacred Heart looks stunning there and now four statues artfully balance the entire sanctuary.

Seventh is the million-dollar question on everyone’s mind: when are we going to raise the crucifix on the back wall? We originally designed the new altar to reach 3 inches below the feet of Jesus on the crucifix. But it ended up taller than we expected. But I am not entirely disappointment. Why not?

The new altar should dominate the sanctuary because it is the focal point of the architecture of the whole church. As Bishop Barron remarked: “It focusses the journey of the spirit.” We will raise the crucifix by 18 inches, so Jesus’ Body will be clearly visible from everywhere in the church. So, stay tuned, our sanctuary will soon be even more glorious.

In the gospel today, Jesus exclaims at the Last Supper, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.” Jesus was speaking, of course, of the glory of his impending death on the cross, by which he fulfilled God’s will and demonstrated the infinite depth of his love for us.

But on a much smaller scale, Jesus is also glorified in this new back altar, and his Sacred Heart beams enthroned and surrounded by gold. May all who enter this church feel inspired to glorify our Lord and Savior in the Blessed Sacrament and love our neighbor as he loves us. Welcome to our Bible on four walls!

Praised be Jesus Christ!