Work has begun! We are in the beginning phases of the installation of our marble altar. During the past two weeks, the work crews have moved all the pieces into the space, fortified the floor, and started building the altar. Some of you who come to daily mass at Sacred Heart have been able to come up and see the work in process. For daily updates, check out this page (below) or our Facebook page to watch Father Dan’s daily update videos. We will hold a spring cleaning event after the project is complete. Stay tuned for details and join us! If you have any questions about the project, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Melissa, 553.7158, pothe@portlanddiocese.org.
The excitement of the altar installation has begun! We hope you are as eager as we are now that the project is under way. Work will happen during the week, and the church will be left as ready as possible for weekend masses, events, and weddings. We have a summary of the installation schedule below, but please remember that there may be some changes as we move along. No project would be complete without a few wrenches thrown in along the way. While the renovation part of any project can be chaotic and messy, the end result will be a beautiful blessing to our parish and worth the small inconveniences. Thank you all for your patience and understanding as the project goes on.
The installation of the new Sacred Heart altar has been completed. The altar itself was donated to us by the Sisters of the Precious Blood and all costs associated with the move were donated by private donors with our deepest gratitude. Recently, parishioner Mimi Rice was kind enough to spend time researching a little bit about the history of this priceless gift. The altar and tabernacle throne are of a very high quality and totally in conformity with church guidelines. While the design was most likely through an American studio or marble shop, it appears to be made by DaPrato studios. The style likely dates somewhere between 1902-1930, but it could have been fabricated earlier, as it appears that the tabernacle section was behind the altar and an extension provided later when the altar was moved forward and new Mensa and side/back introduced. The details of the first quality marble and mosaics reflect this studio. Daprato Rigali Studios is an interior restoration and renovation company in Chicago, founded in 1860. The company specializes in decorative painting, stained glass, and marble fabrication.
The installation of the altar is now complete and serving in all Sacred Heart Masses! The only work left to do is to refinish the floors in the altar area, which should be done very soon. This priceless gift will certainly elevate the Mass experience for all who attend Sacred Heart. If you have not seen the finished altar, please visit Sacred Heart for either daily or weekend Masses to see for yourself, and don’t forget to check out the pictures and Fr. Dan’s videos showing the progress as it happened.
We want to give a special thank you to the Sisters of the Precious Blood who gave us this priceless work of art. We are especially grateful for the two private donors who made this project possible by funding the install of the altar and the refinishing of the floor. We must include the Bishop who helped fund the work to remove the altar from the monastery on State Street. We want to thank Mimi Rice for her research into the history of the altar. We want to thank the crew who helped dust and clean after the altar was complete and who will help again when the final dust has settled. Last but certainly not least, we need to thank Fr. Dan, whose vision and persistence made this happen.
Fr. Dan gives us a final look at the new altar and signs off...
Fr. Dan, Fr. Nathan March, hat drama and the progress of the altar...
Fr. Dan shows us the new marble steps and an issue with the floor.
Fr. Dan presents another video of the Sacred Heart altar install, hard hat and all...
They have finished drawing up the altar!
Take a closer look at the altar and the beginnings of the back altar!
Fr. Dan shows us that the altar sides have been put up. really showing the depth of the new altar. Guest starring parishioners Nancy March and Maureen Bien!
We see the beautiful front of the new alter, The Last Supper...
Our journey with Fr. Dan and the altar goes on...
Progress continues on the replacement and renovations of the Sacred Heart altar...
Watch as Fr. Dan walks us through Day 2 of the altar replacement/renovations...
The excitement of the altar installation has begun!