The purpose of the Commitment Weekend is to reach out to those whom we failed to contact last year. This is your chance to make a pledge. Even if you have already made a pledge, seeing what has been accomplished may inspire you to increase your pledge. You can be sure that any additional funds pledged and collected for this campaign will remain at St. Genevieve for use by the parish.

As you may recall, in order to ensure that St. Genevieve’s would continue as a vibrant parish community, we decided that we had to commit to invest resources in repairs and renovations to the St. Genevieve Church structure. We felt that at some time in the future there would be additional parish closings and mergers. By collectively dedicating our resources to our parish, we believe that we could ensure that St. Genevieve’s remains a strong spiritual beacon in our community and a model parish in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

Our first capital campaign, about 6 years ago, addressed exterior church and school building concerns, including the replacement of the second story windows. That successful campaign was considered to be the first of a two step process.

The current capital campaign, which officially began about 18 months ago, provided us with the opportunity to do what past parishioners have done for us – that is, provide future parishioners with a strong foundation. The result of the campaign is what we see all around us –a beautiful new and inviting place of worship.

Identified Areas for Improvement
As you may recall, over three years ago, an informal parish survey was conducted in which six major areas in the church were identified for renovation.
They were:

• Replacement of church windows and doors
• Sanctuary
• Heating and air conditioning
• Floors and pews
• The Bethlehem Pike entrance
• The Sound system

Feasibility Study
As the concepts of what a renovation project might look like were being developed, a Feasibility Study was conducted to assess the likelihood of having a successful campaign to help fund the project. The results of that Study were that most parishioners believed that the renovations were needed and long overdue. The study also indicated that a capital campaign, should raise between $1.5 million and $2 million.

Campaign Summary
The campaign began in January of 2010, with the renovations beginning in May of that year. As of today, 465 parishioners and non-parishioners have pledged $1,428,197, with $830,585 already collected. Unfortunately, because of various shortcomings and logistical problems, not every parishioner was personally contacted and invited to make a pledge to this campaign. In addition, many parishioners were not in a position to make a financial commitment. The purpose of this Commitment Weekend is to reach out to those whom we failed to contact last year. This is your chance to make a pledge. If you were not able to make a pledge last year and your circumstances have changed we invite you to do what you can. Even if you have already made a pledge, seeing what has been accomplished may inspire you to increase your commitment. You can be sure that any additional funds pledged and collected for this campaign go directly to the costs of the renovations. If you would like a personal visit, call the rectory and someone would be more than happy to help arrange that.

In closing, this is a strong parish with a thriving school. We’ve come close to reaching the $1.5 million baseline goal of our campaign. With your additional support, we can surpass that goal.

Campaign Committee

COMMITMENT WEEKEND THIS WEEKEND, JUNE 11-12, 2011

The campaign officially began in January of 2010, with the renovations of the Church beginning in May of 2010. As of today, $1.4 million has been pledged, and $831,000 of those pledges has been paid to the parish. Unfortunately, because of various shortcomings and logistic problems, not every parishioner was contacted and asked to make a pledge to this campaign. The purpose of this Commitment Weekend is to reach out to those whom we failed to contact last year. This is your chance to make a pledge. Even if you have already made a pledge, seeing what has been accomplished may inspire you to increase your pledge. You can be sure that any additional funds pledged and collected for this campaign will remain at St. Genevieve for use by the parish.

We have come so close to reaching the minimum of our $1.5 million goal. With your additional support, we can surpass that minimum goal, and enjoy the fruits of the campaign –our new wonderful Church. To make or increase a pledge, or if you have any questions about the Capital Campaign please contact the rectory.

While we are making great progress towards bringing our church renovation plans to their completion, the campaign to support this wonderful project continues. Many parishioners and other supporters have made pledges toward this effort and will be fulfilling their pledges over this year and next. Everyone is invited to be a part of this mission to build up our parish for future generations. If you have not made a pledge and would like more information about the campaign, please contact the rectory. As always, the leadership committee asks for everyone’s prayers for a successful completion to this very worthy project.

In the continuing spirit of promoting unity in our Parish through the Building Our Future campaign, the new Altar in St. Genevieve Church will incorporate elements of the design of the baptismal font in Seven Dolors. In fact, the National Bishop’s Conference has called for the use of common or similar materials and patterns in demonstration the integral relationship between the baptismal font and the Altar.

“Because the Rites of Initiation of the Church begin with baptism and are completed by the reception of the Eucharist, the baptismal font and its location reflect the Christian’s journey through the waters of baptism to the Altar,” the bishops teach in their statement, Built of Living Stones: Art, Architecture and Worship. The relationship of the Baptistry to the Altar will also be demonstrated by their placement on the same architectural axis. The font will be prominently located at the entrance to the central aisle, creating a straight line of sight to the Altar, which will be located in the center of the sanctuary.

Since the Sacraments of Initiation must take place in the parish Church, when the regular schedule of celebrating most Masses and devotions in the parish Church resumes, the font in Seven Dolors may no longer be used for baptism. At that time, we will move the font to St. Genevieve Church. This placement of the baptismal font from Seven Dolors offers the happy news that this important fixture will be used for years to come in welcoming new members into the family of faith.

So many have been baptized over this font with great joy in the past and now, going forward, the children and adults initiated into new life in St. Genevieve Parish will have this vivid connection to the history of Seven Dolors.

Thank you to all who have contributed to our ongoing Capital Campaign. For those who have not yet contributed, there is still an opportunity to participate. Please join the many parishioners and friends of Saint Genevieve Church by supporting our campaign with your gift.

The Leadership Team of the Building Our Future campaign extends Christmas greetings to all the people of St. Genevieve Parish! May everyone have a happy and blessed Christmas season.

Stay up-to-date with progress of the construction during our exciting church renovation. Photos have been posted on the parish website, www.stgensparish.com. Please continue to pray for our campaign. In addition to your prayers, if you would like to make a pledge to support this wonderful project but have not done so yet, please contact the rectory for more information.

Many many thanks to Christopher Claudy, president of Suburban Enterprises (206 Kirkbrae Rd., Kennet Square) for his wonderful contribution of the marble stand on which the Tabernacle sits behind the Altar. It is amazing how the stand perfectly matches the Altar. It is as if it has always been in the Sanctuary. The quality of his craftsmanship has not gone unnoticed and we are very grateful for this work. Also we would like to thank the project managers working with Chris: John Claudy and Anthony Morizzi. We also want to specially thank Bob and Mary Roman for arranging all of this.

BUILDING OUR FUTURE
TODAY, TOMORROW, TOGETHER

The Placement of the Tabernacle

In keeping with a request from Cardinal Rigali and in the spirit of unity between the parish church and the worship site, we will be moving the tabernacle in Seven Dolors to a more prominent, central location in the sanctuary. In the newly renovated parish church, the tabernacle will also be placed in the center of the sanctuary.

These placements will be visual reminders and confirmation that Jesus, truly present in the Blessed Sacrament, is the heart of our faith. Following the Second Vatican Council’s Dogmatic Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy (Sacrosanctum Concilium), the body charged with implementing its decrees, issued guidelines on the care that should be devoted to the dignity of the tabernacle:

“The location should make it possible for the tabernacle to serve unmistakably as a sign and to give a sense of the Savior’s presence in the midst of his people.”

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states the tabernacle is to be situated “in a most worthy place with the greatest honor.”

While there is no universal law that dictates the exact location of the tabernacle in every circumstance, it is within the authority of the bishop to ensure that in the placement of the tabernacle, the Eucharist is afforded due respect and honor. In conforming to Cardinal Rigali’s judgment, may we make Jesus even more the center of our lives.

BUILDING OUR FUTURE
TODAY, TOMORROW, TOGETHER

Stay up-to-date with progress of the construction during our exciting church renovation. Photos have been posted on the parish website, www.stgensparish.com.

Please continue to pray for our campaign. In addition to your prayers, if you would like to make a pledge to support this wonderful project but have not done so yet, please contact the rectory for more information.

Built of Living Stones

As part of our reflections on the U.S. Bishops’ guidelines for the design and furnishing of Catholic worship spaces, this week we consider what a church should look like.

Parish communities about to renovate or build a church struggle with the question – what should it look like. In the first article in this series we discovered that word “church” refers first, to a people – a community of faith united with Christ as its head.

The building we often speak of as “the church” is the particular home of the Christian community, the place where the households of faith come to remember and celebrate the covenants between God and our forebears in faith.

Just as our homes are places where significant moments of family life are remembered and celebrated, the church building is the place where we gather in response to Christ’s invitation to join in the praise and thanks of God, our creator and source of life.

There, we are bathed and anointed in baptism. There we are fed the bread of life and the cup of salvation. There, we are reconciled with God and the community. There, with the Church as a witness, we pledge ourselves in life-long commitments. And it is there that we recall the promise of eternal life at our baptism even as we are given back to God in death.

Just as our homes differ widely according to climate, age, culture, wealth and size, so too do Christian churches exhibit a variety of styles. In fact, it has always been the case throughout the life of the church. The Catholic tradition has been truly catholic, that is, universal.

From the first houses that were converted to use as a place of worship in the second and third centuries, the design of places of worship has evolved in wide-ranging variety of shapes and styles.

While we tend to think of architecture in terms of historic progression – Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque– the evolution was not a straight line from period to period.

In every age, churches were built as a response to the way a Christian community expressed itself in worship. That expression has changed over time, and, in response, so has the design of worship spaces.

The rich history of Catholic worship space traces a path through every people and place where the liturgy has been offered. Since the Church is not wedded to a single architectural or artistic form, it seeks to engage the genius of every time and place, to craft the finest praise of God from what is available.

In our own day, there is sometimes a desire that the design of a church should copy or imitate a style from a former time. Certainly, we have much to learn from a careful study of the past. Yet, with a renewed understanding of the way we experience Christ’s presence in the liturgy and our own participation in the mysteries, we realize that not every former style supports and encourages our present understanding to the same degree.

Churches are more than meeting rooms in which various activities must be accommodated. They are also symbols of the presence of Christ in the world and a beacon of hope to the world. By their design, they can announce to the world that the living Body of Christ gathers there to remember and celebrate the marvelous works of God.

Built of Living Stones

As part of our reflections on the U.S. Bishops’ guidelines for the design and furnishing of Catholic worship spaces, this week we consider objects and furnishings in the service of the liturgy. When a parish gathers for the Eucharist, the objects and furnishings used in the celebration demonstrates how the community understands what is being celebrated. The care with which these elements are designed and crafted should mirror our understanding of the Eucharist as the source and summit of our lives as Christians. These objects may also mirror the distinctive community for which they are created. Communities are not bound to choose mass-produced articles such as those found in catalogs. Local artists can be sought who will offer designs that are unique and carry both the symbolic and functional requirements of the liturgy.

The processional cross should be a sign that we are united as a family in the journey toward the altar, just as we live by the sign of that cross in our daily lives. The liturgical books – the lectionary and the sacramentary – should be made of fine materials and good design, as a sign of our reverence and love of the word of God and our common prayers.
The vessels (chalice, flagons, cups and plates) used for the Eucharist should show that this community takes seriously Christ’s command to “take and eat – take and drink.” They derive their beauty not so much by the preciousness of materials as by the clear and evident honesty of materials and the quality of the design.
Materials used for sacred vessels such as the chalice and paten should be worthy, solid and durable and should not break easily.
While they are distinguished from cups and plates we may use in our homes, they still serve the function of sharing the Eucharistic food and drink. They should be large enough to hold the elements of the Eucharist to be consumed and to capture the attention of the assembly. In contemporary churches, candles no longer provide the principal lighting as they once did.

However, they do more than simply mark a special occasion as they might at a holiday or birthday dinner. They are also symbols of the presence of Christ, the light of the world in our midst. Just as the Eucharistic elements are consumed in the liturgy, so too is the wax of the candle consumed in its use.

Candles, which are signs of reverence and festivity, are to be used at every liturgical service. Candles for liturgical use should be made of a material that provides a living flame without being smoky or noxious. To safeguard authenticity and full symbolism of light, electric lights as a substitute for candles are not permitted.

The largest candle is the paschal candle, first lighted at the Easter Vigil. The paschal candle remains prominent throughout the 50 days of Easter and each time the parish celebrates a baptism or a funeral. The presence of this candle proclaims our faith in the resurrection of Christ the unquenchable light.

The vestments worn by ministers symbolize the ministers’ functions and add beauty to the celebration of the rites. The beauty and nobility of a vestment should derive from its material and design rather than from lavish ornamentation.

The design of each of the objects and furnishings should relate to the design of the entire space, creating a harmony of elements. These elements become sacred in the way that they encourage an assembly to enter fully into the mysteries of our faith.

Stay up-to-date with progress of the construction during our exciting church renovation. New photos have been posted on the parish website, www.stgensparish.com. Please continue to pray for our campaign. In addition to your prayers, if you would like to make a pledge to support this wonderful project but have not done so yet, please contact the rectory for more information.

Built of Living Stones

As part of our reflections on the U.S. Bishops’ guidelines for the design and furnishing of Catholic worship spaces, this week we consider art in the service of liturgy.

There is something powerful in worthy art that reveals truth and beauty in a way that words alone cannot capture. Art placed in a liturgical setting has the power to help a community to remember and celebrate its relationship with God, who is beyond our complete understanding or ability to contain in words.

Unlike other ways in which we use art in modern life, liturgical art is not first about decoration. Images in a liturgical setting are another form of proclamation of the message of the gospels – a visual parable – allowing us to see with new eyes. Just as the gospels call us to ongoing conversion and a change of heart, so too, images can confront our complacency and comfortable assumptions. And unlike art that is created as a tribute to a famous person in society, worthy images of Mary and the saints can move beyond honor to give us some insight into the way in which they shared in the life and work of Christ and in the paschal mystery.

We can see in these images a way in which we too might embrace Christ and become one with Christ in the Eucharist, as we are broken and poured out for those who are hungry and thirsty in our midst. Since the liturgy is an action of Christ and the Church, art in spaces for the Eucharist must foster, and never compete with, the principal symbols of the sacrificial meal and the full, active and conscious participation of all those present. The altar and the ambo will always be the most important furnishings in a space dedicated to the celebration of the Eucharist. Images and decorative elements should enhance and not detract from these central elements.

Parish communities have discovered that images can be placed in a variety of spaces throughout a church, including the gathering space, devotional alcoves, chapels, meditation gardens and at the entrance.

On the walls surrounding the baptistery of a 3rd century house-church discovered in East Syria, an early Christian community painted primitive, but colorful depictions of stories from the Old and New Testaments to help them celebrate and remember what baptism means for the newly initiated and for the community.

Images included Adam and Eve, the Samaritan woman at the well, the healing of the paralyzed man, St. Peter’s attempt to walk on the water and the three women who found the tomb empty. Also included was an image of the Good Shepherd, with a ram on his shoulders and a flock of sheep at his side.

Today, parish communities continue this long tradition of commissioning artists who create art that is truly beautiful and that communicates the weight of the mysteries that we celebrate. These images should not be trivial, but should, over time, unfold the truths that are revealed in the Scriptures and the life of the living Church.

Rites Of The Church

The Sunday celebration of the Eucharist is the principal liturgical activity for which spaces for worship are designed. However, the Christian community gathers at many other significant moments in its life. Designing spaces carefully for those rites is also important in a new or renovated church.

The Sacrament of Penance

Catholics who grew up before 1970 were accustomed to celebrate the sacrament of penance in dark confessional boxes equipped with a kneeler and screen obscuring their identity from the priest sitting in an adjoining space. Since that time, the reform of the rites has changed the way we celebrate penance.

The celebration of the sacrament of penance focuses on the reconciliation of the penitent with God and the community. While anonymity is still offered, reconciliation chapels or rooms also allow for the penitent to relate to the priest face-to-face. Often the space is brighter, more open and suitably decorated with images of God’s reconciling love. Because of the relationship of this sacrament to baptism and Eucharist, the place for reconciliation is often located to emphasize this association. When the sacrament is celebrated communally with a large number of penitents, the entire space for worship may accommodate a number of temporary stations for confessors positioned throughout.

Excerpts from Built of Living Stones

In planning the reconciliation area, parishes will want to provide for a sound-proof place with a chair for the priest and kneeler and chair for the penitent. Appropriate artwork, a crucifix symbolic of Christ’s victory over sin and death, icons or images reflective of baptism and the Eucharist help to enhance the atmosphere of prayer. Warm, inviting lighting welcomes penitents who seek God’s help.

The Death of a Christian

The Order of Christian Funerals rites mark the final stage of the journey begun by the Christian in baptism. The structure of the current rites dates back to “Christian Rome where [there were] three ‘stages’ or ‘stations’ [during the funeral rite] joined by two processions”: the first from the home of the deceased to the church and the second from the Church to the place of burial.

Because the faith journey of the deceased began in baptism, it is appropriate that there be a physical association between the baptismal font and the space for the funeral ritual.

Liturgy of the Hours

In the recent past, only priests and those in religious life observed the liturgy of the hours or the daily office. Now morning and evening prayer are becoming more and more common in the life of a parish.

Although there are no specific spatial requirements for the celebration of the Hours, the focal points of the celebration are the word of God and the praying assembly. An area of flexible seating can facilitate the prayer of a smaller group divided to facilitate the antiphonal nature of singing and recitation.

A cool drink, a raging torrent, a gentle drizzle, the depths of the ocean or a warm bath. How can something so powerful and devastating as water be so refreshing and vital to life? In the ancient world, water was long considered with fire, earth and wind one of four basic elements of life. Just as water held a tremendous significance for ancient religions, so also for us Christians. Water is the matter of our first sacrament that brings about incorporation, reconciliation and restoration. Both St. John and St. Paul speak of the water of baptism as both womb and tomb. It marks the death of the old self and the rebirth into a life in Christ. In baptism, God forgives sin and incorporates a new member into the Body of Christ.

Sacraments transform common elements of human life and experience to create a new reality for the believer. The outward signs of these sacraments should be felt, seen, heard, tasted and smelled. They should be ample signs, never defined by “only what is necessary.” In the Sacrament of Baptism, this is best expressed by the sight and sound of a significant body of water that is visible and even audible.

History of the Baptistry: a room for baptism can be found in one of the earliest known spaces used for worship – a third century house /church in East Syria. There it was decorated with scenes for Adam and Eve, Noah’s ark, Christ healing the paralytic and Christ as young shepherd. As Christian communities grew in size and from region to region, baptisteries varied in shape (round, hexagonal and octagonal) in scale, and in placement within or just outside a church. Many were large enough to allow adults to enter and be either fully or partially submerged.

Baptismal pools or fonts have always been given a place of prominence, commonly near the entrance to the church. As centuries progressed and liturgical practice was marked by sacramental minimalism in the use of the outward signs associated with them, baptismal fonts tended to be reduced in size and prominence within the church. Often a very small amount of water was dripped over the head of infants or adults.

In reform of the liturgy, there has been a recovery of earlier practices, including the baptism of adults and children by immersion. Baptismal pools are frequently placed in the main path of entry to the church allowing participants to mark themselves with the sign of the cross to recall their own baptism- the first and foundational sacrament in the life of a Christian. Additionally, this placement at the entrance strengthens the imagery invoked at the beginning of every funeral when the baptism of the deceased is recalled.

Excerpts from Built of Living Stones
The rites of baptism, the first of the sacraments of initiation, require a prominent place for celebration. Initiation into the Church is entrance into a Eucharistic community united in Jesus Christ. Because the rites of initiation of the Church begin with baptism and are completed by the reception of the Eucharist, the baptismal font and its location reflect the Christian’s journey through the waters of baptism to the altar. This integral relationship between the baptismal font and the altar can be demonstrated in a variety of ways, such as placing the font and the altar on the same architectural axis, using natural or artificial lighting, using the same floor patters and using common and similar materials and elements of design

The Leadership Team of Building our Future, Today, Tomorrow, Together, is continuing to working hard making our Church renovation project as successful as possible. Even as the construction unfolds, the team is happy to share the story of this wonderful effort. If you would like to lend your personal support of this endeavor to secure our parish’s future but have not been contacted by a volunteer/visitor, please call the rectory (215-835-2828) and let us know.

To date 320 families and individuals have pledged $1,263,319.

Parishioners are continuing to show their love for the Church and support for the Building Our Future campaign. To date, 315 families and individuals have pledged $1,233,819. for the campaign to renovate our church. If you have not heard from a visitor and would like more information about this wonderful effort, please contact the rectory.

Built of Living Stones:  The Tabernacle

As part of our reflections on the U.S. Bishops’ guidelines for the design and furnishing of Catholic worship spaces, this week we consider the reservation of the Eucharist.

Until the reforms of the recent past, Catholic liturgy had focused on the presence of Christ in the Eucharist, while Protestant liturgies placed more emphasis on the Word of God and its interpretation.
The most obvious architectural symbol of the contrast between these two poles is the central and unmistakable presence of a tabernacle in most Catholic worship spaces.
For many, its very presence within the sanctuary is a statement of the particular and defining belief of the Catholic Church.

The reservation of the Eucharist was originally intended for the communion of the sick, for those unable to attend the Sunday celebration and as Viaticum for the dying. As the appreciation of Christ’s presence in the Eucharistic species became more developed, Christians desired through prayer to show reverence for Christ’s continuing presence in their midst.

Today the reservation of the Eucharist in the tabernacle still serves the need of the ministry to the sick and the dying and other situations when Communion is given outside Mass. It is also the place for the adoration of Christ in the reserved Eucharist. It is not to be seen as a storage of consecrated hosts for future Masses, except in the case of an unexpected number of communicants.

The Code of Canon Law directs that the Eucharist be reserved in part of the Church that is “distinguished, conspicuous, beautifully decorated, and suitable for prayer.” It directs that there regularly be “only one tabernacle” in the Church. It should be worthy of the Blessed Sacrament – beautifully designed and in harmony with the overall décor of the rest of the church.

To provide for the security of the Blessed Sacrament the tabernacle should be “solid,” “immovable,” “opaque” and “locked.” The tabernacle should be situated on a fixed pillar or stand, or it may be attached to or embedded in one of the walls. A special oil lamp or a lamp with a wax candle burns continuously near the tabernacle as an indication of Christ’s presence.

There are a number of possible spaces suitable for Eucharistic reservation. The bishop is to determine where the tabernacle will be placed and to give further direction. The bishop may decide that the tabernacle be placed in the sanctuary apart from the altar of celebration or in a separate chapel for adoration and for the private prayer of the faithful.

The discipline of the Church requires that the tabernacle be truly prominent in our worship spaces, but never in such a way that it obscures the focus of the principal activity of the celebration of the Eucharistic Sacrifice.

Next week: the Baptistry

Read Built of Living Stones at the USCCB

As part of our reflections on the U.S. Bishops’ guidelines for the design and furnishing of Catholic worship spaces, this week we consider assembly seating and the presider’s chair.

The configuration of seating should allow everyone to take part in the active participation of the rites. The worship space is neither a concert hall nor a theater. We do not come as spectators. We come as the Body of Christ to join ourselves more fully to Christ in the Word and the Eucharist.

There is no stage. Although we give prominence to the place of the altar and the ambo, we are not passive onlookers to a performance given for our benefit. Instead, we join with Christ in offering ourselves in a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. Next time at Mass, notice that when the priest speaks the words of the Eucharistic prayer, he always uses the pronoun “we”, never “I”.

Because liturgical actions by their nature are communal celebrations, they are celebrated with the presence and active participation of the Christian faithful whenever possible. The building itself should promote the full, conscious and active participation of the faithful.

The priest or deacon, those who proclaim God’s word, the ministers of music, those who assist at the altar and members of the congregation all play an integral part in the public prayer of the Church. The design of the church should reflect the unity of the entire assembly and at the same time insure that each person is able to exercise his ministry in a space that fully accommodates the ritual action called for by that ministry.

The priest celebrant presides at the Eucharist from a location where he can be seen and heard clearly by all present. Because in his person we acknowledge another presence of Christ in our midst, his chair should reflect the dignity of his role in the assembly, but it should not be distant or extravagant.

The priest celebrant’s chair is distinguished from the seating for other ministers by its design and placement.

Next week: Reservation of the Eucharist

Read Built of Living Stones at the USCCB

As part of our reflections on the U.S. Bishops’ guidelines for the design and furnishing of Catholic worship spaces, this week we consider the ambo.

“Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:32) With these words, the two disciples who had been walking on the road to Emmaus described to themselves in amazement how a stranger who had mysteriously appeared to them made sense of the stories of their people’s history. The identity of that stranger became clear to them at the end of their journey when they broke bread together – he was the resurrected Christ, who made the scriptures come alive in a way they had never experienced before.

In the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, the Church teaches us that when the scriptures are proclaimed in the liturgy, it is Christ himself who is speaking. The Word of God has the power to save us. And so, the Mass that we celebrate today reflects the importance that we give to the proclamation and interpretation of the scripture.

On Sundays, the three-year cycle of readings exposes us to the great stories of our ancestors in faith, the writings of St. Paul and the life and teachings of Jesus. Sacraments and all other public expressions of our faith must include some proclamation of the Word. Homilies should be based on the readings and should be given at most liturgies.

The place of the proclamation of the word is called the ambo. To signify its critical relationship to the Eucharist and the altar table, it is often called the table of the Word. At this table, the hungers of our hearts are fed. The ambo must be visible to all and designed to reflect the dignity and reverence we give to the Word proclaimed in our assemblies. It should have a harmonious relationship with both the altar and the architecture of the space as a whole.

The ambo is generally reserved for the proclamation and interpretation of the scripture and not as a place for announcements or song leading (except in the leading of the Psalms).

The prominent placement of the ambo draws the attention of those present to the proclamation of the word. Here the Christian community encounters the living Lord in the word of God and prepares itself for the “breaking of the bread” and the mission to live the word to be proclaimed.

Our reverence for the Word of God is expressed in not only an attentive listening to and reflection upon the Scripture, but also by the way we handle and treat the book of the Gospels. The ambo can be designed not only for reading and preaching, but also for displaying the open Book of the Gospels or a copy of the Scriptures before and after the liturgical celebration.

Next week: Assembly seating and the presider’s chair

Read Built of Living Stones at the USCCB

Even as the leadership team of the Building Our Future campaign continues to share the good news of our renovation project and encourage everyone to participate, the physical reconstruction of the church is going forward.
Recently, all the pews were removed for refurbishing and eventual reinstallation in the newly configured worship space.
The parish has selected the construction firm W.S. Cumby to lead the project and a contract will be signed shortly.
You can view photographs of the progress of renovations by visiting www.stgensparish.com

ENVIRONMENT FOR CATHOLIC WORSHIPBUILT OF LIVING STONES – USCCB DOCUMENT

As part of our reflections on the U.S. Bishops’ guidelines for the design and furnishing of Catholic worship spaces, this week we consider the altar. It is amazing that two of the most common daily activities that humans share – eating and drinking – are also the way Catholics mark their most important encounter with the sacred.

Think back to the most important meals in your life. It would be hard to imagine a wedding celebration without some sort of reception following. Funerals too, are often concluded with a meal shared by friends and family.

Jesus began his public ministry at the wedding feast at Cana and chose to gather his closest companions to celebrate a special meal on the night before he died. Within the context of the Jewish Passover, he marked his own Passover as the sacrificial lamb, by taking, blessing, breaking and sharing the most common of Mediterranean food staples – bread and wine. Now we do the same in his memory and recognize his presence among us.

In many ancient cultures, altars were erected as stone slabs to offer crops or animal or even human victims as a sacrifice to the deity.

In our buildings, we also call the table of the Eucharist an altar on which a ritual, sacrificial meal makes present the paschal mystery – Christ’s life, death and resurrection. We join our lives with Christ in this offering to the Father.

In the beginning, Christian communities gathered in homes to celebrate this ritual meal. As their numbers grew, these communities adapted homes and eventually built spaces specifically for worship. In these spaces, the shape of the table evolved from a dining table for daily meals to one more suited to the ritual meal. It became taller and more square.

Though it frequently retained aspects of a table, it was, at times, also fashioned from stone and more and more became fixed within the building. Eventually elongated altars moved further from the gathered assembly until they were set in the rear of the sanctuary. Frequently multiple side altars were also erected throughout a church.

In the recent past, in a recovery of an earlier understanding of the Eucharist, altars have been moved closer to the assembly and are designed to express both the meal and the sacrificial dimensions of the Eucharist. Only the bread and wine and the sacramentary book are ordinarily to be placed upon it.

New churches are to have a single freestanding altar placed in such a way that everyone gathered can have an unobstructed view.

Many of the parables of Jesus revolved around food and feasts. And so we are not surprised to hear the kingdom of heaven described as a lavish banquet. Every Sunday, we are called to the table of the Lord to share in this feast, joining with countless generations of believers who have stood around the altar to keep Christ’s command, “Do this in memory of me.”

The altar is the center of thanksgiving that the Eucharist accomplishes and the point around which the other rites are in some manner arrayed. Since the Church teaches that the altar is Christ, its composition should reflect the nobility, beauty, strength and simplicity of the One it represents. In new churches, there is to be only one altar so that it signifies to the assembly of the faithful the one Christ and the one Eucharist of the Church.

@2003 FDLC 415 Michigan Ave., NE, Suite 70, Washington DC.
Used with permission.
Next week:  The Ambo

Read Built of Living Stones at the USCCB

The U.S. Bishops’ guidelines for the design and furnishing of Roman Catholic worship spaces, found in Built of Living Stones, have been summarized in the publication, Environment for Catholic Worship. We will highlight excerpts in the bulletin in this and the coming weeks.

The Living Church:

The focus of our attention in this series will be the place where the local church celebrates the mysteries of our faith as a parish. The church building must serve the action of the assembly as it celebrates the mystery of redemption. It is the place where the presence of Christ is experienced in all of its manifestations.

In this place, the Church remembers the blessings and covenants of the past. It unites itself with Christ in the New Covenant and responds to Christ’s command to “Do this in memory of me.”

The liturgy that we celebrate here is the source and summit of Christian life.

The hospitality and care that must characterize the daily life of a Christian should be present where Christians gather. Every church building is a gathering place for the assembly, a resting place, a place of encounter with God, as well as a departure point on the Church’s unfinished journey toward the reign of God.

The primary concern in the building or renovation of a space for worship must be its suitability for the celebration of the Eucharist and other liturgical rites of the Church. Consequently, the fundamental prerequisite for those engaged in the building or renovation of a church is familiarity with the rites to be celebrated there.

@2003 FDLC 415 Michigan Ave., NE, Suite 70, Washington DC.
Used with permission.
Next week:  The Altar

Read Built of Living Stones at the USCCB

As we work toward and anticipate the renovation of our Church, in the coming weeks this space will feature highlights on church architecture from a publication on the Environment for Catholic Worship focusing on the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops document, Built of Living Stones. This document covers guidelines for the design and furnishing of Catholic churches.

These updates will explore the major issues and themes of the document with extensive quotes on various facets of a church building. We hope these reflections will help us all deepen our sense of Catholic identity during this exciting and important moment in the life of our parish.

Read Built of Living Stones at the USCCB

The leadership team for the “Building Our Future” campaign is pleased to note that support for our exciting church renovation project continues to grow. The total pledged to date amounts to $1,073,188.00 representing pledges from 274 individuals and families. The effort to rebuild our church goes on as volunteers continue to reach out to parishioners. If you would like a visit from a volunteer to learn more about this wonderful effort, but have not yet been contacted, please call the rectory. Visit www.stgensparish.com for frequent updates on the progress of the renovations. And please continue to pray for the success of this very worthy effort.

The Building Our Future campaign has so far secured pledges of $1,038,313 from 280 families and individuals. This wonderful support for our renovation project is a beautiful reflection of parishioners’ love for God and the Church. Visits to spread the word about the campaign are ongoing; if you have not been visited and would like to speak to a volunteer about the project, please contact the rectory. And please continue to pray for God’s blessings on this campaign.

As a church building has been called a “sermon in stone,” in many ways, our plans for renovating our church reflect the hope and glory of the Easter message. May the success of our campaign to add to the beauty of our church be a sign of St. Augustine’s belief, “We are an Easter people, and alleluia is our song!”

The Leadership Team of the Building Our Future campaign wishes everyone a blessed and happy Easter season!

As we continue to make progress toward the exciting renovation of our church, some adjustments to our routines will be necessary. When the church closes after the last Mass on April 18, daily and weekend Masses will be offered off-site for the duration of the reconstruction.

All the details will be provided in a letter that will be sent to all parishioners, in announcements from the altar and in a forthcoming bulletin insert.

In the meantime, please continue to pray for God’s blessings on our campaign to rebuild His Church. Many thanks to those who have made a commitment to the campaign. The campaign’s leadership committee asks those who have not yet done so to prayerfully consider supporting this wonderful endeavor.

For more information, call the rectory or visit www.stgensparish.com.

There’s good news about the Building Our Future Campaign! Following a meeting with Msgr. Matz to review the architect’s plans, Cardinal Rigali has approved the design for our reconfigured church.

The next step is presenting the project to the March 26th meeting of the Archdiocese College of Consultors. Hopefully all will go well at this meeting.

The Campaign has so far generated pledges of $948,690 from 209 families or individuals. Visits have entered a crucial stage. If you have heard from a volunteer who would like to discuss the renovation project, please schedule a time for a visit as soon as possible. If you have not received a call from a volunteer and would like a visit, please call the rectory.

The success of the Campaign hinges on generous support from as many people as possible.

To see the exciting plans, visit www.stgensparish.com and click on ‘Architect’s Renderings.

In addition to the beautiful new sanctuary we will create as part of the plans for our church, other features are designed to aid in our sacramental life. The new plans call for moving the main entrance and narthex from the Bethlehem Pike side of the church to the southwest side of the building.

This renovation offers a dramatic change in how many of us will experience entering the church.

Catholic writer George Weigel recently reflected on the importance of the narthex in church architecture: “Churches should be different. To enter the body of a Catholic church should be to experience a change in location: to cross a portal into a different kind of space than the space in which we live our daily lives.

“Remind yourself that to cross the threshold between the vestibule and the body of the church is to pass one of those permeable borders between the natural and the supernatural that constitute the physical texture of Catholicism's sacramental imagination: that way-of-seeing-things that teaches us that the extraordinary lies just on the far side of the ordinary.”

Visit www.stgensparish.com to view the inspiring renderings of our reconfigured church.

The Building Our Future, Today, Tomorrow, Together campaign is fully underway! Donors have already pledged $858,800 towards our goal of between $1.5 million to $2 million for our church renovation plans.

These pledges represent commitments from 165 individuals or families out of a total of 800 pledges we hope to receive.

Visits are still going on. If you are interested in helping spread the good news about our parish’s plans for the future, please contact our campaign co-chairs, Pat & Kathy Kaufmann, 215-233-4068 or Tim & Arlene Lawn, 215-233-2349.

Look to this space for further updates on this wonderful project and visit www.stgensparish.com.

Volunteers helping tell the story of the Building Our Future, Today, Tomorrow, Together campaign have been visiting fellow parishioners to tell the exciting story of our church renovation plans.

You may have been, or soon will be, contacted by a volunteer who would like to set up a time to visit with you to share details about this great project and answer any questions you might have.

Please welcome the volunteer who offers to call on you.

Both visitors and the families already visited have found these exchanges to be wonderful opportunities to share the parish’s story and learn more about this major renovation and the spiritual fruits it promises to produce.

Watch this space in the coming weeks for progress reports and, as the campaign continues, please continue to pray that God will bless us in this work.

Last weekend’s kick-off events, marking the beginning of our Building Our Future, Today, Tomorrow, Together campaign, generated an enthusiastic response. Parishioners gathered in the parish halls to review the architect’s renderings of the church renovation plans and discuss the project with members of the leadership team. Even more volunteers were inspired to step forward and offered to help share the story of this exciting campaign. To learn more about this endeavor, visit www.stgensparish.com and to help spread the word, contact one of our campaign co-chairs, Kathy & Pat Kaufmann or Arlene & Tim Lawn.

SAVE THE DATE!

The official kick-off of the Building Our Future, Today, Tomorrow, Together campaign will take place next weekend, Jan. 30-31. Everyone is invited to join in hospitality following each Mass next weekend in celebration of the launch of our major renovation plans for our Church. At these gatherings, the entire parish will have the opportunity to mark the beginning of this wonderful effort and to celebrate one of the most significant moments in our parish’s history.

Please plan to attend to learn more about this exciting campaign and to enjoy refreshments – in the parish hall following the 5:00 p.m.; 7:30 a.m.; 10:00 a.m. and 11:45 am. Masses and in Fr. Lorenz Hall following the 9:00 a.m. Mass.

Upcoming Capital Campaign Events:

Volunteer Weekend, January 16 and 17

As Monsignor Matz has recently reminded us, “A church building should invite all to raise their minds and hearts to the One who is the source of all beauty and truth . . . . Renovating a church is one of the most significant and formative experiences in the life of a parish.”

This Volunteer Weekend is in response to the many requests to be more involved in this campaign that will completely transform our church. Today, an open invitation for all parishioners to actively serve in the campaign will be offered after each mass. Please join the more than 70 volunteers that have come forward to help organize the beginning stages of the campaign. Your support will make a difference. We need and expect the number of volunteers to more than double as we approach the official launch of the Building Our Future, Today, Tomorrow, Together campaign for Saint Genevieve Parish on January 31.

Would you consider being a volunteer?

Sign-up sheets are available at each of the exits as are volunteers who can answer any questions you might have.

The Leadership Team of the Building Our Future campaign extends Christmas greetings to all the people of St. Genevieve Parish!  May everyone have a happy and blessed Christmas season.

In an Advent address a few years ago, our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, reflected on how a church building announces God’s presence among us:

“John’s Gospel expresses thus the mystery of the Incarnation: ‘And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us’; literally, ‘he made his dwelling among us’ (John 1:14). Does not the building of a church amid the houses of a village or neighborhood of a city evoke perhaps this great gift and mystery?

Therefore, though it is God who takes the initiative of coming to dwell in the midst of men, and he is always the main architect of this plan, it is also true that he does not will to carry it out without our active cooperation. Therefore, to prepare for Christmas means to commit oneself to build ‘God’s dwelling with men.’ No one is excluded; every one can and must contribute so that this house of communion will be more spacious and beautiful.”

— Excerpt from midday Angelus, 12 December 2006, Vatican City.

Our campaign to renovate the church has been moving forward as members of the leadership committee and many other volunteers have been reviewing the plans for renewal and preparing to spread the word of our parish’s great history of stewardship and generosity.

Volunteers have considered the many encouraging comments shared by fellow parishioners in the survey conducted during the recent feasibility study.

Those responses are inspiring the committee in its mission to invite each of us to do our part to make this project a success.

“Everything we have given, we have gotten back many times over … Saint Genevieve is our home and we need to take care of it,” one couple said. And, “these plans are a long time coming. It’s beautiful and the people are ready,” said another.

The strong support for the renovation campaign already found among parishioners indicates the people of St. Genevieve will embrace this great endeavor to build our future and pass on our many blessings to generations yet to come. The architect’s renderings and more information about the campaign can be found on the parish website, www.stgensparish.com

The Leadership Committee of the Saint Genevieve Capital Campaign extends Thanksgiving Day greetings to all parishioners. And we join everyone in giving thanks for the gift of belonging to a vibrant parish that is committed to working together to build our future. Please look in upcoming church bulletins for occasional progress reports and updates on this exciting project.

The Spire seen here is the symbol (and our campaign logo) representing St. Genevieve's commitment to the capital project: "Building our Future, Today, Tomorrow, Together". Each week, here in the bulletin, this Spire will be a reminder of the vast and important undertaking we have embarked upon to renovate our church. Hopefully, you saw the renderings in the back of the church several weeks ago.

Some weeks, the Spire will simply serve as a reminder. However, it is intended that the St Genevieve community will be kept up to date on the Capital Campaign and the renovation project by going to the Spire. Included will be news concerning on-going plans, realization of those plans and actual construction events. So, please do look for The Spire and join in both action and prayer as all of St. Genevieve's embraces this wonderful cause.

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