As we move forward with our renovations in the Church, we will need to bring the rear center wall, which will hold the stained glass window and the stonework, up to code and eliminate the reverberation which currently cannot handled the additional weight of the renovations. However, this is not simply an issue of making the wall secure for the renovations but that a structural engineer has determined that the wall as is, is unsafe—and that we have been lucky that there have been no issues with the wall to date due to its weak construction. As an aside, members of the choir have notice the wall’s movement on severely windy days and the parish, which is wide open from the north facing mountains, is a high wind area.

On a brighter note, I was able to view the stained glass window last week and it is nearly finished as the final pieces are being put together. The window will illustrate the symbol of Saint Catherine of Siena, our patron Saint, the white lilies which are being fed by a drop of Christ’s sacred blood (Christ nourishing our parish) as well as detailing the symbols of the Alpha and Omega (Christ, the Beginning and the End) and the four symbols of the Gospels. (a winged man, a winged ox, an eagle, and a winged lion). The work on the window is being completed by artist Christopher Hayes who attended Savannah College of Art and Design in Architect and Historic Preservation studies and then Belmont Tech for Building Preservation, and finally studying in Siena, Italy with Master Glass painters Alberto Positano and Rita Bocci. This is a wonderful connection to our parish. The window itself is quite colorful and uses water-wave glass with blues, greens, whites, reds and golds as well as painted jewels in the periphery.

More to follow as we progress.