St. Edward the Confessor Catholic Church
+ House of God and House of the Church +
When people talk about “the church”, they often mean different things. However, first and foremost, the term Church refers to the living temple, God’s people. The term church is also used to describe the building in which the Christian community gathers to hear the Word of God, to pray together, to receive the sacraments, and celebrate the Eucharist. The building we call St. Edward the Confessor Church is both the house of God on earth (domus Dei) and a house of the church (domus ecclesiae), the people of God. Thus, the building is the house, and the people are the Church.
The house of the church (domus ecclesiae) is never simply a gathering space, rather, it signifies and makes visible the Church living in a particular place. The church building itself becomes a sign of the pilgrim Church on earth and reflects the Church dwelling in heaven. Every church building is a gathering place for the assembly, a resting place, a place of encounter with God, as well as a point of departure on the Church’s unfinished journey toward the reign of God. The church building is a sign and reminder of the immanence and transcendence of God- who chose to dwell among us and whose presence cannot be contained or limited to any single place (exerts taken from Built of Living Stones (BLS), U.S. Bishops, #50).
The Domestic Church
Pope St. John Paull II referred to the Christian family as the domestic church. We do not define our family as the house we live in but, rather, the people who live in it. Nonetheless, a house that is cramped, dirty and run-down, or safe and clean has a real effect on the people living in it. We care for our home because we care about our family. And, we care for our homes as a way of caring for our family.
The renovation of St. Edward the Confessor Church is being carried out in this same spirit. As good stewards, we are taking care of the house of God and the house of the church because we love God and those that call this place home.
The renovation of the church is a perfect opportunity to renew our faith and spiritually renovate our family home, the domestic church. The signs, symbols and actions that are common to our parish church can be integrated into our domestic church so that our family continues to grow into a living and vibrant house of God.
A House of the Poor: As we improve our house of worship, we will also be forging a new relationship with St. Martin Caballero Catholic Church in Tijuana. Knowing the important role a church building has in the spiritual life of a community, we will be working hand-in-hand with St. Martin’s Church to improve their house of God and house of the church.
(Image: La Parroquia de San Martín Caballero, Tijuana, México)
Guiding Principles and Sources
The renovation of St. Edward the Confessor Church has been guided by the following principles and sources.
To be good stewards of the church that has been entrusted to us
To respect and complement the existing architecture and general style of the church. To keep the color scheme light while adding warmth
Universal and diocesan liturgical guidelines
Honor the heritage of the church and the vision of Fr. Knight by including treasured items from the original church built in 1971.
Highlight the four main expressions of Christ’s presences during Mass. Enhance the use of art as a form or worship.
Accessibility for persons with physical disabilities
Renovate the church with the future needs of parish (building and people) in mind.
Only monies specifically saved, approved, and set-aside for the renovation will be used.
Increase seating capacity, if possible
In choosing materials, consider quality, authenticity of materials, safety, initial cost, long-term maintenance costs and time.
Maintain current level of giving to outreach ministries during renovation, based on a four-year annual average of $500,000
Contribute toward the renovation of a poor Catholic Church in Tijuana
Sources:
Theological:
Built of Living Stones (BLS), a guiding document of the U.S. Bishops regarding the building and renovating of Catholic Churches
General Instruction of the Roman Missal (G.I.R.M)
Parish:
Parish Renovation Committee: parishioners, staff members, ministry representatives
Parish Operations Manager
Parish Finance Council
Parish Pastoral Council
Parish Business Manager and Finance Manager
One-on-one conversations with parishioners and Fr. Steve Sallot
Diocesan Sources
Bishop Kevin Vann, Bishop of Orange: The bishop was consulted and he reviewed and approved all renovation decisions.
Diocesan Design and Renovation Committee
Diocesan Construction Board
Liturgy Design Consultant: Robert Habiger of Dekker/Perich/Sabatin was hired from 2012- 2013. In May of 2013, he produced a 50-page Liturgical Program, a document consisting of renovation recommendations and considerations.
The Presence of Christ
In the liturgical assembly, Christ’s presence is realized in all the baptized who gather in his name, in the word of God proclaimed in the assembly, in the person of the priest through whom Christ offers himself to the Father and gathers the assembly, in sacramental celebrations, and especially, in the Sacrament of his Body and Blood. In the renovation of a house for the Church that is also the house of God on earth, all the expressions of Christ’s presence have prominence of place that reflects their proper nature. Among these, the Eucharistic species is accorded supreme prominence (Cf. BLS #22).
Great effort and care has been taken in the renovation of the church to reflect the four expressions of Christ’s presence in the liturgical assembly.
The baptized – The Congregation’s Area
Eucharistic – Altar and tabernacle
The Word of God – Ambo
The Priest – Presider’s chair
The baptized
The Congregation’s Area
-Christ’s presence is realized in all the baptized who gather in his name-
The space where the faithful gather is sometimes called the nave. The gathering of the baptized is the church, therefore, this space is critical in the renovation of the house of the church. A variety of ritual actions such as processions, the singing of the prayers, movements during baptismal rites, the sprinkling of the congregation with blessed water, the rites during the wedding and funeral liturgies, and personal devotion all take place in the nave.
Since the liturgy requires various postures and movements, the space and furniture for the congregation should accommodate them well. Styles of benches, pews, or chairs can be found that comfortably accommodate the human form. Kneelers or kneeling cushions should also be provided so that the whole congregation can easily kneel when the liturgy calls for it.
Parishes will want to choose a seating arrangement that calls the congregation to active participation and that avoids any semblance of a theater or an arena. The nave is not comparable to the audience’s space in a theater or public arena because there is no audience in a liturgical assembly. Rather, the entire congregation is a full, active, conscious participant in the sacramental celebrations.
It is also important that the seating plan provide spaces for an unimpeded view of the sanctuary by people in wheelchairs or with walkers. Experience indicates that space in the front or at the sides of the church is better than in the rear where a standing congregation obscures the view of those seated in wheelchairs at the back of the church (Cf. BLS, 51)
Music Ministry
Music is integral to the liturgy. It unifies those gathered to worship, supports the song of the congregation, highlights significant parts of the liturgical action, and helps to set the tone for each celebration. The ministers of music are located in the body of the church since they do not sing for the congregation but, rather, support the singing of the congregation (Cf. BLS #88).
Seating – Main Body of the Church
Pews
Each part of the body of the church contributes to the unity of the space by proportion, size, and shape. The sense of the nave as a unified whole is critical in the building and renovation of a church.
The current seating arrangement, which consists of four large sections of straight pews, will be replaced with six smaller sections of radial (rounded) pews. The closer aisles and smaller sections will bring people closer together and reduce the number of people in each pew. Two pews will be removed in the current area where the cantor and musicians stand in order to create a devoted space within the congregation.
The pews will be handmade of oak for durability and beauty. They will be slightly darker than the current pews to provide a warmer feeling while maintaining the overall brightness of the church.
Six individual spaces have been designed for wheelchair accessibility; four are located in the front and two in the back of the church. The seat of these six pews lifts up for easy accessibility and can be lowered when not being used.
Balcony Seating
Radius pews with kneelers will replace the current theater seating in the balcony.
“Since human beings on this earth are always made of flesh and blood, gestures, postures, language, and actions are the physical, visible, and public expressions by which human beings understand and manifest their inner life” (BLS #23). The physical separation between the main body of the church and the balcony, the necessity of safety-glass in the balcony, and the different types of seating in the two sections of the church present challenges in forming a sense of one single and united body. Having the same seating throughout the church will help foster a sense of a united whole. Pews and kneelers in the balcony will facilitate the common gestures and postures of sitting, standing and kneeling with those in the main body of the church.
Principles Applied:
Architecture and Style: The radial pews enhance and perfectly complement the rounded shape of the church.
Color Scheme: The pews will be have a slightly darker stain than the current pews thus keeping the church “light” while adding warmth.
Expression of the presence of Christ realized in all the baptized is improved by the new seating arrangement.
Art, beauty and noble simplicity: the beauty, quality and authenticity of materials transforms the pews from a pure function of utility (sitting down) into an expression of beauty and art which becomes part of the worship experience.
Seating Capacity: The radius pews and new seating format will increase the seating capacity by 133, from 773 to 906 people.
Cost: In order to install new carpet it is necessary to remove the pews and theater seats. Although our current pews are in good shape, they need to be refurbished. The cost to refurbish the pews and 120 theater seats is substantial because it requires refinishing the wood, reupholstering the removable padded seats in each pew and also replacing the kneeler pads. It is more cost effective over the long term to replace rather than refurbish the pews. (See also “House of the Poor” below).
Maintenance time and cost: The padded covering in the pews requires constant vacuuming, shampooing, and is a haven for allergenic and hygienic issues. New solid wood pews will reduce maintenance time and costs.
Quality: The pews are made of 100% solid oak.
Accessibility: Six dedicated wheelchair-accessible seats.
House of the Poor: The decision to buy new pews was influenced by the opportunity to significantly improve someone else’s house of prayer. The existing pews, chairs, altar and ambo will be donated to San Martin Caballero Catholic Church in Tijuana, Mexico.
Other considerations: Comfort of pews and effect on people with physical challenges
Domestic Church:
The Family Nave:
Rearrange a family room (nave) so that the family members, not the TV, are the center of each other’s attention.
Our parish church gathers every day to pray and sing. When does your domestic church pray together?
Our parish family has a variety of devotions such as the rosary, the Stations of the Cross, and the Divine Mercy Chaplet. What devotions do you practice in your domestic church?
When you pray, consider moving your furniture so that you are facing a homemade sanctuary or sacred image.
Altar
-Christ’s presence is realized in the Sacrament of his Body and Blood-
Among the expressions of Christ’s presence, the Eucharist is accorded supreme prominence. The celebration of the Eucharist is the center of the entire Christian life, both for the universal Church and for local faith communities. The other sacraments, like every other ministry of the Church and every work of the apostolate, are linked with the Holy Eucharist and have it as their end.
At the Eucharist, the liturgical assembly celebrates the ritual sacrificial meal that recalls and makes present Christ’s life, death, and resurrection, proclaiming “the death of the Lord until he comes again.” 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.
The altar is the natural focal point of the sanctuary and is to be “freestanding to allow the priest to walk around it easily and Mass to be celebrated facing the people. Ordinarily, it should be fixed (with the base affixed to the floor) and with a table or mensa made of natural stone, since it represents Christ Jesus, the Living Stone (1 Pt 2:4).
Although there is no specified size or shape for an altar, it should be in proportion to the church. The shape and size should reflect the nature of the altar as the place of sacrifice and the table around which Christ gathers the community to nourish them.
New Altar
For twenty years, the iconic cross which stands atop St. Edward the Confessor Church has served as a beacon for those on land and sea. The beacon invites us to follow Christ who is “the Way, the Truth and the Life” (Jn 14:6). The design of the iconic cross in integrated into the design of the altar.
The new altar reflects the nobility, beauty, strength, and simplicity of Christ Jesus, the Living Stone. As the focal point of the sanctuary, the altar will stand in the center of the sanctuary on a base and affixed to the floor. The altar will be encased in Rainforest Brown Marble. Although the stone is legitimately referred to as a marble, geologically, it is a serpentinite and an ideal match for our church.
Serpentinite is seldom seen on land; instead, it is found beneath the oceanic crust including the Pacific Ocean, where it forms by the alteration of the earth’s mantle. Serpentinite is also the state rock of California. The stone’s origin and long, wavy, thin lines and polished surface is a perfect complement to the waters of the Pacific Ocean which are clearly seen from the church. Because Rainforest Brown Marble is a natural rock, every piece is unique. The colors and lines that flow through the stone mirror the life of the church which consists of various and unique members.
Principles Applied
Architecture and style: The new altar is five inches wider than the current altar and reflects the necessary changes according to universal and diocesan liturgical guidelines, as noted below.
Color scheme: The color of the stone will complement the pews, baptismal font, liturgical furnishings, carpet, and paint.
Universal and diocesan liturgical guidelines: The altar is affixed to the ground and the mensa is made of stone.
Incorporate exiting signs and symbols: The design of the cross on top of the church is incorporated into the design of the altar.
Expressions of the presence of Christ realized in the Sacrament of his Body and Blood. The new altar reflects the supreme prominence of the Eucharist.
House of the Poor: The current altar will be donated and delivered to St. Martin Caballero Catholic Church in Tijuana, Mexico. Jesus gave us the Eucharist to unite us to God and one another. As we celebrate the Eucharist in Dana Point we unite ourselves with our neighbors at St. Martin de Caballero.
Other Considerations: Serpentinite is harder than marble and won’t etch or stain as easily as marble. Proper proportion: the new altar will be approximately the same height as the current altar and five inches wider.
Domestic Church
Dedicate an Altar: We only use the altar in church for the Eucharistic. Create a dedicated space in your home that is only used for prayer.
Common Priesthood: At Mass, a priest presides over the assembly. Every baptized person shares in the priesthood of Christ. The primary role of the priest is to offer sacrifice and intercede for others. Exercise your priesthood by offering your prayers, works, joys, and sufferings to God every day.
The priest celebrates the Eucharist at the table/altar. Has it been a while since you’ve gathered together around the dinner table? Like Mass, consider dinner a sacred event. Shut off the TV, tablets, and phones and talk to each other. Learning to eat together at your domestic table will help you enjoy the Eucharistic Table.
Pray before Meals. Before eating the Eucharistic Bread, the priest leads the people in giving thanks to God. In your domestic church, or wherever you eat, say a pray of thanksgiving to God before you eat.
Feed the poor: Christ feeds us with Himself so that, after being fed, we might feed others with Him whom we have received. Feed the hungry.
Ambo
-Christ’s presence is realized in the Word of God-
“The central focus of the area in which the word of God is proclaimed during the liturgy is the ambo. The design of the ambo and its prominent placement reflects the dignity and nobility of that saving word and 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 that will be proclaimed” The design of altar and ambo bear a “harmonious and close relationship” to one another in order to emphasize the close relationship between word and Eucharist. (BLS #61).
The new ambo reflects these high standards and will aid in drawing one’s attention to the living Word of God. Like the altar, the front of the ambo incorporates an element of the St. Edward’s iconic beacon. The top of the ambo will be inlayed with Rainforest Brown Marble, the same marble used in the altar, as a way of bearing a harmonious and close relationship to the Eucharist. Crafted with the same solid oak and stain as the pews, the ambo achieves the beauty and noble simplicity worthy of the Word of God.
The ambo will be located on the left side of the altar, closer to the cantor who leads us in signing the responsorial psalm from the ambo.
Principles Applied:
Architecture and style: The basic style and design of the current ambo is being preserved.
Color scheme: The ambo will have a slightly darker stain than the current ambo. The stone on the top will also add color, keeping the church “light” while adding warmth.
Incorporate existing signs and symbols from the church: The St. Edward icon design on the top of the church is incorporated into the design of the ambo.
Expressions of the presence of Christ realized in the Word of God: The design and construction of the ambo highlights Christ’s presence in the Word of God.
Other Considerations: the height of the ambo for people of different heights; designing a safe and practical pull-down step for the short in stature; effect of natural and artificial light shining on the stone; acoustical effects of having stone on the top of the ambo; need for light on the ambo; need for sufficient space around the ambo to accommodate two candle bearers during the proclamation of the Gospel and candles on the side of the altar; proper size/proportion of the ambo; shelves needed for liturgical books.
The Poor: the current ambo is being donated to St. Martin Caballero Catholic Church in Tijuana. As the Word of God is proclaimed at St. Edward the Confessor Church, may we call to mind and pray for our brothers and sisters at St. Martin’s where the same Word of God is being proclaimed in great poverty and violence.
Domestic Church:
The ambo at home:
Place your Bible in a prominent place of honor in your house to reflect the living presence of God in the Scriptures.
+Read the Bible each day and if you live with others, pick a different lector each day.
+Sing or listen to one of the 150 psalms
+Decorate your home-ambo in the appropriate liturgical colors.
The Chair for the Priest Celebrant
Christ’s presence is realized in the Priest
“The priests are appointed to act on behalf of others in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. In the person of the priest, it is Christ himself who is present to his Church as Head of his Body, Shepherd of his flock, high priest of the redemptive sacrifice, Teacher of Truth. This is what the Church means by saying that the priest, by virtue of the sacrament of Holy Orders, acts in persona Christi Capitis. The ordained priest is an icon or image of Christ. Through him, Jesus makes His priesthood present in a very special way (Catechism of the Catholic Church #1548).
The chair of the priest celebrant stands as a symbol of his office of presiding over the assembly and of directing prayer. An appropriate placement of the chair allows the priest celebrant to be visible to all in the congregation. The chair reflects the dignity of the one who leads the community in the person of Christ, but is never intended to be remote or grandiose. The priest celebrant’s chair is distinguished from the seating for other ministers by its design and placement. The seat for the deacon should be placed near that of the celebrant.
The presider’s chair will be re-located to the right side of the altar, where the ambo currently stands. Keeping the chair in its current location, at the center of the sanctuary, correctly reflects the priest’s role as presider over the liturgical assembly. However, by placing the ambo, altar and presider’s chair on the same plane, equal emphasize is given to the three equal expressions of the presence of Christ (Word of God, Eucharist, and priest) while avoiding any semblance of the priest as the center of attention.
Domestic Church
The presider’s chair is just a chair; however, it is set aside for one purpose: sacred liturgy. Consider using a chair at home that is only used for prayer.
The role of the priest presider during liturgy is to lead the congregation in prayer. If you share a home with other people, take turns exercising your priesthood by leading others in prayer. You can lead the prayer before and after meals, lead the rosary or other devotion and pray for the faithful departed. “You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession. (1 Pet 2:9)
The Rererdo
The most striking element of the renovation is a beautiful altarpiece, called a rererdo, or retablo. The rererdo, made of various types of hand-blown glass, will draw one’s eye to the crucifix which will be affixed to the rererdo. In addition, it will help focus attention on the altar, ambo and presiders chair where Christ is preeminently present.
Because we are a large and active parish and school community, the church is often being used. While that is wonderful, it creates a challenge for those who come to the church seeking a place of quiet prayer. In addition to the benefits above, the rererdo, in effect, also creates a Eucharistic chapel and provides a more prayerful and reflective environment for those who come to spend time with our Eucharistic Lord in the tabernacle.
Principles Applied
Architecture and style: The rererdo builds upon the existing style of the church by using the medium of glass.
Focus attention on the Christ’s presence in the Eucharist, the Word of God, and the priest: The windows in the church naturally guide the eye to what is outside while allowing the beauty of creation and natural light to shine into the church. Standing at the center of the sanctuary, the focal point of the liturgical assembly, the rererdo helps capture and direct the eye to the altar, ambo and the priest’s chair, where the living Creator is present and active. The rererdo also provides focus and prayerfulness for those praying before our Lord in the tabernacle. Made of various styles and opacities of glass and located in front of four panes of windows, the rererdo will be illuminated by natural light during the day and by artificial light at night. Sixteen panes of windows will continue to provide beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean.
Honor the heritage of the church and the vision of Fr. Knight by including treasured items from the original church built in 1971: As noted above, the rererdo is not intended to draw attention to itself but, rather, to the presence of Christ in the Eucharist, the Word of God, and the priest. In addition, the rererdo serves as a beautiful and effective way to enhance the veneration of Christ on the cross. Affixed to the rererdo will be a cross on which will hang the same corpus of Christ which has been in the sanctuary since 1999.
Art: As a piece of art, the rererdo becomes a form of worship which inspires prayerfulness and reflects the beauty of God. “The fine arts, but above all sacred art, “of their nature are directed toward expressing in some way the infinite beauty of God in works made by human hands. Their dedication to the increase of God’s praise and of his glory is more complete, the more exclusively they are devoted to turning men’s minds devoutly toward God” (Sacrosanctum Concilium, 122)
Other considerations: While we are blessed to have tall windows looking out at the Pacific Ocean, the light creates a silhouette effect on the liturgical ministers and a glare. The glass rererdo will reduce the glare and silhouette effect while still allowing the sun to enlighten the church.
Domestic Church
Clean your windows! “Your eyes are windows into your body. If you open your eyes wide in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light” (Mth 6:22). Clean the windows of your spiritual house, your soul, by celebrating the Sacrament of Confession.
Baptismal Font
Through the waters of baptism, the faithful enter the life of Christ. The rites of baptism, the first of the sacraments of initiation, require a prominent place for celebration. 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 altar on the same architectural axis, using natural or artificial lighting, using the same floor patterns, and using common or similar materials and elements of design.
The font is a symbol of both tomb and womb; its power is the power of the triumphant cross; and baptism sets the Christian on the path to the life that will never end, the “eighth day” of eternity where Christ’s reign of peace and justice is celebrated. (BLS 67-68)
Renovated Font:
The new baptismal font corrects leaking problem which has existed since the day it was installed twenty years ago. In addition to the slipping hazard that the leaking creates, the titles on the font are disintegrating and falling off.
The new font preserves the design and footprint of the current font. The waters of baptism will be enshrined by Rainforest Brown Marble. Formed and excavated deep beneath the oceanic crust, the stone reflects that “we were buried with [Christ] through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life” (Rom 6:4). The unique veining which flows through the stone mirrors the various members of the church who, through baptism, have been indelibly imbedded into Jesus Christ, the Living Stone (1 Pt 2:4).
Bronze gates on each side of the font welcome the catechumen into the waters of baptism. As the newly baptized emerges from baptism, they exist through the center gate which leads them in the direction of the altar to mark their ongoing journey of faith. The integral relationship between the baptismal font and the altar is also expressed by the using the same stone, Rainforest Brown Marble, in the both the font and the altar. The tile used in the floor around the baptismal font will also be the same tile used in the sanctuary.
During the solemn celebration of the Great Easter Vigil, the deacon or priest lowers the paschal candle into the water of the baptismal font three times praying:
May the power of the Holy Spirit, O Lord, we pray, come down through your Son into the fullness of this font, so that all who have been buried with Christ by Baptism into death may rise again to life with him.
To express the link between the paschal candle as the symbol Christ the Light and baptism as the sacrament of illumination, the paschal candle will be inserted into wall of the font outside of the Easter Season.
Principles Applied:
Principle: To respect and complement the existing architectural structure and general style of the church. The renovated font preserves the design and footprint of the current font.
Keep the color scheme light while adding warmth: Rainforest Brown Marble is a vibrant and warm stone.
Handicap accessible: The walls of the font and the bowl have been lowered to allow easier access.
In choosing materials, consider quality, authenticity of material, safety, initial cost, long-term maintenance costs and time: Rainforest Brown Marble is a pure and durable stone. It is affordable and its origin and esthetic are a perfect fit for our church.
Domestic Church
Holy Water: Fill a holy water bottle with the holy water in the baptism font in the church and keep it at home. cgv
Holy Water Font: Buy a small holy water font and hang it at the entrance to your home and bless yourself as you enter and exit your domestic church.
+Celebrate the day of your baptism as your spiritual birthday. Look at pictures of your baptism.
+Frame your baptismal certificate and display it in a place of honor.
+Children: ask your parents to tell you about their baptism.
+When you use water, thank God for the gift of your baptism.
Church of the Poor:
Each day, 783 million people do not have access to clean water. Donate to one of Catholic Relief Service’s global water and sanitation programs or to Wells of Life, which brings drinking water to families in Uganda.
Be a good steward of water at home.
Working draft of the tabernacle