Sacred Heart Parish 125th

Anniversary Current Church & Artifacts | 1111

THE CURRENT CHURCHTHE CURRENT CHURCHTHE CURRENT CHURCHTHE CURRENT CHURCH

[from “Description of the New Sacred Heart Church” by Robert Kraft, Architect from

parish archives]:

The [building] committee selected the Madison firm of Architects-Engineers, Inc.

[to build the new church]. . . . The seating capacity of 600 persons is arranged in

four fan sections of pews of 15 rows each all seats within 60 feet of the altar.

Total area of the church approximates 9,000 square feet.

Initial attention focused on the solid stone church walls. The Minnesota stone,

split-faced, is laid in a random ashlar pattern suiting the contemporary nature of

the church. The natural tones of the stone include pinks, rusts, yellows and

tans. . . . the walls were topped with heavy laminated wood beams and wood

ducking to form the roof structure and ceiling. All wood is finished in natural

stains and tones. A single opening in the roof holds a large sky dome directly

above the altar. Walls are 14 feet high at the entrance to the church and rise to a

point of 30 feet above the sanctuary. The interior of the church was completed

during the winter months. Nave flooring is terrazzo, pews are solid oak to match

the overall wood appointments of the narthex, sacristy cabinet work ,

confessionals, etc.

[The basic heating and electrical equipment is placed] in the rectory garage, some

30 feet distant from the church proper. The remote location of these utilities adds

to the fire-resistive qualities of the new church. Utilities serve the rectory and

church and can be inspected and serviced without disruptions. The church is air

conditioned and mechanically ventilated.

WHAT’S WHAT IN CHURCHWHAT’S WHAT IN CHURCHWHAT’S WHAT IN CHURCHWHAT’S WHAT IN CHURCH

One of the first things we see when we enter Sacred Heart

Church is our baptismal font. Baptism is our “door” to

the Church. It is the way we enter Christ’s family.

Originally our baptismal font was next to the sanctuary,

used only once a month at the allotted time for Baptisms.

The small space there limited the number of people who

could be present. Now the font greets us when we enter

church and bless ourselves. It also allows Baptisms to be

celebrated during the Liturgy as well as any other time.

And there is room for everyone around the font.

2222 | Current Church & Artifacts 125th

Anniversary Sacred Heart Parish

Next to the font is the Easter Candle. The Easter Candle is lit

directly from the new fire at the Easter Vigil. It remains in the

sanctuary during the Easter Season. It is lit at baptisms and funerals

to remind us of Christ’s resurrection and our own resurrection some

day. Notice the holder for the Easter candle. It is constructed of

satin finish brass and walnut as are other appointments about the

church in keeping with the entire decor. The satin finish brass strip

around the candle holder has the same design as the Tabernacle.

Notice the candle holders in the sanctuary. They too have the same

satin finish brass and walnut design. The

sanctuary candle above the Tabernacle has

the same satin finish brass and walnut wood

design.

The Baptismal font, ambo, and altar are

made of white tippo cremo marble. We

move from the Baptismal font directly to the sanctuary with its

marble ambo and altar, representing the two principal parts of

our Liturgy.

From the beginning, the weekly Christian assembly revolved

around the two cores. The first was a Ritual of the Word

originally celebrated separately, probably on Sabbath morning.

This ritual of scripture, prayers and chant was borrowed from the Jewish Sabbath

synagogue services. It is important to keep

in mind that Jesus and his immediate

followers were Jews and faithfully

practiced their Hebrew religious traditions.

The Ritual of Eucharist evolved from

Jewish practices, too. There is a special

blessing of the bread and cup of wine at

the Jewish Sabbath meal. The Christian

Eucharist also echoes the annual Seder

Meal during Passover, the Last Supper.

Almost from the beginning this ritual

emphasized a thanksgiving or

remembering theme, faithful to the words

of Jesus: “Do this in memory of me.”

Along with the Ambo and Altar, one sees the Presider’s

Chair in the sanctuary. We get the word “president”

from presider or one who leads the assembly.

Sacred Heart Parish 125th

Anniversary Current Church & Artifacts | 3333

Off to one side of the sanctuary is the

Tabernacle with its sanctuary lamp

above it. Notice the Tabernacle of

satin finish brass and the Sanctuary

Lamp has the satin finish brass and

the dark wood holder.

Once the Tabernacle, the “little

house” in which the Blessed

Sacrament is kept, sat on the altar,

visible to all who entered the church.

Now it is placed to one side, often in

its own Eucharistic Chapel. The

Bishops’ statement on the environment for worship explained that “the celebration of the

Eucharist is the focus of the normal Sunday assembly. As such, the major space of a

church - the sanctuary - is designed for this action.” Incidentally, the word, tabernacle

comes from the Latin word for “tent.”

Along the side walls you will find the fourteen

Stations of the Cross. They are hand carved in

picturesque half-relief set against the stone

perimeter walls of the church. Early pilgrims to

the Holy Land would walk in the footsteps of

Jesus to Calvary. A substitute pilgrimage, the

Stations of the Cross, became a popular outdoor

devotion throughout Europe during the Middle

Ages. They represented critical events of Jesus’

journey from Scripture or tradition and varied in number from five to 20. In the 18th

century the stations were brought inside the churches and the number was set as fourteen.

In the late 1960s, the 15th

Station was added representing

the end of the journey: Resurrection, the core of our

belief.

The Ambry, the wood/glass cabinet which hangs on the

wall to the right of the sanctuary, displays the sacred oils:

Chrism used in Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Orders;

the Oil of Catechumens; and the Oil of the Sick.