Spreading the news

Did you see the story on Fox 8 this weekend? Check it out:

 

Visit the News&Record's article here. And we're tickled that they linked readers back to our blog to see the great time lapse video that Connie Book and Tom Martin collaborated on.

And you can see another short story on WFMY-TV's website DigTriad.com.

Finally, check out News14Carolina's story here.

How are you spreading the news?

Don't forget to tell your friends and neighbors about our Open House on April 25th from 2-4pm!

When a building becomes a church

We've been "Making A Place At The Table" for more than a year and a half now. This afternoon, the structure we've all been watching on this blog stopped being a construction project, stopped being a building and instead became a church.

It happened at 3:00pm, according to Monsignor Anthony Marcaccio, during his remarks at the end of a wonderful rite of dedication.

Some 1,200 parishioners, priests and other special guests gathered outside on a beautiful spring day to begin the rite of dedication. This was the first church dedication I've ever attended, and I found the experience moving.

Bishop Peter J. Jugis led the ceremony, sprinkling holy water on the walls of the church. He used chrism on the altar, rubbing the mixture of olive oil and balsam into the marble surface to consecrate it. Then it was time for the incense.

The perfumed smoke rose high from the altar, up to the bottom of our crucifix. As it rose, the sunlight coming in through the clerestory windows caught it and created an interesting effect.

Can you see how the light from the windows looks like beams coming in from above?  I heard a lot of folks commenting about this moment after the dedication. Then preparations were made at the altar to ready it for Mass, and that Mass completed the ceremony.

Some of  you may be wondering: did the church fit 1,200 people inside? How many were left standing? None. We all had a seat, and frankly, I think we could have fit another 50 people inside the main sanctuary comfortably -- and that's not counting the day chapel. We all had seats and elbow room.

Afterward a lovely reception filled the cloister area outside the church -- and I bet we can expect to see more of them. I overheard Tom Martin telling folks who asked how the walkways were designed wide enough to hold tables and still provide room to pass by, making it a perfect spot for special events and other celebrations. 

As Monsignor said in his closing remarks, we should remember that this ceremony isn't the ending of a project, it's really a beginning. 

St. Pius the Tenth Catholic Church Time Lapse

Tom Martin took photos of the construction as it unfolded from the same location for 401 days. You can watch "Making a Place at the Table" go from 401 days to 1 minute.

HAPPY EASTER!!

I want to wish all the faithful followers of the MAKING A PLACE AT THE TABLE Blog a happy and blessed Easter. We are now less than two weeks away from celebrating the first Masses in our new church.

As our construction draws to its conclusion I thought I would post one last series of photos to share several images that you will enjoy in years to come. As has been mentioned before, the light entering St. Pius X will give us different views throughout the day and almost serve as a clock depending upon which Mass you attend. During construction, I have shared several photographs which show this, however, none that reflect the true beauty you will witness in person. ENJOY!!


These next 2 photographs were taken at 9:00 AM and show the statue of the Blessed Mary.










































This photograph was taken at 8:00 AM. You can see how the sun shines on the Crucifix. You can also see the sun coming through the clear story windows and forming a staircase on the far wall.




































Any trip by the church at night will enable you to see the beautiful brick cross over our front entrance. This photograph and the one below were taken as I arrived for the 7 AM Easter Mass. What a beautiful view as we celebrate Christ's resurrection.













I have enjoyed sharing our progress with you over the past year with posting on the Blog. I appreciate all the kind words that were posted in comments as well as those shared with me in person. There will continue to be posting as we have our dedication as well as others that will chronicle our construction, however, this will be the final posting by me prior to the dedication.

GOD BLESS YOU ALWAYS,
TOM

Three rocks become our cornerstones

Last week on Palm Sunday, our parish celebrated one of the last steps before we dedicate our new church building -- laying the cornerstone. In our case, we have three.

One came from Italy, the birthplace of our parish's namesake -- Saint Pius X. Traveling in the suitcase of a parishioner, this rock may look a little different from most cornerstones.

The second comes from Peru, from our sister parish. Chiseled from the same traditional limestone of the churches there, we will cement our bond. (Literally!)

Our final cornerstone looks the most traditional of the three. It matches the stones used for our new facade.

All three were blessed by parishioners in the days leading up to Palm Sunday, and then officially by retired Bishop William Curlin during a ceremony after the 9:00am Mass. Our entire congregation joined in a procession to place the three stones on a cold, wet morning.


Here's a look at a photo slideshow of the event:



And if you would like to see video:

IT'S MOVING DAY

I arrived Tuesday morning just as parents were beginning to drop off students for another exciting day at SPX School. At the same time, equipment was arriving to begin the process of moving the trailer which has been home for all the workers helping "Make A Place At the Table" for us. Since I've become a cub photographer and video operator, I documented the event. I only wish I had thought to sing that song from the Sound of Music that the Von Trapp children sang that goes "So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen Adieu... Adieu, Adieu, to you and you and you, Good Bye." In any case enjoy the video which I took while dodging Rush Hour travel as I stood in the middle of North Elm Street.

STAINED GLASS WINDOWS AT NIGHT

As I drove to 7:30 AM Mass on Sunday, I almost wrecked my car, as I glanced at our "Place at the Table". The lights were on and you could see the beautiful stained glass windows. Since most folks aren't up that early mass, I took a couple photos to post.



As I've mentioned, we are beginning the work that will build our stone retaining wall at the Day Chapel entrance and the last of the brick work on the west wall.



After all the lifts were removed, we took several photos from the school parking lot overlooking the Kloster Center.

SIX WEEKS AND COUNTING

I was reminded at mass on Sunday morning by one of the Blog followers that I had not posted anything this past week. To be honest, since we are getting toward the end of construction, I was going to take a week off. However, since I was asked, I decided to give another update.

This week, the outside began to take shape as most of the sidewalks were completed and all but one small section of curb and gutter for the parking lot was completed. If all goes well this week, the final grading for the parking lot will be completed as will the rest of the sidewalks. Another question I’m been hearing is about the opening on the Elm Street side of the church. This has stayed in its current form because its been providing access for materials and equipment. Now that all the major lifting has been complete, this section can be closed in and brick laid.

In the last posting you saw a video of the marble ambo and altar. The last two photographs show how the sanctuary and Baptismal font looked at the end of this week.

MORE MARBLE FROM ITALY

Last week I posted a story about the marble for our church arriving from Italy. As I mentioned we had another shipment due and it arrived this weekend. This shipment included the additional marble for the altar steps as well as the marble that would form our altar table, ambo and baptismal font. The photos below show the truck's arrival and moving the marble into the church.



Next you see the marble for the altar table being assembled.



Once the base is formed, the heavy work begins as members of our parish lift the altar top into place. This solid piece of marble weighs over 1,000 lbs.





The completed altar table and ambo stand ready for use. This photo was taken just after installation. The red strap around the table has now been removed.



Following are two videos which show part of the installation.

DOORS FROM KENTUCKY AND MARBLE FROM ITALY

This week started early Monday morning when a truck from Schiller's Architectural Hardware and Door Systems in Lexington, Ky arrived with all the doors for our church. This was following at noon, by a truck carrying Marble from Italy. That truck had left New York's port on Sunday after the record setting snowfall and the outside of it looked like it.

Below are photos showing the doors arrival. The name Schiller may not be known to you, but its a major presence in Kentucky, Tennessee and Ohio and has Greensboro connections. Schiller's is a family owned business and that family includes Deanna Shannon, a Church member. One photo shows the three Shannon boys posed in front of the truck as it's being unloaded.



One of our parish members is providing all the marble for the altar as well as for the Baptismal area. The marble made the slow journey across the Atlantic from Italy arriving in New York City. Last Sunday, while many were watching the Super Bowl and others were digging out of record snowfalls along the east coast, a truck driver was making his way south carrying a precious cargo. The following show the arrival at noon in Greensboro.



The following show the meticulous process of preparing the area and laying the marble on the altar. Even though there is snow on the ground outside, work continued all day on the inside. You will notice in the video below, woodwork that has taken place on the altar this week.







On February 13th workers from Rentenbach were on site, despite the snow, getting the cloister ready for sidewalks. Thesub contractor was originally going to begin building forms for the sidewalks today, but that wasn't possible. If the weather cooperates, we will have sidewalks around the church in the next week.

FINAL STAINED GLASS DELIVERY

It's been another snowy/wet week as we Make A Place at the Table. However, on Wednesday the last of our historic windows arrived. This video clip shows the installation of windows in the niche where we will also have a marble statute of St Pius X.



The rest of this posting will shows samples of other windows that will be along the North Elm Street side of our church and along the rear parking lot.

These photos are ones that will be in the niche where we will have a statute of Mary.















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The photo above and to the left are windows in the niche where the St. Pius X marble statute will be placed



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This is the Holy Family window. In this niche we will also have a marble statute of Joseph. I did a closeup so you could see the vibrant colors in the windows









This final photograph shows the progress that has been made on the
altar this week.