"Some Notes" On Saint Lucy’s new Church Middletown, Rhode Island
by Ade Bethune, hired as Liturgical Consultant at the time of construction
Christ The Doorway (Jn 10:7)
Jesus said, “I am the door (to the kingdom of heaven). Whoever enters through me will be safe.” That is why St. Lucy’s has but a single main entrance. Other doors are only safety exits. The main entrance is a great sacramental of Christ. When we enter through Christ, we enter heaven.
The Font of the Living Waters
Perhaps we were baptized long ago and cannot remember the sacred event. Perhaps we were baptized only last week. Is it time to renew our promises so soon? Yes, it is.
Baptism is real. Whether I am aware of it or not, it has changed my life. I am marked with a permanent Christ character. That is why I cannot be baptized over again. But I need to apply my once-in-a-lifetime baptism anew to every new day of my life.
Renewing our Baptism.
Before entering the body of the church, then, I freely renew the baptismal pledge in which I was once adopted into the people of God. I renew my promise by blessing myself with the water on the Font, in the Name of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
In the Presence of God
A Time for Silence.
The Liturgy of the Word: Chair and Ambo
The Chair in the Exedra.
At the right side of the presider, as he faces towards the people, is the Ambo, where readers proclaim the Word of God during the Liturgy of the Word. St. Lucy’s beautiful oak Ambo, part of the original church furnishings, is now raised in an outstanding position on the minister’s platform. From the Ambo’s raised position, the lector’s voice can be heard by all. Thus honor and importance are given to the presence of Christ in the reading of God’s Holy Word.
The Liturgy Of The Eucharist: The Altar
The Center of the Sanctuary.
A square crown with twelve lights, suspended above the Altar, completes a three-dimensional space, a volume marked by invisible walls and dedicated to the celebration of the Eucharistic Liturgy.
The People’s Seating
The Family Circle.
The oak Pews and Chairs were furnished by the Sauder Co. of Elyria, Ohio. The wall Benches between the arches provide additional built-in seating, without the need to bring folding chairs. Such Wall Benches are a tradition revived from the time of Christ. All together, St. Lucy’s Church can seat about seven hundred people.
The Choir.
Raised one step and surrounded with a chancel or railing, the Choir is located in the northwest area of the church. Here the members of the music ministry are able to plan the timing of the songs, thanks to a clear view of the liturgical action, whether in the center or at the church entrance.Natural Light by Day.
From the skylights above, ample natural illumination descends to fill the church, inviting us to open our eyes to the radiances of the Lord’s teaching. “Come let us walk in the light of the Lord” (Is 2:5)St. Lucy’s church enjoys a simple, effective, low-wattage lighting system. A gentle cloud of lights “floats” overhead, suggesting a choir of angel spirits singing with us, “Hosannah in the highest!”
Only 12 –ft from the floor, clear bulbs in Holophane shades, are both efficient and practical to relamp.
For a small group, it is possible to turn on only the canopy of twelve lights above the altar, thus leaving the outer margins of the building in semi-shadow. Additional lighting can be provided, as needed, surrounding the central fixture, so that the church is not over lighted on those occasions when a more intimate family event is celebrated at night.
Sound In The Church
Speech and Hearing.
The Rose Window At The West
The Eye of God.
The cross in the circle can be an endless theme of meditation. Thoughts that are significant in your own life will come to you as the luminous glass cross in the “eye”, the rose window silently touches your heart and soul in new ways over the years.
As joys and sorrows come into your life, the cross of love remains constant to console you, encourage you, reaffirm you and bring you light and joy
The Rose Window At The East
The Sign of Unity
When the morning sun streams through the chunks of colored glass assembled in the east window, they sing like jeweled rainbows of peace. After the liturgical celebration as we walk out of the door, the sound of the hymn still rings in our ears, while rainbow colors dance in our eyes.
Stepping into the sunlight, we can almost hear Jesus say, “I am the light of the world.” And also, “You are the light of the world . . . Your light must shine before people they may see goodness in your acts and give praise to your heavenly Father.”
Both stained glass windows are executed by the Rudolph Rohn Studios of Pittsburgh, PA from designs by Ade Bethune. In the technique called faceted glass, slabs of glass about and in think, are chipped in an irregular fashion in order to sparkle as diamonds and precious stones. The jewel-colored individual slaps are embedded in a solid panel cast from epoxy resin and coated with sand aggregate.
Each round window is 8-ft in diameter and contains nine panels, assembled between dark aluminum mullions. The colors change constantly as they reflect the changing sky. Morning or evening, on a rainy day, or in bright sunshine, they sing different songs, reminding us that Christ is our light and life.
The Communion of Saints
The Shrines.
On each side of the Ark is a smaller niche or recess. Each niche holds a sacred image donated almost forty years ago for the older building of St. Lucy parish.
Each image, made from a trunk of limewood 3 ½ ft tall, was carved by hand in an alpine valley of the Tyrol, north of Trent, where ancient traditions of wood carving are still alive today.
On one side is the image of the Christ Child in the arms of Saint Joseph, on the other side the image of Mary as the Church, continuing in constant prayer of praise and thanksgiving. The figures stand for all our brothers and sisters in Christ, who have gone before us and now celebrate the liturgy in spirit with us.
The Symbolism of the Color
The pale blue background of the two niches is painted a "heavenly blue" in honor of Our Lady, our first saint, and the saint's prepetual residency with Our Lord.
Lights, Candles and Lamps.
Lights and candles are time-honored ornaments of every shrine. The purpose of candles is festive. We light them for meals, we place them on birthday cakes. Why are they lighted here during the Mass, and on particular feast days? To tell us that the persons represented by the images are celebrating the divine liturgy with us in heaven, while we celebrate it here and now on earth.
At candlelight services, lamps and candles have long been used to signify the persons who hold them. Votive lights continue that tradition. In the early church, the gift of candles or oil for lamps was esteemed equal to the gift of bread and wine for the altar.
Today, giving and lighting votive candles expresses our desire to honor the Lord and to continue in prayer just as the little wax candle is consumed by a flame which, like the Spirit, gives at the same time both light and the warmth of love.
Our Lady’s Shrine
Mary, Mother of the Church