St. Boniface Martyr Parish Restoration Committee Report March 4, 2014

St. Boniface Martyr Roman Catholic Church Sea Cliff, NY

Renewing and Restoring Our Church Restoration Committee Report March 4, 2014

March 4, 2014 [RENEW AND RESTORE OUR CHURCH]

After being rescheduled for bad weather and holidays, the Restoration Committee, an open committee served by concerned parishioners of St Boniface, held its second planning meeting, on Monday Feb 24 at 7:30 pm, in the church. Larry Hoy, of Renovata Studios, who has been retained by Fr Bob to assist us in realizing our renewal and restoration goals, had presented a slideshow to help us focus in on some important decision that needed to be made.

To review the goals set forth during the funding drive: •

Reinforce our belief in Jesus as the Head of the Church by repositioning the Tabernacle from the side to the back of the main altar, using the original mosaic and mother of pearl door from the first St. Boniface Church.

•

Enhance the worship environment by bringing the congregation closer to the Altar of God, reducing the size of the sanctuary and reconfiguring the pews for easier access.

•

Act as responsible Stewards of the Church Building • Installation of energy efficient lighting • Improvements to climate control systems • Installation of new handicap accessible restrooms • Repair of roof, doors and windows

•

Veneration and devotion to Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph by creating a shrine on either side of sanctuary.

•

Support fellowship by increasing vestibule area (Narthex) to host larger number of parishioners.

Decision 1: Seating arrangement The pew arrangement was reconsidered and it was recommended that the pews be reorganized to focus attention on the altar, also to improve flow during sacraments and finally to provide room so that the vestibule can be enlarged. In the first meeting it was noted that moving the pews would require installation of a new floor because the existing terrazzo floor has white aisles and black floor in seating areas. During this meeting it was decided that a new floor would be an acceptable trade‐off.

Larry Hoy came to the meeting with three options for our seating arrangement; these are illustrated in figures 1 thru 3. Figure 1 is the present seating arrangement this would represent no change, this seats 680 people. Figure 2 shows that the outer pews are turned in toward the altar and the seating sections formed into wedge shapes, all the seating is shifted forward to allow for increased vestibule, orange area, this seats 578 people. Figure 3 is a modification of the present arrangement, with the main pew sections split at knuckle point, adding 2 aisles for return flow from communion lines, seating 668 people.

Figure 3 also shows the pews shifted forward to allow additional space for the fellowship space. With the configuration of figure 3, we would not need to replace the floor.

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Another aspect of the seating plan is to support flow during sacraments such as communion. We discussed this and agreed that St. Boniface would benefit by adding an additional set of return aisle as seen in figures 2 and 3. Our present floor plan has three aisles and we are obliged to return back down the way we came, this leads to congested flow in the main aisle and the side aisles.

Thirdly there was a discussion about losing the flexible seating offered by the wide transverse aisle located at the church’s side entrances that splits Figure 1: Present Seating Arrangement each main seating section into a front main and back main section. It was stated that the final floor plan will incorporate areas to accommodate wheelchairs or other devices required by our handicapped, infirmed and elderly parishioners.

Figure 2: Proposed Seating Plan #01

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Figure 3: Proposed Seating Plan #02

After the presentation and a lively question and answer period the committee requested that the seating arrangement decision be put to a vote. By a show of hands, Proposed Seating Plan #01, as shown in figure 2 was approved almost unanimously. This means that all the pews will be removed, refurbished; the terrazzo floor may be stained or covered, probably with quarry tile. Quarry tile is a sustainable flooring option that performs well in both residential and commercial areas. This simple, natural tiling is sourced from clay and shale.

Fallout of this decision is that the committee will not pursue opening up the ceiling because the cost of ceiling removal and replacement of HVAC ducting would be prohibitive. The committee is considering covering the white ceiling material with a coffered wood pattern.

While discussing these floor plans there was significant discussion on the topic of “Welcome and Justice for Persons with Disabilities”. One of our committee members from the first meeting was not able to attend Monday night and had a letter read by Eileen Krieb. After the letter was read there was a conversation on Universal design and accommodations for the parishes’ disabled, present and future.

The following list is A Framework of Access and Inclusion released and copied here with permission of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

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This moral framework is based upon Catholic documents and serves as a guide for contemplation and action. We hope that the reaffirmation of the following principles will assist the faithful in bringing the principles of justice and inclusion to the many new and evolving challenges confronted by persons with disabilities today.

1.

We are a single flock under the care of a single shepherd. There can be no separate Church for persons with disabilities.

2.

Each person is created in God's image, yet there are variations in individual abilities. Positive recognition of these differences discourages discrimination and enhances the unity of the Body of Christ.

3.

Our defense of life and rejection of the culture of death requires that we acknowledge the dignity and positive contributions of our brothers and sisters with disabilities. We unequivocally oppose negative attitudes toward disability which often lead to abortion, medical rationing, and euthanasia.

4.

Defense of the right to life implies the defense of all other rights which enable the individual with the disability to achieve the fullest measure of personal development of which he or she is capable.

These include the right to equal opportunity in education, in employment, in housing, and in health care, as well as the right to free access to public accommodations, facilities and services.

5.

Parish liturgical celebrations and catechetical programs should be accessible to persons with disabilities and open to their full, active and conscious participation, according to their capacity.

6.

Since the parish is the door to participation in the Christian experience, it is the responsibility of both pastors and laity to assure that those doors are always open. Costs must never be the controlling consideration limiting the welcome offered to those among us with disabilities, since provision of access to religious functions is a pastoral duty.

7.

We must recognize and appreciate the contribution persons with disabilities can make to the Church's spiritual life, and encourage them to do the Lord's work in the world according to their God‐ given talents and capacity.

8.

We welcome qualified individuals with disabilities to ordination, to consecrated life, and to full‐ time, professional service in the Church.

9.

Often families are not prepared for the birth of a child with a disability or the development of impairments. Our pastoral response is to become informed about disabilities and to offer ongoing support to the family and welcome to the child.

10.

Evangelization efforts are most effective when promoted by diocesan staff and parish committees which include persons with disabilities. Where no such evangelization efforts exist, we urge that they be developed.

We join the Holy Father in calling for actions which "ensure that the power of salvation may be shared by all" (John Paul II, Tertio Millennio Adveniente, n. 16). Furthermore, we encourage all Catholics to study the original U.S. bishops and Vatican documents from which these principles were drawn.

United

States Conference of Catholic Bishops

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Mobility disabilities require accommodation by design. We know that steps are a barrier for free access to people with mobility disabilities and specifically those in wheelchairs and that ramps are used to

Figure 4: Altar Ramp Options Summary

mitigate these barriers.

Our designer put forth three altar concepts that include ramps. During our committee discussion a fourth concept was proposed. Figure 4 attempts to illustrate the four ramp concepts. Ramp concept #1 incorporates one ramp along the right hand side of the altar, this ramp has a right hand turn. Ramp concept #2 is to have two ramps located across the front of the altar with a twelve foot run to twelve inch (2 step) rise. The committees concern was that the railings would obstruct view and access of the altar and sacraments. Ramp concept #3 would incorporate two, two section ramps, running straight into the altar on either side of the reredose. This concept was not desired because of the same issues with obscuring views from the side pews and complicating access across the front of the altar.

The fourth Ramp concept which was recommended and approved by the committee is illustrated by the orange blocks on Figure 4, above. These ramps would be oriented to minimize conflict with clear view and access of the altar. Our goal is that the final configuration has minimal impact to the music area and the baptismal font. These ramps will provide full access to the shrines for devotion to Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph on either side of the sanctuary.

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Some committee members, who claimed experience with similar ramps, expressed concern that the ramps will have a more significant impact on the altar then the floor plan can convey and that a one ramp solution should still be considered.

With these two decisions Larry Hoy will continue to generate concepts based on the approved seating and ramp layout.

One of the most significant and exciting design challenges is the new altar and reredose design. Larry presented a number of concepts that integrated the existing structural elements of our church, with the Romanesque design sensibility carried in from our entrance/roof line and the overarching liturgical requirements. The following figures illustrate the five concepts being explored. #1 – Figure 5: Reredos of wood, marble and granite in a design patterned after the actual facade of St. Boniface Martyr Church. The tabernacle is encased in a smaller version of this unique church. #2 ‐ Figure 6: This marble altar is available from a church in Pennsylvania. The cost is nearly $200,000 to move and re‐install it but it is beautifully carved from marble with intricate mosaics. A less expensive version of the design could also be custom made from painted wood and composite materials. #3 ‐ Figure 7: This concept utilizes the existing canopy over the tabernacle area. This canopy can be seen when one looks up to the ceiling of the storage room currently behind the altar. The panels on either side of the tabernacle are added to help create a fitting space for the Blessed Sacrament. #4 ‐ Figure 8: In this scheme, columns and a peaked roof are added to the existing canopy to create a baldichino. Placement of the tabernacle under the roof of a baldichino is a traditional treatment found in many Romanesque churches and cathedrals. #5 ‐ Figure 9: A complete set of icons painted on wood panels is available from the Church of Our Savior in NYC. The placement of icons in the sanctuary of a church is commonly found in historic Romanesque churches. This design shows how those icons would fit into the sanctuary of St. Boniface Martyr Church.

The committee will probably spend much of the next meeting discussing and possibly selected the final design. If you are interested in having the committee to consider other concepts, please submit them to Fr. Bob as soon as possible. Please feel free to send comments or suggestions to Steven Kerr at stevenkerr@optonline.net.

Our goal is to divide the committee into four subcommittees, o o o o

Altar committee Nave committee Vestibule (Narthex) Committee Systems Committee.

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Figure 5: Reredose Concept #01

Figure 6: Reredose Concept #02

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Figure 7: Reredose Concept #03

Figure 8: Reredose Concept #04

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Figure 9: Reredose Concept #05

Based in the committees review and decisions Figure 10 illustrates our future church configuration, specifically the pew configuration and altar ramp locations. The committee will continue to plan for a restoration that satisfies the liturgical guidelines of our diocese, including the Framework of Access and Inclusion, addresses all the goals set forth in our capital campaign with an eye to getting best value and at a cost no greater than the campaign funds collected.

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Figure 2: Future St. Boniface Floor Plan, circa March 1, 2014.

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