Facebook YouTube

Church Architecture

- architectural notes on the new church
  
  "Some Notes" On Saint Lucy’s new Church Middletown, Rhode Island
  by Ade Bethune, hired as Liturgical Consultant at the time of construction
- The Entrance To The Church
  
  Christ The Doorway (Jn 10:7)
  
  Where is the Entrance to St. Lucy’s Church?
  
  Perhaps you wonder, “Why is the entrance away from the street?” Two very practical reasons are:
  
  To protect the church from heavy traffic noises on West Main Road.
  
  To provide access from the parking lot directly to the main door.
  
  The architects, David Presbrey and Luis Torrado, also had symbolic reasons:
  
  For the door to face the east: Every Morning, as the sun rises in the east, we are reminded of Christ risen from the dead. He is “the light of the world”, our “sun of justice.”
  
  For the priest at the altar to face the rising sun: In ancient times, surrounded by the people, the priest stood at the altar and faced the rising sun. This is still the orientation at St. Peter’s in Rome.
  
  Today, at St. Lucy’s, we seek to be in touch with our roots. Once again, standing at the altar, our celebrant faces east. He gathers up all our prayers and offers them to the Lord. The priest’s face and our offering are bathed in the morning light.
  Even at an evening celebration, we may remember the rising sun and our hearts rejoice at our “newness of life” in Christ.
  
  The Door.
  
  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.
- Baptized Into Christ (Gal 3:27)
  
  The Font of the Living Waters
  
  The Font of Baptism.
  
  Crossing the threshold into the church, we are greeted by the Font or Fountain of living waters. Here we may bless ourselves with the water of the Font and renew the promises made at our baptism.
  
  The Promises of Baptism.
  
  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.
  As I make my way into St. Lucy’s new building, I seek a moment of silence, to lay aside problems, worries, sorrows, joys – to place them all into the hands of our Savior, to enter into God’s holy presence.
  This is not the time for chatter, but rather the time to respect other people as they come together for the Liturgy and prepare themselves privately by opening their hearts in silent prayer.
  
  A Time for Speaking.
  
  But after the Eucharist, as we are blessed and sent out, we have all become one in the one sacrifice of the body and blood of Christ. We experience our oneness – brothers and sisters who have taken part in the same sacred banquet.
  
  Now is no longer the time to renew the vows of our baptism. Now is no longer the time for private prayer. Now is the time to “Eucharist”, that is, to “give thanks,” to rejoice together as a large family and to share the Word of God with other.
  
  Now we are sent out singing into God’s joyous sunshine, sent out to carry his good news to the world. “No longer slaves,” but “risen in Christ’ – apostles and messengers of his Word of life.
  
  “I Am With You Always” (Mt. 28:20)
  
  The Sanctuary Reredos
  
  The Reredos.
  
  A tall structure projects from the buttresses the center of the great terminal wall at the west. This reredos is adorned with the following features:
  
  Above: The sign of the Holy Cross in a brilliant rose window.
  
  At the center: The Ark of the presence of God – in the Bible and in the reserved Eucharistic Sacrament. The Ark is a small elevated chapel, separated from the main assembly space, yet not concealed or hidden away, but in full view of the whole congregation.
  
  At the sides: Two shrines celebrating Christ and his Church in the images of St. Joseph, holding the Child Jesus, and of the Virgin Mary praying as the Church
  
  The Ark of God’s Presence
  
  The Central recess, called the Ark, is the Chapel of Reservation or Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament. Here, in the Tabernacle, are reserved the sacred hosts remaining after Holy Communion. These hosts are reserved for three reasons:
  
  To give communion to the sick, as needed, at times outside of Mass, between Eucharistic celebrations
  
  To honor reserved hosts, fragments of a previous celebration, by mingling them with the altar bread just consecrated, thus showing a sin of unity in time with other people of an earlier Mass
  
  To venerate the sacrament of Christ’s abiding presence in the fragments of the holy Eucharist reserved within the Tabernacle.
  
  The Tabernacle.
  
  A place of safekeeping, our Tabernacle was the first used in St. Lucy’s former convent and later in the original St. Lucy Church building. The two bronze doors are marked with Alpha and Omega. The first and the last letters of the Greek alphabet, alpha – omega signify that our Lord Jesus Christ is the Beginning and the End of all things.
  
  Though Holy Communion is given from the hosts offered and consecrated at each Mass, it is not always possible to provide exact quantities of altar breads. After the Communion rites, then, we follow Jesus’ words: “Father up the fragments, lest they be lost.” At St. Lucy’s, all the people can see openly the Tabernacle where the precious fragments are respectfully reserved.
  
  At later celebrations, other people may also freely see the Tabernacle “where they put the Lord,” remembering in prayer those who worshipped here before them.
  
  The Sanctuary Light.
  
  Keeping the “Ner Tamid” (eternal light) burning is a custom that comes to us from the time of Christ and is still honored in both synagogues and churches today. St. Lucy’s Sanctuary Lamp also comes from the original church.
  Burning lights are an extension of the Liturgy of the Word and of the Eucharistic Rites, as are the candles each of us holds during the candlelight vigil of the Easter night.
  
  The Abiding Presence of the Lord.
  
  Thus, in the Ark, Christ’s abiding presence is expressed under three forms.
  
  The Blessed Sacrament reserved in the Tabernacle
  
  The Holy Bible, the Word of God ( the Bible, in Spanish, is a gift from our Sister Parish in San Salvador), and
  
  The Sanctuary Light, recalling that our Savior is “the light of the world”.
- I Give You My Solemn Word: (Mt 19:28)
  
  The Liturgy of the Word:
  Chair and Ambo
  
  The Chair in the Exedra.
  An oak railing, closing the front of the Chapel of Reservation, forms the background of the Presider’s Chair. Two clergy Benches, angled as an Exedra, on each side of the Chair, complete the “family circle” of the people’s seating.
  
  The Chair
  
  The Chair is elevated on several steps in order to provide eye contact between the presiding priest and whole assembly and to make his voice clearly heard.
  At times, the presider may choose to give the homily seated at the Chair in the manner of antiquity. For the prayers, he stands on the foot-pace in front of the Chair.
  
  The Ambo (Lectern or Pulpit)
  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.
- “You Will Eat and Drink At My Table” (Lk 22:30)
  
  The Liturgy Of The Eucharist: The Altar
  
  The Center of the Sanctuary.
  The center of the Liturgy of the Eucharist is located close to the middle of the building. In the luminous open space under the skylights, an octagonal platform marks the “heart” of the church and forms a Sanctuary without walls that invites all to come forward, in order to receive Holy Communion near “the Table of the Lord.”
  
  The Altar.
  
  Built by Galdino Moniz, St. Lucy’s oak Altar is square, so that it may be seen equally from all sides. The woodwork on the four vertical faces recalls the shape of the building’s gable ends, while the oak grain moving from the angled roofline suggests our prayers rising up to heaven “as the incense of the evening sacrifice.”
  
  The Canopy of Lights.
  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.
- “A Large Crowd Gathered Around Jesus” (Mk 5:21)
  
  The People’s Seating
  
  The Family Circle.
  St. Lucy’s assembly is arranged in a generally circular pattern. At the head, in the Exedra, is the presider’s Chair surrounded by the concelebrants’ Benches.
  Around the other three sides, the people are seated in concentric rows of pews, all facing towards the action in our midst. Thus, we may all see each other as brothers and sisters, assembled in Christ’s presence. Thus, we may learn to view one another with patience, in the loving forgiveness by which he has redeemed us. “If we love one another God dwells in us” (1^st Jn 4:12)
  
  The Aisles.
  
  St. Lucy’s floor is slightly sloped towards the center in order to give the congregation a better view of the liturgical action. Seven main Aisles radiate from the middle. Together with the surrounding Aisle, they provide ample space for the people to respectfully in procession, without crowding.
  
  Pews, Chairs, and Wall Benches.
  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.
  
  The Choir is essentially part of the assembly of the people but with special ministry. Trained choir singers lead the congregation by setting a pitch, tone, and tempo for all of the people’s responses, chants, or processional hymns. Both the angled wall behind the Choir and the sloped wood ceiling above contribute to reflect and diffuse the choristers’ voices towards the middle of the assembly.
  The spacious Choir area is available for groups of choral singers, varying from two or three up to thirty, as well as a small group of instrumentalists.
  
  The Organ.
  
  An organ well is provided against the west wall of the Choir. From the organ bench, the organist has good sight lines towards the main Entrance and the other centers of liturgical action.
  Two limited organ chambers are available on the second floor, on each side of the Reredos. Oak screens, with sound transparent speaker cloth, open both organ chambers towards the assembly space of the church.
- lighting
  
  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)
  Natural daylight is focused upon the center of the buiding so that we may learn to see each other’s faces glowing “in the light of Christ.” The brilliant symbol, diffused at the heart of the building, recalls the words of Jesus, “I am the light of the world. No follower of mine shall ever walk in darkness; but shall possess the light of (divine) life” (Jn 8:12).
  
  Lighting by Night.
  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.
  Speaking and hearing are essential to the liturgy. God’s Word is proclaimed to us, transported in the air on sound waves that vibrate our sensitive eardrums. Through the motion of our eardrums, the Lord’s message reaches our minds and hearts, intellect and will.
  Hearing clearly in church, then, is itself, a symbol of our “hearing” God’s silent voice in the depth of our hearts. But his message will be missed unless it reaches a calm conscience, free of noise, turmoil, chaos. Only a silent, open heart, can vibrate resonate and reflect our Savior’s divine word, and this is expressed in an architectural design free of outside highway noises, and where even mechanical sounds are subdued.
  
  Church Acoustics.
  
  St. Lucy’s interior provides fine hearing conditions. Like a mirror, the roof, of sold three-inch pine, amplifies the sounds that reach it by reflecting them back towards the people. The arches and other projections help to diffuse sound in many directions. In the corners of the building, four angled walls also reflect sound back towards the center.
  
  These excellent natural acoustic conditions help the assembled people both to hear the lector and celebrant and to respond in song. In addition, a system of electronic support, designed by Cavanaugh & Tocci, ensures that no sound is missed even when the church is fill with people.
  .
- The Rose Window At The West
  
  The Eye of God.
  As we enter the church building, the large round window looks at us, as the “eye” of God gazing with love into our hearts.
  
  The Victory of the Cross.
  
  The blood red cross sings the victory of our Savior, Jesus – the victory he won to vindicate us. The cross soars high, ascended in the orb of the heavens shown in three shades of blue. And it remains with us, telling of his return at the end of time.
  
  Five Crosses.
  
  At night, when the jewel colors have vanished in the twilight, a line of gold mosaic is visible in the center of the cross. Four smaller crosses in the quadrants form a pattern called Crusaders’ Cross or Jerusalem Cross.
  
  In meditating on this cross, we look into a madala:
  
  Christ is the larger cross.
  
  The four smaller crosses recall the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. In these books we are fortunate to be able to read the life and message of our Redeemer.
  
  The Jerusalem Cross has also been used as sign of mediation on the Five Wounds of Jesus on the cross: the central wound in his heart, and the four wounds in his hands and feet.
  
  A Mark of the Holy Name.
  
  The cross is rich in meanings. In arithmetic, the plus sign is a cross, the multiplication sign is a cross at an angle, like the letter x. The cross (+) or (X) is often used as a signature or a mark. X means a name and “X” marks the spot.
  
  The cross in a circle or crown is a prehistoric sign of wholeness. At the heart of the cross, the four points of the compass join, North and South, East and West, the whole world, symbolizing “here”, a holy place.
  
  The human body too marks a cross. Head and feet form a vertical line. The horizontal line is drawn by right and left arms stretched out in the gesture of prayer. At the center is the heart of my personality, my conscience, my name, who I am.
  I am. In the earliest alphabet, the last letter was a cross or “mark”. Our letter T is still a cross (minus its top) called the “Tau” cross. The cross is thus the mark or signature of the Holy Name, the whole, the unique, the very center, the heart, the essence of our God who reconciles all our opposites and makes them one in his supreme love.
  The mark painted on the doorposts of the Hebrews on the eve of their escape from Pharaoh’s slavery, was it not a cross, a “mark” painted with the blood of the Passover lamb? A mark showing that they belonged to His Name?
  
  The Life Blood.
  
  In St. Lucy’s unique rose window at the west, the cross is made of deep “ruby” glass symbolizing the blood, that is, the very life and work of Christ, by which we are redeemed, -- the blood flowing from His sacred heart in love for us. The flame-like colors at the center of the cross remind us of the love of God, of His Spirit poured out upon us at Pentecost.
  
  A Point of Meditation.
  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
  As we leave the bulding after a church, it is the window at the east that talks to us.
  The circle – a single line with no beginning, no end – is a universal sign of unity. Within the circle that frames the window, we see the symbol of the Creator, of the Word, of the Spirit: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the Trinity in whose name we were baptized and have just received the blessing.
  
  Symbols of the Holy Trinity.
  
  The Hand symbolizes the Creator, who made the heavens and the earth, who made us, protects us and saves us. Many are the Bible references to the “mighty hand and extended arm” by which the Lord rescued His people.
  
  The Dove is also mentioned in Holy Scripture. Matthew writes of “ the Spirit of God descending like a dove, descending upon him.” In Luke, we read: “When Jesus too had been baptized and was praying, heaven opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove.”
  
  The Monogram of Christ comes to us from early Christian days when Greek was the universal language (as English is today). It is in Greek texts that the Gospels, Acts, Epistles and the Apocalyptic Book of Revelation have come down to us.
  
  The Monogram of Christ combines the Greek letters iota and chi. Iota (I) is the initial of the name Iesous (Jesus) and Chi (X) is the first letter of the title Christos (Christ, the Anointed Messiah). Placed on over the other the two letters: I and X form a star. In a conceptual perspective, the star suggests a three-dimensional cross, as if I were facing conceptual perspective, the star suggests a three-dimensional cross, as if I were facing east looking for Christ to dwell in my heart and looking “to grasp full, with all the holy ones,…
  
  The breadth …    (north and south: way beyond reach of my arms stretched out wide)
  
  And length …       (east and west: untold distances ahead of me and faraway behind me)
  
  And height …       (far, far, far above me)
  
  And depth …        (down fathomless reaches below me)
  
  Of Christ’s love . . . and experience this love which surpasses all knowledge.” (Ephesians 3:18)
  The Persons of the Trinity are One, their oneness marked by the circular form of the rose window itself.
  
  Light and Life
  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
  In the Lady Shrine, the limewood statue is an image of Mary as the Church. It recalls the Risen Christ, invisible to our eyes, but who abides forever with us, the community of his apostles, even as he is taken from our sight in the mystery of his Ascension on the Mount of Olives.
  
  It recalls our unity with the same apostles gathered in the upper room, all with one accord, devoted to prayer, “together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus.”
  
  And it recalls the fiftieth day, the Pentecost, when the same were again all together in one place – when “suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind . . . and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.”
  
  The Soul in Prayer.
  
  The soul in prayer – my soul, your soul, every apostle’s soul, all brothers and sisters in Christ – this prayer is traditionally personified by a woman’s figure, called “Piety’ or “Prayer”. And most often this figure of “Prayer” is shown as none other than the Blessed Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus, the Word of God.
  
  Traditionally the figure of “Prayer” is shown with arms stretched open, but it is also depicted with hands joined, as is the case with the image of our Lady, honored at St. Lucy’s parish for forty years and now enshrined in the new building.
  
  Hosannah To The Son Of David! Blessed Is He Who Comes In The Name Of The Lord (Mt 21:9)
  
  Saint Joseph’s Shrine
  
  Presenting the Christ Child
  
  The limewood image of Saint Joseph presents the Christ Child to the world and places the mystery of the Messiah – Christ made man – in its historic setting, at the culmination of the Old Testament.
  Joseph is represented holding the Child Jesus, seated on his left arm. The Christ Child blesses us with his right hand and holds the globe of the world in his left. “He holds the whole world in his hand.”
  
  Why is Joseph holding the Child?
  
  Why is Joseph, rather than Mary, holding the Child Jesus? Is he “baby-sitting”? Was he a good husband, always ready to help Mary take care of the Child? Scripture tells us of his devout concern for Mary and the Child. He is an example to all fathers. But “baby-sitting” is not the chief theme of the statue.
  
  A Son of the House of David.
  
  The Gospels of Matthew and Luke give us its true meaning. The Prologue of Matthew’s Book (Mt 1:16) begins in a solemn tone:
  A Family record of Jesus Christ, son of David, Son of Abraham…
  Matthew then lists the names of fathers and sons, ancestors of Jesus, over forty-two generations. He starts with Abraham and ends with Joseph. Their names may seem strange to us, but they are real people. All these fathers gave their genes to prepare a family line and a body for Jesus our Savior. Luke sets Jesus’ family tree in reverse order. In his chapter 3, we read of the Baptism of Jesus. The people were full of anticipation wondering in their hearts whether John (the Baptist) might be the Messiah. John answers: “I am baptizing you with water…He will baptize you with in the Holy Spirit and in fire.”
  When Jesus was at prayer after being baptized, a voice from heaven was heard to say: “You are my beloved Son. On you my favor rests.” This tells us that Jesus is the Son of God.
  When Jesus began his work he was about thirty years of age, begin – so it was supposed – the son of Joseph, son of Heli, song of Matthat, son of . . . and so on.
  Luke thus traces the genealogy of Jesus backwards, all the way to Adam, in order to identify Jesus with all mankind. Matthew, instead, traces it only from Abraham forward, to identify Jesus with Israel. Both genealogies are equally solemn, but each carries a different meaning.
  
  The Child of Mary.
  
  Both Gospels tell us that Jesus was the child of Mary, not of Joseph. Why then is the genealogy through Joseph so important?
  Long ago, God had promised a Savior to Abraham. It was important for Abraham, an old man, to have a son, in order to carry on God’s promise. Matthew reminds us that, one by one, fourteen generations of Abraham’s descendants carried God’s solemn promise, on to David.
  
  The Savior (Jesus) was to be Messiah (Christ), that is, an anointed king, from the family of King David.
  Luke tells us that Mary, the young woman chosen to be Jesus’ mother, was “a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David.”
  
  The Gospels do not go into detail about Mary’s background and childhood. But noncanonical books give us an interesting legendary picture. According to these sources, Mary was a descendant of David through her parents, Joachim and Anne. As a child, Mary was presented in the Temple School where she studied and worked by spinning the yarn to weave the veil of the Temple. When she came of age, as was the custom, her marriage was not left to chance. God was asked to select a suitor for her. Keep in mind that, since she was from the family line of David, the suitor would also have to be “of the house of David.”
  
  The Rod covered with Flowers.
  
  The legend tells us that a group of candidates, all descendants of David, were invited to the Temple. Each was given a small rod. The High Priest than begged God to show by a sign which man was selected. Joseph’s rod blossomed and he was accepted as God’s choice.
  
  That legend is the reason for the rod covered with lilies in many pictures of St. Joseph. In our statue he holds the blossoming rod in his right hand.
  
  The Prince of Peace.
  
  In the statue Jesus is seated as a prince on Joseph’s arm. In his left hand he holds a globe, for his is King of the Universe. With his right hand he gives us his blessing.
  
  The Role of Joseph.
  
  All these thoughts, then, are expressed in our statue of St. Joseph.
  
  From the family of King David, Joseph is chosen by God.
  
  He provides for Mary, also a royal descendant of David.
  
  He provides for her Child, the Savior-Messiah. (The name Jesus means Savior; the name Christ means Messiah or Anointed king.)
  
  Joseph also provides for us. When we “go to Joseph” for help, he shows us the Lord and King of the Universe, seated as a human child on his protective arm.

St. Lucy Parish, Middletown, RI

Catholic Diocese of Providence, RI

Church Architecture

architectural notes on the new church

The Entrance To The Church

Baptized Into Christ (Gal 3:27)

I Give You My Solemn Word: (Mt 19:28)

“You Will Eat and Drink At My Table” (Lk 22:30)

“A Large Crowd Gathered Around Jesus” (Mk 5:21)

lighting