News

A new church after 50 years

After waiting 50 years, St. Matthew Parish in Allouez has a church of its own.

Bp. Robert Banks will dedicate the new church at 7 p.m. Saturday, May 3. Twenty-seven priests will concelebrate the dedication Mass, said Sally Lavik, parish worship director. Parish women are making special stoles for the celebrants.

A reception in the church's gathering space will follow.

The old church, which was designed as a gym, will be converted into a multi-purpose center with stage.

Penny Dart, business administrator, and Lavik, said the church is the first phase of a four-part project. The others are: making the building handicapped accessible, placing $100,000 in the parish justice and human concerns fund and completing the multi-purpose center.

Parishioners will enter the new church through a gathering space that represents one-third of the building. To the left is a small kitchen. To the right is the day chapel, where the altar from the old church will be located. The chapel will seat 50; daily Mass will be celebrated there.

The interior has been kept "simple, but with a prayerful feel," the women said. Immediately inside the entrance to the church proper is the six-sided baptismal font. Each side represents a day of creation. The font matches the fire pit outside the front entrance. It was first used on Holy Saturday, Lavik said.

On the font's floor is a green marble cross. The green marble serves as one theme in the church, she said, that is continued in the large cross inlaid in the wall behind the altar and on other furnishings.

Lavik said a large processional cross with a 24-inch Corpus will be placed in front of the inlaid cross. A large circle frames the corpus. This circle is another theme carried over from the old church.

It can be found in the old holy water fonts which will now hold the dedication candles and on the door of the tabernacle, which has been moved to a devotional area.

A third theme is the styling of the altar, the ambo, the chair and the tabernacle pedestal.

Permanent pews, facing the altar in a semi-circle, seat 450. Movable chairs will add seating for 300.

To the right of the altar, in the church's northeast corner, is the tabernacle. This, plus its pedestal, stands five feet high. A sanctuary lamp will hang above it.

Both the tabernacle and lamp will be visible from the street through clear glass windows. Future plans call for a garden outside that window, where walkers can stop and pray. Inside, the devotional area will seat 15.

A second devotional area at the rear of the church includes statues of Mary and Joseph and a votive light stand.

To the left of the altar is the choir area and organ. Behind the altar are a storage room and sacristy.

The interior features natural wood paneled ceilings, matching exposed beams, and plain glass windows. The church's nearly 300 lights can be focused on parts of the church as needed.

Off the gathering space's kitchen are a parish library, which will double as a bride's room, sacristies for lay ministers and priests, storage and restrooms.

A new entrance to the school connects to the church.