Bishop Nelson Perez was the principal celebrant at a Mass on Dec. 4 during which the new altar in the Manresa Chapel at the Jesuit Retreat House in Parma was dedicated. Father Ken Styles, SJ a member of the JRH board, and Father Matt Roche, SJ JRH spiritual director, concelebrated. Father Mike Woost, from Borromeo and Saint Mary seminaries, assisted the bishop.
The altar and lectern were crafted from black walnut by local artisan Norbert Koehn. He said the wood came from the Mahoning Valley.
?Thank you to Bishop Perez for joining us for this life-changing moment,? said Rick Krivanka, director of the Jesuit Retreat House. He also acknowledged some people who helped make the new worship space and altar possible. The Manresa Chapel is located in the newly opened addition at the retreat house.
Father Brian Paulson, SJ provincial of the Jesuit Midwest Province, was unable to attend the event, but sent a letter saying he was present in spirit.
In the homily, Bishop Perez talked about the significance of the altar.
?The altar is more than just a table to say Mass at,? he said, adding that sometimes a folding table, a dining room table or even a rock can be used as an altar. The bishop said he?s celebrated Mass in many places, including hotels, homes and at scout campouts.
?You take a table and make it look ?churchy? for the Mass, then put it away,? he said. The bishop also talked about the significance of altars in the temple, noting that they were places for sacrifices.
?The table at the Last Supper was an altar,? he said, adding, ?and the cross is the ultimate altar.?
He said that during Mass, Christ?s sacrifice
