The focal point in a Catholic church is the altar. During recent renovations to the sanctuary at Divine Word Church in Kirtland, the parish commissioned and installed a new marble altar. During Mass on Oct. 30, Auxiliary Bishop emeritus Roger Gries blessed and dedicated the new altar. Concelebrating the liturgy was Father Dave Woost, Divine Word pastor, and assisting was Deacon John Grazia.
“The rite of consecration of an altar is one of the most ancient and beautiful of our Church,” Bishop Gries told the congregation. “Like the initiation of a new Christian, you will witness the ‘baptism,’ anointing or ‘confirmation,’ dressing in white, giving of a candle and celebration of ‘first holy Communion.’ So it is a chance to reflect on our own Christian vocation,” he said.
Recently, Bishop Gries blessed a new addition at Seton Catholic School in Hudson. At Divine Word, he placed a relic of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in the newly consecrated altar. The relic was donated by Father Joe McMahon, who was in residence at Divine Word and had a large collection of saints’ relics, of which St. Elizabeth Seton was his favorite. Father McMahon’s sister cared for his collection of relics and shared St. Elizabeth Seton’s relic for the new altar.
Christ’s bride is the Church, Bishop Gries said, explaining that he gives himself “exclusively, permanently, faithfully and so fruitfully that the family built on that ‘marriage’ has grown to over a billion children today.”
But Christ’s self-giving does not end with his death, the bishop said, noting he continues to nourish his bride – the Church – “by daily offering his precious blood.” He said the altar is also Christ’s “wedding bed, where his union with the Church is renewed. There, his total self-gift to his bride on the cross is extended, bringing her into an ever closer union with God.”
We bring “the joys, and the hopes, griefs and anxieties of the people of our age to be transfigured with the bread and wine into Christ’s body and blood and to be received so that we, too, might be transformed,” the bishop said. “And so, too, it is before our altars that marriage vows are exchanged, making them a sign of Christ’s married love for us.”
He said the new marble altar is the center point of the church’s new sanctuary, “so we dress Christ’s bride, the Church, in our Sunday best, as Catholics have always liked to do.” He also reminded us that we should love God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength. “God should be our center. Our life should revolve around him,” he said.
We also must love others, Bishop Gries told the congregation, adding this is not a suggestion. “It is a command. Loving our neighbor is not passive. It requires action. It calls us to reach out and provide for the needs of others; to share our time, talents and resources with our neighbor; to invite them into God’s embrace and to give comfort and love freely those who need it.”
If we model our love after God’s love, we must reach beyond our own circle, the bishop said. “God’s love is unconditional. He loves everyone, even those we might think are unlovable. No one is excluded from our responsibility to love them. Sometimes, it requires forgiveness and putting aside judgment. Fortunately, when we ask, God will provide all the grace and strength we need to put his command into action,” Bishop Gries added.
He noted Divine Word Parish has a 44-year history and the altar consecration marks another milestone, “another opportunity to launch into the future with greater evangelical energy. My prayer is that this beautiful new altar and renovated church will inspire even greater devotion to our bridegroom, Christ, and an even greater determination by the people of Divine Word to give witness to their relationship to him and to bring more people into the life of his bride, the Church. Congratulations and God bless the entire Divine Word family,” Bishop Gries said.
Father Woost said funds generated by the parish for the Heart of a Shepherd campaign helped finance the church renovations.
Carpeting in the sanctuary was removed, the wooden floor was replaced with marble and shored up to support the weight of the new marble altar. The old altar will be used when needed Masses celebrated in the parish hall for feasts like Christmas and Easter.
In addition, a new ambo with a marble top was installed. The choir area was renovated, additional seating was added, new chairs were purchased and new carpeting was installed. New, Amish-crafted wall dividers were added.
The parish has a marble baptismal font on order. Shari Allwood, parish business manager, said the new baptismal font is expected to arrive from Italy in early 2022 and will be installed where the current one is, near the entrance in back of the church. She said there are plans to recarpet the church’s gathering area, also.
The church was built in 1977 and underwent a major expansion in 1998.
For more information on Divine Word Parish, click here.