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| Renovation of St. John Evangelist, Lambertville, NJ |
On December 20th, 2014, St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Parish in Lambertville, New Jersey, celebrated the rededication of their newly renovated French Gothic-style church. Involving a variety of needs that were liturgical as well as functional, aesthetic and related to issues of historic preservation, this project was an enormous and challenging undertaking. The difficulty of planning was increased because the purity of its architectural and liturgical styles made the needs less readily identifiable and therefore more difficult to explain to the community.
Rolf Rohn, the Liturgical Design Consultant for the project, working with the pastor, Fr. Robert Kolakowski, J.C.L, and the Parish Building Committee, developed a strict budget of $2.2 million dollars that would make it possible for the Church of St. John the Evangelist to meet the needs of present and future members. It is entirely due to the incredibly generous outpouring of donations from many life-long and even more recent parishioners—all of whom quickly embraced the critical importance of dealing with these needs—that it has been possible to preserve this proud legacy of faith.
Rolf, in collaboration with Rohn & Associates Custom Studio and with vital input from Father Kolakowski and the Building Committee, was responsible for defining and implementing the multifaceted project. As they worked on the project, their vision spread from the incorporation of a new Adoration Chapel to liturgical furnishings, congregational seating, restoration of leaded glass and interior surfaces including flooring, walls and ceilings, lighting and lighting control, artwork, and other appointments and amenities such as restrooms and elements that would afford greater participation to the handicapped.
All of these aspects of the newly renovated church started with a vision of the New Jerusalem, the City of God, and have helped to impart new life to the parish. In the carefully executed renovation plan, clergy and parishioners are encouraged to see themselves in active and spiritual communion with the Lord Jesus Christ, the Father and the Holy Spirit, as well as with Mary, St. Joseph and all the saints, celebrating—as one Body of Christ—the Mass and the Sacraments, worshiping the Lord truly present in the tabernacle and bringing their prayers, needs and praise to God.
Rohn and Associates Custom Studio designed and executed the following:
"We are all excited each day to see the progress that has been made. The painting is making an amazing impact: the beautiful royal blue ceiling with gold stars, the faux marble finish on the columns, and the intricate painting on the Stations of the Cross. And the newly restored stained glass windows…when the sun shines through them you can now see vivid reflections of the scenes right on the church floor…it wasn’t like that before they were repaired."
Rolf Rohn, the Liturgical Design Consultant for the project, working with the pastor, Fr. Robert Kolakowski, J.C.L, and the Parish Building Committee, developed a strict budget of $2.2 million dollars that would make it possible for the Church of St. John the Evangelist to meet the needs of present and future members. It is entirely due to the incredibly generous outpouring of donations from many life-long and even more recent parishioners—all of whom quickly embraced the critical importance of dealing with these needs—that it has been possible to preserve this proud legacy of faith.
Rolf, in collaboration with Rohn & Associates Custom Studio and with vital input from Father Kolakowski and the Building Committee, was responsible for defining and implementing the multifaceted project. As they worked on the project, their vision spread from the incorporation of a new Adoration Chapel to liturgical furnishings, congregational seating, restoration of leaded glass and interior surfaces including flooring, walls and ceilings, lighting and lighting control, artwork, and other appointments and amenities such as restrooms and elements that would afford greater participation to the handicapped.
All of these aspects of the newly renovated church started with a vision of the New Jerusalem, the City of God, and have helped to impart new life to the parish. In the carefully executed renovation plan, clergy and parishioners are encouraged to see themselves in active and spiritual communion with the Lord Jesus Christ, the Father and the Holy Spirit, as well as with Mary, St. Joseph and all the saints, celebrating—as one Body of Christ—the Mass and the Sacraments, worshiping the Lord truly present in the tabernacle and bringing their prayers, needs and praise to God.
Rohn and Associates Custom Studio designed and executed the following:
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| Design and Mural by artist Renate Rohn |
- A new mural above the sanctuary features the Lamb of God—Christ—who takes away the sins of the world, the Holy Spirit, and Pelicanus. The pelican is a Eucharistic symbol of a bird that was believed to have fed its young with its own blood by piercing its breast. In ancient times, the pelican was seen as a symbol of Christ who shed his blood for his people. The pelican in the mural echoes the image carved in the altar long ago.
- The Stations of the Cross have been carefully restored using an artistic technique known as trompe d’oeil and are highlighted with a gold leaf background in their niches to bring out the details and emphasize the way we travel when we participate in this devotion.
- The faux marbling and light gilding and glazing of the columns and capitals, as well as a star-filled sapphire night sky on the apse ceiling, provide a sense of grandeur and soaring height to the interior that is in character with the French High Gothic architecture of this church.
- A brand new wash of color and intricate stenciling on the shrines of the Blessed Mother and St. Joseph add much-needed vitality to the images of these individuals who served as parents to the Lord in their Holy Family. Their significance is further emphasized by their placement at the head of the main aisle with a lovely inlaid Chi-Rho Symbol.
- The now light-filled Adoration Chapel approachable through the narthex is enhanced by its fresh decoration, which helps to complete the return of the church of St. John the Evangelist to an atmosphere that is more traditional and brings to the environment a majestic, yet meditative sacredness.
"We are all excited each day to see the progress that has been made. The painting is making an amazing impact: the beautiful royal blue ceiling with gold stars, the faux marble finish on the columns, and the intricate painting on the Stations of the Cross. And the newly restored stained glass windows…when the sun shines through them you can now see vivid reflections of the scenes right on the church floor…it wasn’t like that before they were repaired."
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| Artist and mural designer Renate Rohn, artists Victoria and Julian Christina and Father Robert Kolakowski, S.C.L. |
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