Beyond creating timeless custom artworks rooted in both local and universal Church history, Rohn & Associates Design is committed to preserving Catholic heritage by helping sacred treasures from closed churches find meaningful new homes.
We recently facilitated the sale of this beautiful hand-carved door with crucifixion image, which welcomed parishioners to the old Houston Co-Cathedral from its founding in 1896 until the dedication of the more contemporary new sacred space in 2008. This left the Cathedral with an important dilemma: what should be done with these beloved yet unused pieces of patrimony—works by artists and craftsmen that gave visible form to the faith and devotion of the local Christian community?
Having served as the liturgical designers of the new Co-Cathedral, and with extensive experience working with churches across Texas, we were able to help guide the preservation of this remarkable piece. Our team was grateful to place the impressive 6'9" x 9'3" oak door with Sidney Ohlhausen, a generous benefactor of Regina Caeli Catholic Church. Mr. Ohlhausen purchased the door and arranged for its careful repair and restoration by a skilled local woodworker before donating this important piece of Catholic heritage to the parish.
Another Houston-area parish, Annunciation, will soon receive two stained glass windows from the former Co-Cathedral—the Resurrection and the Priesthood—thanks to the philanthropy of Mr. Ohlhausen. The windows will be installed in the historic Foley mansion on the church grounds, a home generously gifted to the parish by another Houston philanthropist and currently undergoing restoration.
We are deeply grateful for this spirit of stewardship, which not only restores these timeworn works of sacred art to their original beauty but also preserves an important chapter of the Church’s history for future generations.
