The music had been silenced for hours, candles were down to their final flickers, the sweet aroma of incense beginning to wane.
As an autumn dusk cast its final shadows, St. Thomas More Church in Baton Rouge pastor Father Michael Alello spent a few moments bathing in the serenity at the conclusion of what had been a glorious day.
Hours earlier, Bishop Michael G. Duca had rededicated the church in a hallowed two-hour ceremony before a standing-room-only crowd that prayed in silence but whose expressions shouted their approval.
The rededication was the culmination of a two-year project hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic and supply shortages.
“It was just really nice to be able to know that it was all over,” Father Alello said. “Before I left Sunday night I just had to go back into the church and look at it one more time and to be able to smell the incense, the chrism still in the church, knowing it had taken place a few hours before. To have a few (moments of) prayer before I headed home was a wonderful feeling.”
The $4.2 million project not only included renovating the church but also construction of a new parish office, much needed since a hard rain would often flood the previous building. Also included was construction of a plaza in front of the church that features benches, beautiful landscaping and statues of the Blessed Mother and the Sacred Heart.
Welcoming visitors near the front of the church is a striking statue of St. Thomas More in the sitting position.
But the church is the centerpiece, and the ceremony was its spiritual baptism.
“As one of the emcees of the diocese, I emceed several rites of rededication but this was very different not emceeing and being the pastor of the church being rededicated,” said Father Alello, who wore a smile of gratitude and pure joy for hours. “There were several times during the ceremony that I was very moved. The people filing into the church after the bishop announces the invitation to come in was just beautiful.
“All of the different pieces, incensing the church, lighting the church, blessing the church, just all of it. It’s beauty of our church in its fullness.”
Perhaps one of the more sacred images is a large statue of Jesus placed inside the sanctuary. A Frank Hayden original, the statue was first placed in the sanctuary of St. Louis King of France Church in Baton Rouge in 1972.
As part of the renovation, the tabernacle was moved to the side chapel, which features a statue of St. Anthony of Padua, creating additional prayer space. A statue of Our Lady of LaVang should soon be added.
And under the altar is a relic of Blessed Francis Seelos that was previously at St. Louis.
“It’s extremely rewarding as a pre-K teacher (at St. Thomas More School) to know that our young children will be able to grow in their knowledge and their faith on this campus,” said Genny Gohn. “As a parishioner and as a resident of this neighborhood it means so much that this church community has invested in this campus.
“It’s a sign of life for the community. I think it is an anchor for our neighborhood and it’s going to keep the neighborhood vibrant. I feel very strongly about that.”
During his homily Father Alello recalled the early days of the planning process, when during a number of meetings pieces of paper were moved around on a map of the campus to discover ways to squeeze in the remodeled church with the new office building.
He remembered encountering a few untrusting stares and doubts along the way.
“People questioned if we needed a new office,” Father Alello said. ”They said the old building was fine and asked what was wrong with it.”
“It flooded every time it rained,” he said with a chuckle.
For the past two years he continuously reminded parishioners to trust the process, to wait and see.
“It was hard to see where we were going and I will never forget your reactions throughout that journey,” he said. “How hard is it for us to completely see where we are going. God is leading us on this great journey.
“All of what we did to this moment has been to bring us to this moment of celebration.”
He said the parish has refreshed its place of worship but added that “if all we have done is renovate our physical space, our campus and our hearts have not been changed all that we have done is wasted time and money.”
“This is our place or worship,” he said. “And we truly come to be fed by God’s word so we may hear God’s word in our lives.
“Move your hearts to go forth and proclaim his word and be forever changed the way it happened in this holy space.”