'Tis Done (for now)

This first phase of the Cathedral's renovation is complete!

The enlarged restroom is finished. The sink and mirror are in place. The restroom is handicapped-accessible and family friendly. When you come to Mass this weekend, be sure to take a peek at the beautiful woodwork and the great tilework (design courtesy of our talented Associate Pastor, Fr. Matt).

Let's recap the work done in this first Phase of the Renovation:

1. Decaying wood in the upper church has been replaced by new wood and metal bracing.
2. The previous sound system's speakers and the "gondola" that held them have been removed from the ceiling.
   
3. New braces reinforce the roof, eliminating any swaying and creaking in the upper church due to high winds during Oklahoma's lengthy storm season.
   
4. A new fire suppression system protects the entire Cathedral from fire danger.
5. The air conditioning ducts have been re-routed so that we will enjoy cool air in the Summer, but we won't have to look at unsightly air vents.
6. The men's restroom has been expanded to accommodate wheelchair-bound parishioners and guests.
   
7. The cathedra, the Bishop's chair, sits at the side of the sanctuary, near its original position where it was in 1914.
8. Most important to Catholics, the Blessed Sacrament is now reserved in the central high altar.

As an added bonus, the vestibule outside the new restroom is painted in new colors. The original tile floor has been restored. These new wall colors are a sneak peak of what the entire interior of the Cathedral might look like as the Renovation continues.

Work will continue! We are currently searching for a better lift chair to assist our parishioners who have difficulty climbing stairs.

Check back here often. Soon, you'll see new posts describing in detail the future Phases of the Renovation. The next Phases will include a new copper roof, restored spires, a greatly improved sound system, a repainted Cathedral interior, and the restoration of our beautiful statues, altars, and Stations of the Cross.

Please remember the Cathedral in your prayers.

The Sanctuary Rug

Last summer, we knew that the installation of the fire suppression system would shake a lot of plaster loose from the vaults. We did not want that plaster to land on the beautiful rug in the sanctuary where it would be ground into the rug as people walked on it.

We sent it off to be cleaned and to have the fringe restored. The rug has been back for several, several weeks. I was taking some photos of it this afternoon and thought that I'd share them.

As always click on the photos for larger versions.

Shiny New Porcelain & Brass

Today saw three moments of major progress!

1. The fire suppression system, long complete in the Cathedral, has now been finished in the Sacristy Attic. Click on the image for a larger version. The sprinkler pipes hang from the rafters and have red elbows.

This is the area upstairs from the Sacristy, the Choir Room, and the hallway that connects them. [And, yes, this is where we store the artificial Christmas trees.]

2. Wood-workers stained all wood in the two smaller entrances at the front (East) side of the Cathedral. This includes the doors and the wood trim. It looks very fresh. [No photo]

3. The fixtures for the newly expanded restroom have finally arrived. Installation is going rather quickly. The handicapped-accessible sink has yet to be taken out of its box, but the toilet, seat, rail, toilet paper holder, and waste paper box are all in place.

Sigh! Waiting for the fixtures...

Our little restroom in the vestibule of the Cathedral is much larger than it was; however, it's still empty!

I am told that the fixtures should be here in a couple of weeks. It probably will not take long to install everything.

For now, all we can do is admire the paint, the wall tiles, and the floor tiles. If you like it, please tell Fr. Matt that you like his choices. He did a great job.

Shameless Advertisement: The Cathedral has launched a podcast called Today's Young Catholics. It features Catholics in their 20s and 30s discussing how current Catholic news impacts their lives. The latest podcast is an interview with seminarian Brian O'Brien.

Church Fire Suppression System is done!

The large hydraulic basket lift, affectionately known as "our blue friend," is back in the middle of the Cathedral! It will complete the fire suppression system.

Workers are placing a small cover over each hole in the ceiling. The covers hide the sprinkler heads. If the system detects a fire in the Cathedral, the small covers will fall from the ceiling as the sprinkler heads lower and begin spraying water.

The lift will be removed for this weekend's Masses.

Update: The work is complete. Unless you are carefully looking for the covers, they are not visible.