Cathedral Façade Project Is 'Mother Church Extending Her Arms to All Of
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May 7, 2021 In This Issue ESSENGER M Serving the Diocese of Covington, Kentucky since 1926 Specila Edition — Completing the Façade of the Cathedral Cathedral façade project is ‘Mother Church extending Basilica of the Assumption her arms to all of her daughter churches’ 2 At the Cathedral Laura Keener May Crowning and First Editor The “Speaking for Centuries: Completing the Façade of Communions the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption” campaign will culminate with a blessing and dedication this June. After 2 Timeless St. Joseph two years of planning, fundraising, crafting and installing, A statue is born Bishop Camillus Maes’ vision for the façade of Covington’s cathedral was realized, April 22, with the installation of a 3 North portal statue of St. Pope Pius X — the last of 24 statues. (See related Annunciation tympanum article on page 8, “Reaching back into history completing Bishop Maes’ Cathedral façade vision.”) “When we talked about bringing Bishop Maes back to 3 Thank you donors the Cathedral we thought how great it would be if we could ‘Speaking for Centuries’ complete the façade of the Cathedral since he definitely campaign wanted to do it, but wasn’t able to,” said Bishop Roger Foys in an interview about the completion of the façade. 6 South portal The blessing and dedication is scheduled for June 6, 2 Coronation tympanum p.m. While plans remain to be finalized, the dedication is 8 Reaching back to history Realizing the vision of 9 Bishop Maes The Most Rev. Roger J. Foys, D.D. and the Diocese of Covington invite you to 9 Meet Neilson Carlin Solemn Vespers Artist commissioned for project Celebrating the Dedication of the Cathedral Basilica Façade 10 The statues Sunday, June 6 at 2 p.m. Martyrs, reformers and Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption teachers of faith Cathedral Square 1140 Madison Ave., Covington Solemn Vespers for the façade dedication will be held outside on Madison Avenue. All are welcome to bring a Gillespie and Keener photos lawn chair. In the case of inclement weather, the liturgy and ceremony will be moved inside the Cathedral Bishop’s Schedule . .3 Basilica. All are welcome! Commentary . .4 Classifieds . .16 expected to be celebrated along with Vespers outside of the Cathedral Shopper’s Guide . .15 allowing those in attendance the best vantage point for the blessing. People and Events . .17 The dedication is the part of the project Bishop Foys said he is most VIRTUS . .17 excited. News Briefs . .19 “What I hope is that it will generate enthusiasm in the people of the diocese to come to the Mother Church and to appreciate the Mother Church for what it is,” Bishop Foys said. Missed an edition? Current and back The façade project includes the addition of 24 statues as well as tym- issues of the Messenger are available pana above the right and left portal doors. The statues and tympanum online at covdio.org/messenger. are crafted from Bedford limestone from the Indiana Limestone Co., the same quarry the cathedral façade stone was taken from over a cen- tury ago in 1908. When first removed from their crates, the statues were gleaming white. Only a few days after installation each statue transi- tioned to the color and character of the Cathedral Basilica, taking their place alongside the central portal’s Madonna and Child statue sculpted by Clement J. Barnhorn over a century ago. (top) Don Knochelmann, director, Buildings and Properties; Father Jordan “Barnhorn’s Madonna and Child statue was carefully studied as the Hainsey, administrative assistant to the Bishop and Bishop Roger Foys watch basis for design and style of the new niche statues,” said Father Jordan as the first statues arrive and are transferred to the Curia garage, April 2020. Hainsey, who along with Father Joseph Shelton, led the project from (center) St. Patrick makes his way by crane down Madison Avenue for his design to installation. “Barnhorn’s attention to purity of line and installation. (bottom) On day one of the installation, Father Hainsey talks movement work to create visual cohesion among the new statuary.” with workers as the first statue installed — St. John the Baptist — is hoisted. Neilson Carlin, a world-renowned artist specializing in sacred and took several weeks. Sometimes, an entire day of work resulted in the devotional art, was commissioned in 2019 to design the statues and tym- installation of a single statue — indictive of the care and attention the pana bas-reliefs. Mr. Carlin, Father Hainsey and Father Shelton worked unique and historical project demanded. with St. Jude Liturgical Arts Studio in facilitating the sculptures, Four, three-quarter round statues have been attached to the which begins with a sketch from which a full size model is sculpted in Cathedral’s front buttresses, filling the upper niches that flank each clay, that is finally hand carved from Indiana limestone. (See related portal. These statues depict the patrons of the Diocese of Covington — article on page 2, “Imaging the timeless St. Joseph — from sketch, to St. Thomas More, patron of Thomas More University; St. Paul the clay, to stone.”) Apostle, patron of the Diocese of Covington; St. Peter the Apostle and “There is a certain amount of interpretation in actually carving the St. Elizabeth of Hungary, patroness of St. Elizabeth Medical Center. statues,” said Father Hainsey.”The artist can only do so much in two- Funding for the façade project received a major shot in the arm dimensional form, the sculptor needs to interpret those sketches and from St. Elizabeth Medical Center. Likewise, a lead gift was made by give them volume and weight.” Thomas More University. Donations from parishes, priests and individ- Masons from Hummel Restoration installed the statues in their niches and secured the tympana over the portal doors, a process which (Continued on page 20) 2 May 7, 2021 Messenger Celebrating Eucharist calls parishes to be loving, caring communities Laura Keener connected to the vine through prayer,” he said. Editor Receiving the sacraments, especially frequently receiving May is Mary’s month and is also a time when the Church the sacraments of reconciliation and the Eucharist are celebrates the first Holy Communions of some of its essential, Bishop Foys said. youngest members. On the first weekend of May, Bishop “The sacrament of the Eucharist by which we are really Roger Foys celebrated the first Holy Communions of two and truly nourished by real food for the journey. We take the parishioners of St. Mary’s Parish at the Cathedral Basilica of Lord himself inside of us through the precious body and the Assumption, Covington. Jack Bertoli, (pictured bottom blood. He becomes one with us,” he said. right) son of John and April Bertoli, celebrated his First The celebration of the Eucharist, Bishop Foys said, calls Communion Saturday, May 1 and Carter Anderson, (pictured parishes to be not only places of worship but also loving and far right) son of Jeffrey and Suzanne Anderson, received his caring communities. First Communion Sunday, May 2. Carter also had the honor “The Lord welcomes us at the Eucharistic celebration in of crowning Mary at the Sunday morning Mass. a community of believers, which is why our parish commu- “Crowning Mary is a sign of our devotion,” Bishop Foys nities need to be welcoming communities — need to be lov- said in his homily. ing and caring,” Bishop Foys said. “It is not enough to talk In the Gospel reading for the fifth Sunday of Easter, Jesus about love in our speech, we need to exemplify that love in speaks to his apostles on how they are connected to him and our lives. As the Lord loves us we must love each other. The how he will nourish and sustain them. “I am the vine, you are parish church should the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear always be a loving place. much fruit, because without me you can do nothing.” (John “The Lord is the vine 15:5) we are the branches, we “Because we are connected to the vine we are not only stay connected to him in sustained but we thrive,” said Bishop Foys. “We get our sus- our conversations with tenance from the vine.” him in prayer and espe- Bishop Foys said that there are three ways to stay con- cially with the sacra- nected to Jesus — through prayer, the sacraments and a com- ments, most especially munity of believers. the sacrament of the “Prayer is talking to and listening to the Lord. We stay Eucharist.” Hainsey and Keener photos Imaging the timeless St. Joseph — from sketch, to clay, to stone Father Jordan Hainsey stone. From their clothing to what they hold, Messenger Contributor each statue is meant to be a little catechesis. A Preserved in the Holy Land at Nazareth is crozier may point to the fact that the saint was what is held to be the house-workshop of St. a bishop and shepherd to God’s people. A Joseph. Underneath the modern church con- crown of thorns may symbolize that the saint structed in 1914 are the remains of bore the wounds of Christ, teaching us that suf- a Crusader church and baptistery built around fering has redemption and meaning. the ancient house and cave structure. Here, The faces of the saints are an important fea- early Christians would retreat to the cave and ture in the Cathedral Basilica’s statuary. Many pray, emerging later to be baptized and fully are drawn from hagiographical sources and initiated into the Church. For them it was a pil- Christian iconography with some bearing the grimage from death to sin to new life in Christ.