Sanctuary blends art, spirit

Torrey AndersonSchoepe

There is both art and spirit in the newly renovated St. Catherine of

Siena Church.

“Our new chapel complements our parish and our community through

its use of symbolism and artwork created by local artists,” said

Father Eamon O’Gorman, the parish’s pastor.

The church was rededicated after a two-year renovation process

Friday and will reopen for services at the end of the month.

The changes and additions to art in the church are apparent both

inside and out.

Murals hand-painted on canvas and dating from 1947 were cleaned

and restored by the Balboa Art Conservancy of San Diego. These murals

decorate the front of the sanctuary, where the altar is located.

Clearing of old paneling in the sanctuary at the front of the

church created more room for a new cross with statues of Mary, the

mother of Christ, and the disciple John on either side. These statues

were custom made in Madrid specifically for the church.

“The artistic elements that have gone into this new church truly

represent that spirit and creativity of this parish and Laguna Beach

as a whole,” said Mike Tauber, a Laguna Beach Arts Commissioner who

worked on the project.

Tauber replicated the original murals on the wall in the sanctuary

behind the altar as well as in the archways along the corridors on

either side of the church.

The archways were painted to be not only artistic, but symbolic.

“We believe we are all the body of Christ,” said Luella Vasquez,

liturgy coordinator and parish business manager. “And we wanted the

parishioners to get the feeling that they were all the body of

Christ, and the sanctuary was not the only special place [for the

body of Christ].”

The hillside behind the church was turned into a liturgical garden

with a rosary walk and walking stations of the cross designed by one

of the church members.

The tower of the church used to serve as a beacon to people on

shore and at sea, when it was first built over 70 years ago. In this

sense, it has been an important part of the church’s identity, church

officials said. A design team, which consisted of local artists and

church members, worked with O’Gorman to integrate inspirational

stylistic points to increase the spiritual experience.

Jos and Dirk Maes of Laguna Beach designed and made all the clear

glass artwork in the church. Their artwork is not just standard

stained glass; it is transparent, therefore allowing light to shine

through. The gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are represented

by four windows in the back of the church surrounding the baptism

font.

The windows along corridors on either side of the church contain

symbols associated with the patron St. Catherine. Two windows near

the ceiling on the walls adjacent to the cross in the sanctuary

feature the eye of God and a dove representing the Holy Spirit.

John Barber, a noted Laguna Beach glass artist, created the

vessels for the holy oils located in the ambry, or cabinet at the

back of the church. These oils were anointed on the walls at the

dedication ceremony.

The imposing structure with its new paintings, art glass windows

and custom-made statues is a far cry from its humble beginnings.

The building started out as a one-room Mormon schoolhouse built in

1888 by early settlers in Laguna. It was purchased by the Joseph Yoch

family in 1909 and became the first Catholic Church in Laguna Beach,

St. Joseph’s Chapel.

After Yoch’s death in 1926, it was renamed St. Catherine of Siena

Catholic Church. Church membership grew over the years, and the

church became too small. Plans for a new church began in 1930 with

the newly appointed administrator of St. Catherine of Siena parish,

Father Jeremiah Lehane. The church was then relocated to where it

stands now at 990 Temple Terrace.

Only minor repairs had been made during the past 84 years to the

church, which holds around 346 people.

The renovation project did not expand the building itself, said

Diocese of Orange spokesman Ryan Lilyengren.

The renovation and remodel consisted of all interior changes, with

the original structure left the same. The renovations brought the

church up to safety standards and made it handicap accessible. There

is an elevator from the street level to the church level, and a ramp

for wheelchair access to the altar.

A longtime member of the church who will be turning 100 years old

in a few weeks used to have to be carried up the steps in her wheel

chair, but now that will be no trouble at all, Vasquez said.

The Blessed Sacrament Chapel was added along with reconciliation

rooms designed in such a way that penitents have the choice of either

anonymous or face-to-face confessions.

“The sacrament chapel is a small chapel for those who can’t come

to the Sunday masses, that includes people who are sick and in the

hospital, or homebound,” Vasquez said. “It’s also a place for anyone

to come and just find peace.”

The administration building was also remodeled to have multiple

meeting rooms.

During construction, the church held daily services at other

churches such as St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, which shared its space.

“It’s a gem,” Vasquez said of the remodeled church. “It’s cozy, it

feels familiar, it’s not overwhelming, and people feel comfortable

here. We couldn’t be happier. “