The North Bend Eagle

 

Brightened church welcomes worshipers back

by Nathan Arneal
Published 2/8/23

For the first time in four months, St. Charles parishioners met in the St. Charles church for Mass this weekend, and they were delighted by what they saw.


The cross is marched out following Mass. The words "Veritas" and "Humilitas," truth and humility in Latin, were added to the arch overhead, words St. Charles Borromeo lived by.

“It feels like home” the Rev. Keith Rezac said. “It really does.”
While the interior of St. Charles has been undergoing a major painting and refurbishing project, church services were held in the multi-purpose room of the parish center next door. The project is now complete.

Ann Minarick had purposefully avoided peeking inside during the work, preferring to see the updates all at once when they were finished. That happened Sunday morning.

“It’s prettier than I thought it could be,” Minarick said. “The colors are just amazing. It couldn’t be any prettier, I think.”

That seemed to be the general consensus among the churchgoers.
The sanctuary is noticeably brighter thanks to a combination of new paint and new LED lighting. The walls that been painted in a peach color are now a light eggshell color. A popcorn texture was removed from the ceiling, which is now painted white with gold and light blue highlights and detail.

“It was definitely worth the wait,” said Rezac, the parish pastor. “It’s more spiritual. The enhancement of the church helps us to pray better, I think, and just be more relaxed in prayer and be able to celebrate with great joy.”

Another feature that stands out to many is the lighting added to a relief carving of The Last Supper near the base of the high altar.

Rick Hobza said he and Levi Limbach came up with the idea. They ran it by Rick’s wife Jan, who vetoed the it, saying it would look too cheap.

“So I told Levi, ‘Let’s do it,’” Rick Hobza said. “So we did it behind her back and when she came in she said, ‘Oh, my gosh.’”

In a good way.

High above the alter, the words “Veritas” and “Humilitas” were painted on an arch in gold on a light blue background. Translated from Latin, it means “truth and humility,” virtues the church’s namesake St. Charles Borromeo lived by.

“It’s a reminder to all of us what St. Charles was all about,” Carol Emanuel said.

Emanuel is one of nine parish council members, plus Rezac, who to the leading role in the church’s makeover. From colors to design elements, there was a lot to consider.

 

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