Chapel receives blessing, high praise from parishioners after major renovation
Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R., Archbishop of Newark, blessed the newly renovated Father John E. Murphy Chapel during a visit to Notre Dame Church in North Caldwell on Feb. 12.
With his voice reverberating throughout the intimate space, Cardinal Tobin asked God to ensure all who worship within the Father Murphy Chapel “be united, at last, in the holy city of your peace.” He then splashed holy water on the surfaces of the chapel, which was named for Notre Dame Church’s founding pastor.
After this blessing, Cardinal Tobin celebrated Mass in the church’s nave, during which he delivered a homily extolling the importance of the global Synod for a more connected Catholic Church. He also commended the Notre Dame parishioners for their commitment to refurbishing their chapel, pointing out that their actions reflect the “continuous conversion” all faithful must practice to avoid corruption.
“We can’t stay where we are — we must constantly let Jesus change our hearts, change our structures, change our way of thinking,” Cardinal Tobin told the congregation. “But you know that already. That beautiful place we blessed at the beginning of the service wasn’t there. You together decided on the need, and you worked and sacrificed to make it. What you did is what the Church is called to do.”
Having Cardinal Tobin bless the chapel was a great honor for the parish, said Father Thomas Dente, the pastor of Notre Dame Church. And the significance of his visit was not lost on the congregation. According to Father Thomas, the Mass Cardinal Tobin presided over attracted a lot more parishioners than the typical Saturday evening service. Those who attended were treated to a joyous celebration they will not soon forget, he said.
“After experiencing the pandemic, which was a dark time, it was nice to have something positive and inspiring,” Father Thomas said. “And the parishioners were very pleased to see the completed project. They really sense and feel what a difference the space can make to the worship. The beauty, the artwork, and even just the newness and cleanness of it make for a better worship experience.”
A Chapel “Facelift”
The chapel indeed looks a lot different after its renovation. Prior to the project, the space featured carpeted floors, papered walls, and curtained windows. It also had not been refurbished since it opened in the 1980s and was starting to show its age. As Father Thomas put it, the chapel was due for a “facelift.”
So, after collecting money through the four-year “We Are Living Stones” fundraising initiative in addition to individual donations, the parish hired noted liturgical architect Anthony Genovese to reimagine the chapel. And Genovese — who designed the Papal altar settings for Pope Paul VI and Pope John Paul II during their U.S. visits in 1965 and 1995, respectively — did not hesitate to overhaul the space.
Under the architect’s direction, the chapel’s carpeting and wallpaper were removed, leaving its hard surfaces visible. New paneling and battens were also installed, while the chapel’s existing furnishings were repaired and re-stained to match them. Additionally, a crucifix featuring a corpus hand-carved in Italy was added. And a mensa of Spanish porcelain was affixed to the chapel’s altar, ambo, and credence table to complement the porcelain wall behind the crucifix.
The most noticeable change made to the chapel is the windows. Where there once was clear glass, Genovese placed brightly colored stained-glass windows depicting an impressionistic view of the first day of creation. Specifically, the imagery — designed by Genovese himself — is meant to evoke God’s spirit in the form of stylized birds flying over new hills, valleys, fields, and water.
Overall, the renovation has turned the Father Murphy Chapel into an almost entirely new space — one Father Thomas believes will enhance parishioners’ worship experience.
“When you go in there, you definitely get the feeling that you’ve moved into a sacred space,” Father Thomas said of the chapel, which can hold up to 50 people. “When you see the window and the crucifix, it really lifts your heart and mind to Heaven. At the end of the day, the church is the people, but the space definitely helps shape the people into better disciples of Christ.”
A Positive Response
Those who have attended weekday Mass in the chapel agree that the space’s refurbishment is impressive. Rich Otterbein, a Notre Dame parishioner who goes to Mass daily, said he always felt the Father Murphy Chapel was an inviting space for sharing Scripture and receiving the Eucharist. But following the renovation, Otterbein acknowledged that the chapel’s refurbishment adds something special to services there.
“The new setting is not only beautiful and inspiring, but it clearly enhances the warm and friendly worship experience of our community,” Otterbein said. “As I sit in this new setting, it brings to mind the relevant scriptural text from Matthew: ‘For where two or three gather together in My name, there am I in the midst of them.’
“‘Spiritual,’ ‘inspiring,’ ‘warm,’ and ‘friendly’ are words that identify this sacred space,” he continued. “May God bless it to His effective use and glory.”
Kathy Ziegler is likewise thrilled with the renovation. The parishioner, who attends Mass at Notre Dame Church four days a week, recalled that she and her family eagerly anticipated the refurbishment’s completion over the roughly six months it took to do the work. Upon seeing the end result, Ziegler said the finished chapel was more than they could have imagined.
“It is a place of beauty, reverence, and peace,” Ziegler said. “When we are gathered for Mass, the reflection of the magnificent stained-glass windows as well as the members of the congregation can be seen on the wall behind the priest — a vivid reminder that we are all the Church united in the celebration of the Mass.”
Now that the renovation has been completed, Notre Dame Church is already thinking about how it can take advantage of its restored space. The chapel already hosts Mass on weekdays at 7 a.m. and 9 a.m., and it is open for personal prayer and reflection during regular weekday business hours and Sundays. In the future, Father Thomas said the parish plans on using the space to hold concerts and other gatherings related to worship and religious education.
Regardless of the reason, Father Thomas hopes parishioners will visit the Father Murphy Chapel because worshipping in an intimate venue is much different than attending a traditional Sunday Mass. He said people would likely find the experience fulfilling if they tried it.
“We believe that Christ is present not only in the Eucharist and the Word, but also in the people who gather together,” Father Thomas said. “And if you’re in a small group in a smaller space, you’re going to get a better sense of togetherness than you would if you were one of 500 people in a large church. You’re going to feel like you’re all united as the body of Christ, and that’s going to result in a better encounter with Christ.”
To learn more about Notre Dame Church, visit www.ndparishnc.com.
Featured image: Cardinal Tobin splashes holy water on the chapel’s new stained-glass windows, which depict an impressionistic view of the first day of creation. (Photo by Terrie Michaels)
