Moving the High Altar

The High Altar was returned to its original location in May 2021, and Archbishop Sample Dedicated it at a Mass on May 20, 2021.

The High Altar has been returned to its original location. The photo on the right was taken before it was relocated to the side alcove after Vatican II.

What was the rationale for this move? There are many reason that I could mention. I could talk about restoring this historic church back to the architectural focus as it was designed; however, in my mind, the strongest reason is that we live in an age when the faith is in decline. We are moving toward, or more likely are in, a post-Christendom age. Polls have come out highlighting a declining belief in the Real Presence–meaning that the Eucharist is the Real Presence of Christ, the Body, Blood, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Our Lord is fully and substantially present under the appearance of bread and wine in the Sacred species. And more and more people no longer believe in that Real Presence because we live in a scientific and materialistic age that says, “If a thing looks like bread, tastes like bread, it must just be bread.” One can focus on teaching more emphatically that the Eucharist is the True Presence, but it will never have the same impact as actually moving our Lord to the very center of the church, where all the architecture guides your eyes as the focal point.  As our own Archbishop, Alexander King Sample, has said, “We need to keep our eyes on the prize.” This is why he encourages his priests to move the tabernacle back to the center of the church in the place of prominence. St. Mary Catholic Church was constructed originally with this goal in mind, and I am confident that this change will have a profound effect

Our living God resides there in the tabernacle and we want to keep him the focus of our worship.