Renovation under way at Washington church
Restorations are under way around the St. Joseph altar at Immaculate Conception Church in Washington.
Chris Abbott, foreman and supervisor with Astorino Development of Pittsburgh, goes over plans with the Rev. William Feeney, pastor of Immaculate Conception Church in Washington.
For 85 years, Immaculate Conception Church has stood at West Chestnut and North Franklin streets as a testament to the strong Catholic community in Washington.
Over the years, the building has seen some improvements, but nothing like what has been going on currently within its four walls. The inside of the church has been gutted as part of a major renovation project.
The money for the project, estimated at $1 million, is coming primarily from an anonymous benefactor. Work began the day after Thanksgiving and is to be completed by Palm Sunday.
“The benefactor told me that we have a beautiful, beautiful church,” said the Rev. William Feeney, pastor. “The donor wanted to make it even more beautiful.”
Astorino Development of Pittsburgh designed the new interior. Feeney said the company was commissioned by Pope John Paul II to design the chapel that was built as part of a hotel constructed to house the cardinals when they visit the Vatican. It is where Pope Francis makes his home and says daily Mass.
“We are not going to be ripping out walls,” Feeney said.
The main altar will be replaced and sit higher. The pews will be replaced. The first few rows at the front of the church will be shorter to ease congestion and make it easier to maneuver the casket during a funeral Mass.
Walls throughout will be painted. The lights are being retained but are being cleaned and retrofitted to use energy-efficient LED bulbs. Feeney is hoping the interior will be much brighter as a result.
The floor will be constructed of three different colors of marble set in a pattern. The rails on the center will be removed, although the ones at the side altar will remain. Even the pipe organ has received a face-lift, with each pipe painstakingly cleaned. The icons that had been on the walls will be relocated, but no decision has been made regarding their placement. Feeney said one may be put in the church hall while the other may go to Sacred Heart Church in Claysville, another church that is part of the parish.
“We want people to come here and pray,” the pastor said. “Hopefully, it will make them feel inspired.”
This is the first time since 1991 that extensive work has been done inside the church.
The renovation comes as part of a recently completed capital campaign across the Pittsburgh Diocese known as “Our Campaign for The Church Alive.” The campaign at Immaculate Conception was called “A Sacred Heritage, A Generous Heart.”
Thanks to the bequest, the church could start on the work immediately instead of waiting for the funds from the capital campaign to come in over the five-year period, as stipulated in the diocesewide endeavor. The goal given by the parish was $1.58 million, an amount it had to guarantee to the diocese that it would meet in order to run a capital campaign. The parish exceeded the amount with $4.042 million in pledges to be donated by parishioners over the next five years.
Feeney was not surprised by the generosity of the parishioners. The original church in Washington for the parish that was founded in 1855 stood at South Lincoln and East Wheeling streets. He noted the existing church was built in 1929-30, coinciding with the start of the Great Depression.
“People of this parish had a great spirit back then as they do now,” Feeney said.
The pledges will be used to add to and improve programs in the parish. The church is prohibited from using the money to fund operating expenses.
Parishioners will get a chance to see the improvements on Palm Sunday. Feeney said the new altar will be rededicated by Bishop David Zubik during what he calls a “spectacular ceremony” at the 12:15 p.m. Mass that day.