Although extreme heat forced the cancellation of the annual Corpus Christi procession at St. Mary, it could not impede the grand re-opening of the Perpetual Adoration Chapel at the old church on Wolf Road.
Curious faithful poured into the small wooden chapel on Sunday, June 22nd, to behold the results of several weeks of restoration. Fr. Dindo presided over Eucharistic Exposition, Adoration, and Benediction, accompanied by Fr. Sam and an entourage of St. Mary deacons and acolytes.
Echoing through the church were the heavenly voices of the St. Mary choir, directed by Joseph Berardi, singing traditional Eucharistic hymns.
The Restoration
Regali Studios had undertaken the recent chapel restoration, which focused on overall beautification, with a special emphasis on the Blessed Sacrament.
“The goal of the restoration was to improve the overall look of the Adoration Chapel, transforming the interior from a plain Protestant country aesthetic to more of a French Gothic Catholic style,” explains Fr. Dindo.
The high altar was completely refinished, and the side altars were enhanced with arches and gold capitals. Above the altar now floats the phrase “Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus,” which translates to “Holy, Holy, Holy” in Latin and is intended to emphasize the sacredness of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament present on the altar.
Among the most prominent transformations is the repainted ceiling, depicting a night sky with stars. “The stars are in the exact constellation that they were in when Jesus was born, with the Star of Bethlehem positioned right above the tabernacle,” says Fr. Dindo.
Parishioners can purchase a personalized star for the chapel by selecting one of three levels of donation.
Other improvements included redoing the altar rail with Carrara marble and cleaning the Stations of the Cross to lighten them up after more than a century of use.
The restoration serves as one of Fr. Dindo’s final marks on the parish, as he prepares to transfer to St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Bolingbrook.
The Mokena Marian 