3 minute read
“Rebuilding The Temple” Project Refreshes And Restores Ascension Mission
Since the 1960s, our parish’s mission church in Puako — Ascension — has been a treasured part of our community. Earlier this year, the church underwent major repairs and updates. This project, “Rebuilding the Temple,” not only updated the infrastructure, but also enhanced the religious symbolism of Ascension Mission’s layout. By placing a focus on “sacred geometry,” the church building now reflects the beauty of our faith more than ever.
“Our church in Puako has been an important part of our community,” says Terry Cromwell. “It serves not only local Catholics, but also tourists that stay along the Kohala Coast and are dedicated enough to come to Mass while on vacation!
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“Sacred geometry has the ability to tap into an awareness, to shift how we feel,” she adds. “The composition of a space truly affects us. The project required both ‘wear and tear’ repairs to be remedied, and a modern visual and language to be composed. This meant taking visual cues from the existing architecture, and developing a cohesive color scheme and presence commensurate with the transcendence and dignity of the Mass.”
The project began the Monday after Easter, and was completed during a concentrated period of time following. The stay-at-home orders implemented during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic allowed for this work to be done in a shorter amount of time than usual, since the subcontractors hired for construction and renovation projects were able to work seven days a week. These projects included installing tile, laying carpeting, painting and drywalling. In addition, Terry and her husband, Michael, designed a new interior layout that would highlight the symbolic octagonal shape of the church.
“Ascension Mission’s building is an octagon, reiterated in the interior,” Terry says. “Most notably, the walls create an open, theatre-like general assembly area, including the shape of the roof windows above the crown hanging over the sanctuary, and the raised sanctuary itself. The tabernacle originally sat high above the back of the sanctuary, which required steps. When the steps and elevation were previously removed to secure more room for serving Mass, the original sanctuary’s octagonal shape was obscured.
As Terry notes, recreating the octagon was important, as it holds deep significance in the Roman Catholic Church.
“Baptismal fonts, for instance, are octagonal because an octagon symbolizes renewal, rebirth, resurrection and transition,” she says. “Additionally, the number eight signified immortality in medieval number symbolism. Michael and I set out to create a pattern that would restore the octagon while creating movement and energy in a circular direction using mosaic and other tiles. The circle is universal, symbolizing infinity, unity and wholeness.”
The new interior design features several additional symbols and features. For example, the altar table is now outlined in decorative floor tile, depicting a square rotated 45 degrees. This symbolizes our mission as Christians to follow the example of Jesus’s apostles, going out into the world to spread the Good News of Christ. Inside this square is another mosaic square, which signifies that all present are regarded as equals in the eyes of God, regardless of economic or social rank. The outdoor entry to the church now features two basalt stone benches — these stones metaphorically represent us, the “living stones” that are the building blocks of the church.
“These stones have rough, uneven edges,” Terry says. “Like us, each one is characteristic, perhaps even flawed, but each uniquely its own.”
Finally, psalms have been placed on the walls of the choir and education rooms as a means of evangelization. The poetic beauty of psalms can awaken the heart of all who encounter them.
“Your church is perfected, ordered, centered on God and radiant!” Terry says. “We must be thankful and give praise to those who brought their expertise to the project and made the vision happen.”
