Our Lady gets reredos restoration after floods; organ is next on program

At the end of May the sanctuary of Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church looked remarkably like it did before the ravages of Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The pews are back in place and the artwork has been cleaned and restored as well.

In the church bulletin of May 25, Fr. Anthony Hewitt, Pastor, reported that the pews have been “deep-cleaned, sanded, stained and sealed. The kneelers have new hardware, pads and coverings.”

He went on to explain that the repair and restoration of the pews took place in North Carolina, and the work had taken about four months to complete. 

He said that the artwork needed to be refurbished due to the wave action experienced inside the church during the storms. That action caused the dirty, salty water to splash onto the walls causing damage to the art hanging on the walls.The reredos, the large wooden painted screen above the tabernacle, was also cleaned and is now back in place.

While parishioners have been attending Mass in the church since Easter, it was not back in its intended condition until now.

“With everything inside cleaned up and repaired, the church feels like home again,” Fr. Anthony said. 

New candles have replaced the old ones. They are made of beeswax, helping to reduce damage to the artwork into the future.

“Many of the liturgical items were damaged by flood waters,” he added, “and they have been polished and brought back to life.”

The one item not yet in place is the new organ, which will be constructed specifically for the church. It is expected to cost $218,915 when completed, and to be arriving in time for the Christmas season. 

A substantial initial payment, representing 65 percent of the final cost, must be approved and paid by the diocese before construction begins. Fr. Anthony is accepting donations for the “much-needed instrument for the enhancement of our liturgy in our historic church.” Checks should indicate the donation is for “New church organ.”

He added through a text message: “The generosity of parishioners’ time, talent and treasure made the turnaround happen so quickly. We pray that our island community will not suffer from any hurricanes this year.”