All things made new in Christ

St. Patrick Cathedral reopens for Holy Week, unveils striking renovations

ANNIE FERGUSON & SPENCER K.M. BROWN Catholic News Herald

CHARLOTTE — Hundreds of parishioners processing into St. Patrick Cathedral for Palm Sunday also got their first look at spectacular new features inside the church, which had been closed for renovations for the better part of six months.

Awestruck by the handiwork of artists and craftspeople, parishioners felt more keenly than ever the jubilation of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem.

The most dramatic changes are new artwork on the cathedral’s rib arches, colorful interior paint, and 24-karat gold leaf, donated by a former parishioner, that spans the arches across the ceiling. The sanctuary wall is now a luminous gold. The renovations also included significant repairs to the roof and walls to address water intrusion.

“It really brightens up the church,” said Hannah Forster, a parishioner at St. Patrick.

“All the detail and painting is just so beautiful. But being back in our church is the best part. It’s wonderful; it’s like being back home again. The church needed this, and we’re so glad Father Roux and everyone made this possible. We’re also glad to be home again to celebrate Easter.”

“We are overjoyed to share the beautiful new improvements with our parishioners,” said Father Christopher Roux, rector and pastor. “After much prayer and dedicated work from our entire team, I am so grateful to reopen our cathedral as we await the Resurrection of Our Lord, who makes all things new.”

The entire inside of the building, floor to ceiling, sanctuary to choir loft, had recently been filled with scaffolding and activity to ensure it was mostly finished by Holy Week, Father Roux said. His only non-negotiables during construction were that work had to cease at Christmas and Holy Week so parishioners could celebrate in their church home.

Many potential delays surfaced, including leaks that popped up after everything appeared to be watertight. Nevertheless, Father Roux said, “I trusted all would work out, and with a great deal of credit to our contractors and artist – we made it.”

Plans for much-needed repairs of the 84-year-old church got under way in early 2022. Leaks in the roof had caused the plaster walls to deteriorate, visibly scarring the cathedral’s interior. The sacristy suffered similar damage.

“We brought in a group of professionals to first determine what was happening, where, and what was causing the damage, and then to determine what could be done to repair it,” said Emmett Sapp, the Diocese of Charlotte’s construction director.

The project began in September 2022, with initial work focused on urgent repairs to the roof and flashing, waterproofing the building’s western façade, and repairing the interior plaster walls. Although additional work remains to be done, Sapp said, it is not expected to require closing the cathedral again for an extended time.

Sapp expects the total cost to be $2.6 million, most of which was paid for through the diocese’s unprecedented “Forward in Faith, Hope, and Love” campaign that has funded endowments, capital projects like the cathedral, and other needs across the growing diocese.

Jim Kelley, the diocese’s development director who steered the FFHL campaign, noted, “More than 15,000 generous parishioners donated to that campaign, which wrapped up in 2019, and it’s gratifying to see the impact those funds are making – and will continue to make for years to come.”

Retired Father Ayathupadam, key supporter of Charlotte’s Indian Catholic community, dies at 89

KERALA, India — Father Joseph C. Ayathupadam, a retired priest of the Diocese of Charlotte, passed away Saturday, April 8, 2023, in India, aged 89. Over more than 60 years of priestly ministry, Father Ayathupadam had gone with trust to wherever God called him – as parish priest, missionary, hospital chaplain, and devoted supporter of Indian Catholics in the Carolinas. His funeral Mass was celebrated at his childhood parish of St. Sebastian’s Church, in Neyyassery, Kerala, India, on Thursday, April 13, 2023.

Locally, a Mass for the repose of the soul of Father Ayathupadam will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 15, 2023, at St. Mary’s Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, 715 E. Arrowood Road in Charlotte.

He was born on Jan. 17, 1934, in Kerala, India, the son of Chacko Mathew Ayathupadam and Anna (Poovanthuruthil) Ayathupadam.

He attended schools in his home parish of St. Sebastian before entering St. Joseph’s Pontifical Seminary, Mangalapuzha in Aluva, Kerala – the major seminary for the SyroMalabar Catholic Church, in 1954. Founded by the Apostle Thomas, the Syro-Malabar Church is the second largest Church among the 23 Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the pope.

He was ordained a priest on March 12, 1961, at St. George’s Cathedral in Kothamangalam, Kerala, by Mar Mathew Pothanamuzhi, the first bishop of the Eparchy (Diocese) of Kothamangalam, India.

He began his priestly ministry in the Kothamangalam eparchy, serving in parishes there for 13 years. He also earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Karnatak University in Dharwad, India. He then traveled to Eldoret, Kenya, where he served for three years as a parish priest and school principal – missionary work that he described as one of his most memorable as a priest.