Honoring St. Teresa of Calcutta

Feast Day September 5

As part of the redecorating project For Such a Time as This, we will honor St. Teresa of Calcutta in two significant ways. Known familiarly as Mother Teresa, she visited the Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, now since 2014 the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, on June 12, 1995.

First we will honor St. Teresa of Calcutta by including her in the reimagined triumphal arch that is part of the redecorating and repainting of the Sanctuary, included in Phase One B. The image or icon will be created at Conrad Schmidt Studios in New Berlin, Wisconsin, and then applied to the triumphal arch and is based on a familiar likeness of Saint Teresa.

As an additional honor, the new Adoration Chapel, will be dedicated to St. Teresa of Calcutta and St. Peter Chanel Marist priest and martyr. While the final plans for the design of the Adoration Chapel, have yet to be finalized, they will pay visual homage to both Saints including oil paintings by parishioner Cathy Ehrler.

During her visit to Sacred Heart, Mother Teresa delivered beautiful, and memorable remarks from the lectern. It was noted in the Atlanta Journal the next day that she was “barely taller than the lectern she stood behind”. The plan is to include that lectern in the Adoration Chapel as well. Listen to the Audio clip of her speaking.

Other design considerations for the chapel include using existing furnishings from the Sanctuary, and repurposing others including historic kneelers and chairs and parts of the Ambo. The Adoration Chapel, which was formerly used for storage, will also be entirely re-furbished, including new paint, refinishing the wainscoting and adding new flooring and other lighting enhancements

We are pleased that these two honors to St. Teresa of Calcutta were able to be included in the redecorating project For Such as Time as This.

Our goal is to create a welcoming environment that supports the various liturgies that occur within it, is balanced and appropriate for a Basilica, follows current liturgical guidelines, and respects the history of Sacred Heart.