YOUR TOUR BEGINS at the two statues in turrets and facing the church building. The symbolism and art were designed with St. Gabriel in mind. The main themes focus on Advent, Incarnation, and the question “Who is Jesus?” This is a TEACHING CHURCH – when looking at the art and images we must always ask: What does this mean for me and my life?

GARDENS

Entrance

The entrance is flanked on both sides containing images of the Archangels, Michael and Rafael, the old testament warriors who protect heaven and earth against evil. Michael led the battle against Lucifer and his army which is why he is shown with full battle regalia.

Raphael helped Tobias and his wife defeat an evil spirit that kept her from leading a happy marriage. Raphael holds a fish and a spear to represent the fish that Raphael used to help Tobias heal his father, Tobit’s eyes.
 
These courtyards honor the people that were visited by the angel Gabriel as God’s plan unfolds.  As pilgrims enter this sacred space, they leave the secular world behind and begin a journey to the sacred. 

Reflecting Pool

The reflecting pool represents the eternal moment in which heaven broke through in time and gave hope to a waiting world. The statue of Angel Gabriel stands at the center of the courtyard.  Visible from the north, east, west, and south, the central location of the statue symbolizes the four corners of the earth receive with great joy the good news that the angelic messenger brings.  The twelve sides of the pedestal which the angel Gabriel stands represent the twelve tribes of Israel who have waited in an expectant vigil of the coming of the dawn of hope.
 
Along the sides of the fountain are the covenants that God has made with his people. Each has the biblical reference below it. You’ll notice that the final covenant is not there. That one is in the sanctuary. See if you can find it.
 

Zechariah Garden

The new testament begins with the angel Gabriel appearing to the priest Zechariah as he was burning incense in the temple. The angel told him that Elizabeth, his barren wife, would give birth to a son, John the Baptist, who would be the forerunner to the Messiah.  Zechariah’s disbelief resulted in him being struck dumb until the birth of John. After the birth, Zechariah’s first words were “Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel for He has come to His people and set them free.
 

Visitation Garden

At the time of the Annunciation, the Angel Gabriel revealed to Mary that her kinswoman Elizabeth was already six months pregnant with John the Baptist.  Mary set out in haste to the hill country to visit her.  As they meet, Elizabeth speaks the great truth that Mary is the Mother of the Lord.  John still in the womb leaps for joy.  Mary, the new ark of the covenant, gives praise to God as she says, “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord for he has come to His people and set them free.”
 
This garden is also a tribute to pro-life. The statue shows two pregnant women; one in advanced age and one in early age. Both situations are when an unborn child is most at risk for abortion. This garden is a place for children and families to gather.
 

St. Joseph Garden

This courtyard honors the husband of the Holy Family, Joseph the carpenter. When Mary, his betrothed, was found to be with child, Joseph planned to divorce her quietly so as not to bring shame upon her.  The angel Gabriel appeared to him in a dream telling him not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife.  He, like Mary, said yes to God’s plan and became a foster father to the child, Jesus, raising Him with love. 
 

Virgin Mary Garden

This courtyard contains the image of the Virgin Mary as she was visited by the Angel Gabriel.  The angel reassured her saying, “do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.”  He reveals God’s plan for her to bear a son who would be God in the flesh, Jesus Christ, the Messiah. As all of creation holds its breath waiting for her reply, Mary in perfect receptivity simply says “behold I am the handmade of the Lord.  May it be done to me according to your word.”’

ENTERING THE BUILDING

Approaching and entering the Sanctuary is a sacred journey. This journey can help facilitate a spiritual transition as people move from the secular world to the sacred and feel growing anticipation of communal worship. The three front doors of our church symbolize solid strength, safe harbor, and dignity.
 

Large Center Doors

The center doors are twelve feet, eight inches high. The doors on either side are eight feet high. They have bronze panels containing the main images found in the Canticle of Daniel, a song of praise that includes everything in the cosmos (angels, stars, sun and moon, light and dark, lightning and clouds, ice and snow, mountains and hills, trees, animals, priests, and people.)
 

Smaller Side Doors

The bronze panels above the smaller doors are also hymns of praise.  The southern door has panels depicting the Benedictus or Canticle of Zechariah; where Zechariah gives thanks for his son, John the Baptist. The northern door shows the Magnificat or Song of Mary; where Mary joyfully accepts her call from God.
 
Both of these scriptures are from the Gospel of Luke and both are Advent hymns that lead up to the birth of Christ which is depicted in the window over the middle door.
 

Narthex

The Narthex is a threshold between the outside world and the worship space. In early days, the Narthex was a waiting area for catechumens and penitents. Today it is our gathering area as well as an entrance and exit to the building.  It is designed to telescope out from the Nave to help build anticipation and interest as we near the worship space, thus helping us make the transition from everyday life to the celebration of the liturgy.
 
Immediately visible through the windows (when facing the worship space) are the St. Joseph courtyard to the left and the Mary courtyard to the right.  The intention is to surround parishioners with a gentle reminder that this journey is leading them to the garden of the Lord.  Their destination is to finally return to the garden of Eden. This is a joyful place of individual preparation but also of communal gathering.  Family and community are important to our parish.  The Narthex is intentionally long, giving parishioners the opportunity to greet one another at enough distance from the worship space so as not to be a distraction to those praying inside.
 
The pillars that line the Narthex, besides being support, serve as conversation eddies behind which more private conversations may take place. After the liturgy, the Narthex helps us to return to daily life to live out the mystery we have just celebrated.
 
Besides the weekend liturgy, the Narthex will serve our community throughout the year.  This space will be where our catechumens will prepare for full initiation into the church, parents, and Godparents will be greeted for baptisms, and Christians will be greeted for the last time for the funeral rite. 
 
All hallways lead to the Narthex. The south hallway provides access to an outside drop off, clergy sacristy, and a family room for weddings and funerals.
 
The north hallway provides a covered drop-off area, access to a front working sacristy, bathrooms, a ministry room. Also to the community center which will facilitate gatherings after the liturgy to help promote and celebrate community.
 

THE WORSHIP SPACE

The design of the building is Byzantine.  It is a cross-shaped building topped by a central dome which represents the heavens.  The dome is centered over the place where we receive Communion.  At every Eucharist, humanity and divinity meet, earth meets heaven.   The space is oriented toward the East.  When we enter, we go to meet Christ, the rising Sun of Justice.
 

Nave

The Nave (meaning sailing ship, from the same root word for Navy) is where the parishioners will sit. Seating capacity is around 1200. There are screens situated on either side of the altar and projectors embedded into the back walls over the major shrines. These will allow for ministries to display information. There are speakers embedded in the back walls on either side of the entrance to the nave. They appear to be white windows next to the sacraments stained glass windows. This will allow the congregants to enjoy music and voice from all around them.
 

Baptismal Font

The first object you will see when you come into the worship space is the baptismal font where we bless ourselves to remind us of our baptism and that we belong to God.
The font has eight sides, representing the eighth day, the day of resurrection.  It is surrounded by a circular pattern of tile on the floor, representing the womb of the Holy Mother Church where all her children are born.  There are two upper basins where infant baptisms will take place and a large pool below where adult baptisms will take place. The font is on the same architectural axis as the altar representing that baptism is the entry into the sacramental life of the Church.
During Easter Vigil, those to be baptized will enter from the west (representing the setting sun, their old life), walk down three steps (representing the Trinity), be baptized, then walk up three steps facing east (representing the rising sun and new life. )

Sacrament Windows

Located above the doors to the nave are six small windows depicting the sacraments. The large window showing the Baptism of Christ completing the set of seven sacraments. To the north of this window are Confirmation, Matrimony, and Holy Orders. To the south of the Baptism window are Reconciliation, Anointing of the Sick, and Eucharist. These windows cannot be seen from the Narthex but are very visible from the parking lot.
 

Rosary Windows

The Rosary windows are located along the side aisles surrounding the nave, reminding us that we are surrounded by prayer. Each mystery of the Rosary is in the upper panel with the fruit of the mystery included.  In the lower panel is the saint that epitomizes that fruit.  We drew from saints throughout the past 2000 years.  The symbolism of the window moves from complex and busy in the lower panel to a simpler and cleaner scene above, symbolizing that movement of spirituality is always upward and towards simplicity.  The color schemes are important.  On the north side, the windows will not see direct sunlight.  We used greens (Luminous) and blues (Joyful) that will do well in low light.  On the south side, we used red (Sorrowful) and gold (Glorious) for bright light. 
 

Shrines

There are four shrines honoring important saints in our faith along the side aisles.  Each shrine invites us to ask, “How does this apply to me?

• · Our Lady of Guadalupe - How do I treat the unborn or welcome a stranger in our midst?
• · St. Vincent De Paul - How do I tend to the poor and destitute?
• · Sts. Ann and Joachim - How do I tend to the elderly and aged?
• · St. John Vianney - How do I pray for vocations?  Do I support the Church?

The two large shrines in the back honor the Holy Family and the Pieta (The Sorrowful Mother).  We designed both shrines with Mary in the same position, symbolizing that Mary lived in time but her role as mother and disciple are timeless. These are currently not sponsored.
 

Dome

The dome is where heaven meets the earth.   The sunburst in the center of the dome is ‘The Dawn from on High.’ In the last part of the Canticle of Zechariah, he prays: “In tender compassion of our God, the dawn from on high shall break upon us, to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace.”  The colors are those of Advent: deep violet-blue of early morning, rose-colored dawn, and the golden light of the sun.  The same colors are used in the Holy Spirit mosaic of the Baldacchino. The cover on the dome was made by printing the image on cloth and securing it to the dome. This was done by a company that applies acoustic material.
 
The statues around the dome are the four Gospel writers, Mark, Matthew, Luke, and John each with their icon. There are twelve angel windows that represent different regions from around the world.  Perhaps angels walk among us, and they appear to be just like you and me. In the book of Revelation, the foundation of the temple in the new and eternal Jerusalem has twelve layers of gemstones. These are represented in the colored windows between the angels.
 
Around the bottom of the dome are the words Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, Dominus Deus Sabaoth which means, “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts”.  This is the song we sing at every Mass.  It is also the song sung by the four living creatures around the throne of God, day and night. 
 

Alpha and Omega Rose Windows

The main question the building design addresses is, “Who is Jesus?”  He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.  To the north is the Alpha window. To the south is the Omega window. To the East is the Holy Spirit Mosaic behind the altar and the baptism of Jesus to the west.  The Dome in the center represents God the Father.
 
The Alpha window was inspired by the first chapter of John’s gospel.  In the beginning, was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.  All things came to be through Him.  What came to be through Him was life, and that life was the light of the human race.
Also inspired by a prophecy in the Book of Isaiah.  God promises a sign.  The young woman, pregnant and about to bear a son, shall name Him Emmanuel which means “God is with us.”
The window has images of Adam and Eve in paradise at the bottom, a scroll containing the Hebrew word for Emmanuel, and Mary holding the child Jesus with the second Adam and second Eve at the top.
 
The Omega window was inspired by Revelation Chapter 21 with Jesus as king on his throne in the new and eternal Jerusalem.  The window has images of the temple, the stream of life-giving water, and Jesus holding a scepter and orb (the planet earth). With these images, the building itself becomes a giant prayer. Glory be to the Father (point the heavens), to the son (point to the crucifix) and the Holy Spirit (point to the Holy Spirit mosaic); as it was in the beginning (point to the Alpha window) is now (point to the nave area) and will be forever(point to the Omega window) a world without end, AMEN.

“I Am” Windows

The windows to the left and right of the altar depict six of the seven “I Am” statements by Jesus in the gospel of John. Starting from the farthest left as you face the altar they are as follows: 1) I AM the light (John 9:5); 2) I AM the Gate (John 10:7); 3) I AM the Vine (John 15:5); 4) I AM the Good Shepherd (John 10:11); 5) I AM the Resurrection (John 11:5); 6) I AM the Way, and the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6). The seventh statement; I AM the Bread of Life (John 6:35); is represented by the tabernacle.

SANCTUARY

Altar/Ambo

The Altar and the ambo are made of red and cream-colored marble.  The altar was designed to resemble the Arc of the Covenant. The red marble was chosen to complement the blues in the mosaic behind it. These colors are often used to depict the Virgin Mary as well as with her rose-colored dress and draped blue veil. Since rose is used to represent earth and blue for heaven; she is shown to be of the earth but protected by heaven just like the priest takes an earthly item and makes it of God at the altar.
 

Crucifix

The crucifix is suspended from a baldacchino canopy over the Tabernacle.  Behind the crucifix is a mosaic with the same color scheme as the dome, representing a new dawn for humanity.  This crucifix was designed and created by John Collier, the same artist as our previous crucifix. This one was designed with alpha, omega, and the tree of life themes that are in the rest of the worship space.
 

Tabernacle

The Tabernacle is visible by all seated in the nave and the chapel. It stands on a pillar of the same red and cream-colored marble as the altar and ambo. The tabernacle was designed to resemble the Ark of the Covenant much like the altar and includes the alpha and omega symbols much like the rose windows.
 
To the left and right of the altar are images of the twelve apostles on stained-glass, all looking at the altar.  The effect of this is the Communion of Saints gathered at the table with us receiving the Body and Blood of the Lord. Their positioning and location create private prayer spaces on each side of the church between the altar and the chapel. Small pews and kneelers are near the tabernacle so personal adoration is available.
 

Daily Chapel

The seating capacity of the chapel is around 200.  It has an entrance and parking to the east and a small Narthex with restrooms.  Seating is individual chairs that fit together like benches.  This gives the flexibility to remove some chairs if more space is needed for musicians, wedding parties or liturgical items.
 
The crucifix that hung in the first worship space now hangs on the back wall of the Chapel.  The rustic stone walls make an outstanding complement to the rough sculpted look of the crucifix. The Tabernacle is visible and easily accessible from the Chapel.  The Chapel has its own sacristy.  There are two confessionals located on either side of the chapel which has lights to indicate the priests’ readiness.
 
All of the windows in the daily chapel have yet to be designed. They will remain clear for now.The windows in the confessional rooms are stained glass and tell a story from the New Testament. The north window tells the story of the sinful woman who came to Jesus and wet his feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. From Luke 7:36-38, Jesus answers Simons’ protestations with this statement, “So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; hence, she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.” The south window depicts the Parable of the Prodigal Son. (Luke 15:11-32)..