Long-awaited church renovation begins at St. Gabriel Parish

During Mass on the feast of the Body and Blood of Christ on June 6, Father Larry Crawford, the pastor of St. Gabriel the Archangel Parish in Indianapolis since 1999, prays the Lord’s Prayer with Deacon Oscar Morales, the pastoral associate, and parishioners. The liturgy marked the final celebration of the Eucharist before the start of the $508,000 church renovation project, which will transform the interior during the next six months. (Photo by Mary Ann Wyand)

By Mary Ann Wyand

After 47 years of celebrating Mass in their temporary worship space, St. Gabriel the Archangel parishioners in Indianapolis are enthusiastically looking forward to the long-awaited renovation of their church at 6000 W. 34th St. during the next six months.

Following a Mass marking the feast of the Body and Blood of Christ on June 6, St. Gabriel parishioners carried the crucifix and tabernacle from the church in a procession to the former school cafeteria, where they will gather for liturgies until Christmas.

Parishioners will celebrate the feast of the Nativity of the Lord in a completely renovated church with a new entrance, enlarged sanctuary and spacious narthex with more gathering space.

“Today we celebrate,” Father Larry Crawford, St. Gabriel’s pastor, explained in his homily, “because what we begin today is the fulfillment of a dream from the day Archbishop Paul C. Schulte and Father Victor Wright made this church a temporary worship space [in 1963].”

The Indianapolis West Deanery parish was established in 1962 from parts of St. Michael the Archangel, St. Monica and St. Christopher parishes.

“We are the last of the five temporary churches—really designed as gyms that were built in Indianapolis—to finally get our permanent worship space,” Father Crawford said. “It will be a permanent space where we can glorify God. ... In just a few months, Archbishop Daniel M. Buechlein is going to bless our new church and consecrate the altar. … In faith, we mark the many ways that God has been with his people in all generations.”

CSO Architects and Brandt Construction officials worked with Father Crawford and St. Gabriel parishioners on the new design, which includes a vertical apse behind the altar, new liturgical furnishings, and stained-glass windows featuring the sacraments, the four Gospel writers, the Old Testament and the New Testament.

“We’ve waited a long time for our new church,” parishioner Damon Bradtmueller, chairman of the building committee, explained. “It seems like a rebirth. We’re moving forward like a life journey.”

Eric Atkins, director of management services for the archdiocese, said the $508,000 renovation project will transform the existing worship space by creating a new main entrance with a larger narthex, relocating the sanctuary to the south side of the building and adding windows in the new 320-square-foot apse to bring more natural light into the church.

“It will be a significant change in the appearance of the church,” Atkins said. “They’ve been waiting a very long time and working very diligently for 40-some years.”

During his homily for the June 6 Mass, Father Crawford also paid tribute to St. Gabriel School, which will consolidate with nearby St. Michael the Archangel School at 3030 W. 30th St. in Indianapolis when classes resume for the 2010-11 school year in August.

St. Gabriel and St. Michael students will attend St. Michael School as part of an archdiocesan plan to continue providing Catholic education to children in that area of the Indianapolis West Deanery.

The merger pairs Sarah Watson, St. Gabriel’s principal, and Matt Goddard, St. Michael’s principal, as the co-administrators of the consolidated school, which will continue to be called St. Michael the Archangel School.

St. Gabriel School’s classrooms will be used for parish offices, religious education classes and youth ministry activities.

As part of his homily, Father Crawford encouraged the parishioners to celebrate the school’s many educational successes over nearly five decades, and to remember the dedicated principals, teachers, staff and volunteers who worked so well together to provide a quality Catholic education for children.

“Education is changing, both in public and private education,” he said. “There are new methods today. There are new goals. Teaching in the 21st century is not just learning the correct answers but, more importantly, learning how to find out the answers. … In all this process, we must make sure that the values of our faith, of Catholicism, are maintained.”

At the conclusion of the Mass, a longtime teacher, former school parent and graduate reflected on St. Gabriel School’s many fine educational contributions.

Faculty member Robyn Spurgeon thanked God for calling her to teach at St. Gabriel School 21 years ago.

“I have taught over 400 students, with each one being unique and gifted,” she said. “… I was very diligent in making sure they learned the curriculum, but I had a more passionate desire to make sure they saw a Catholic role model in me. I have watched them [grow up and] become military men and women fighting for our country, attorneys, physicians, nurses, accountants and even teachers.”

Charter parishioner and former school parent Bill Mattingly of Indianapolis said he is “very, very thankful and grateful for all that the school and Church have done” for his family.

He also praised the Sisters of St. Francis of Oldenburg, who taught at St. Gabriel School for many years.

“I don’t know if the American public has ever figured out what a contribution the Catholic schools have made to our country,” he said. “I was a teacher, coach and administrator for public schools for 38 years, but all [seven of] my children went to Catholic schools.”

Graduate Chris Legeay, a member of the Class of 1991, said he has many special memories of his grade school years, which helped him become a responsible adult.

“At St. Gabriel, we were taught how to be good Christians through daily prayer, weekly Mass, praying the rosary, reading Scripture and giving back,” Legeay said. “The company I work for has a list of core values that are most important to our culture and the way we work. Integrity, accountability and respect for individuals are a few of those values. When I stop and think about it, I learned the importance of those values here at St. Gabriel School.”

After the Mass, Ron Costello, superintendent of schools for the archdiocesan Office of Catholic Education, praised the parishioners for their support of Catholic education in the past, present and future.

“We’re really excited about the two schools coming together,” Costello said, “and merging for the future.” †