St. Thomas Aquinas Church Altar Furniture Under Review

Now that the interior of St. Thomas Aquinas church is renewed, it is time to focus on replacing the wooden altar table, the ambo (where lectors stand to read the Word of God and from which the presider delivers his homily), and the presider‟s chair. The STA Interior Committee has been considering options for designs of altar furniture that echo the architectural style of the church.

The current wooden altar furniture was put in place in 1969, following the liturgical changes mandated by Vatican II (1962-65), under the administration of pastor Fr. Daniel Shea. The white/high altar against the back wall, from which prior to Vatican II the priest celebrated Mass, now contains the tabernacle, the place that the consecrated Bread, the Body of Christ, is reserved to be availa- ble for the sick and for Adoration.

STA parishioner and master carpenter Jan Dedek has been researching altar tables from around the world and has spent hours sketching designs and creat- ing cardboard mockups of altars for members of the STA Interior Committee and Site Committee, soliciting their feedback. Just this week, the combined committees met in the church with Fr. Christopher Bennett, Chair of the Dioce- san Art and Environment Committee and his committee members to discuss Jan‟s designs, pictures of other church altars, and the liturgical outlines that guide such determinations. Jan has time in January and February to do the construction. We hope to have settled on the designs in time.

Watch for more information, pictures, designs to come. If you are particularly interested in this subject, or have sugges- tions or pictures of altars to share, contact Judy Foley, chair of the STA Interior Committee, at judybertch [email protected], (650) 322-8650.