Our Lady of Perpetual Help project is updating church by going back in history
By Bill Brewer
Father Arthur Torres may want to consider leading a retreat on turning challenges into opportunities through faith. He has the perfect example in Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Chattanooga.
The OLPH pastor is directing a major renovation of the 87-year-old church building, updating the worship space from the narthex to the sanctuary.
What started out as a pesky roof leak that exposed the church sanctuary to dripping water turned into a more severe breach following spring storms.
Father Torres explained that when a capstone was removed atop the roof, major damage was uncovered.
“They found a big hole that was causing the leaking. They patched the whole thing, the wall, the mortar. Then we said we have to continue remodeling the sanctuary of the church. Behind the crucifix that is behind the altar, there was paneling. And behind the paneling was a leak. Because of that we had to remove the paneling as well,” Father Torres said.
“That is when we said, ‘Let’s just do one big project at once. Let’s remodel the whole church.’ So, we decided, let’s remove the carpet,” he said.
Father Torres noted that since the church building was completed in September 1938, it has held three carpets: one that was orange, one that was blue, and the most recent one that was crimson red.
And as the red carpet was removed, it revealed a surprising secret.
Workers replace the OLPH Church floor and perform detailed drywall work in the nave. Once completed, OLPH will have restored much of the church to its original design. (Photo Bill Brewer)
“There was a beautiful floor under that carpet. We have a terrazzo marble floor. It is the same floor as in the old Sacred Heart Cathedral. And then we also said, ‘Let’s bring forward the altar because it’s not workable for us priests up there celebrating the Mass with this altar in the way that it is. It is too narrow. So, we are bringing it forward. We are bringing forward the ambo as well. We are bringing back Mary and Joseph to the alcoves on each side of the altar because they used to be there,” Father Torres shared.
The brick wall behind the crucifix in the sanctuary has been exposed after the panels were removed. The tabernacle will be returned to the center of the sanctuary. And the church floor will be fully restored.
“The idea is to restore the old because the church is beautiful in itself. In Rome, the Basilica of Sts. Cosmas and Damian looks so much like Our Lady of Perpetual Help. By exposing the brick, you can smell the old very much like here. Many of the parishioners who have been to Italy say, ‘Father, our church looks like one of those in Italy!’ And I say, ‘Yes, it is a beautiful church.’ So, we have to bring back again the old,” Father Torres said.
The OLPH pastor is looking forward to returning the church interior to the way the parish founders enjoyed it when they first worshiped at 501 S. Moore Road in the East Ridge community.
“The beginning of the church used to have the old, and it is attractive. You can tell that it is attractive. Once the entire remodel is done, you will be able to tell that it was worth it to undergo this process,” Father Torres said.
The project began June 9 and is expected to be completed July 22, assuming everything goes as planned. Since construction work began, Father Torres and associate pastor Father Andrew Crabtree have been celebrating daily Mass in the parish life center, which is just outside the church nave and sanctuary. Sunday Masses have been celebrated in the OLPH School gym.
“We are crossing our fingers,” he said with a smile. “This project is moving quickly. We have had lots of talks with the architect and the contractor.”
The project architect is Neuhoff Taylor of Chattanooga, and the contractor is T.U. Parks, also of Chattanooga.
Father Torres explained that discussion about an upgrade to the church first took place last year, with the first phase being repairs to the roof. Another phase is creating a vesting sacristy for priests because the existing sacristy was small and had only one closet in which four priests could vest.
He further explained that the new vesting sacristy was formerly the adoration chapel. The adoration chapel proved to be an unworkable space for its intended use.
“The former adoration chapel was sitting there doing nothing and full of chairs. So, we said let’s remove those chairs and let’s have this as our vesting sacristy for us priests and deacons. That was the second phase,” he shared.
The third phase of the project is the renovation of the church interior, and a fourth phase is a rectory for the OLPH priests.
The parish has purchased a house adjoining the OLPH property that is just behind the Our Lady of Perpetual Help School gym.
Father Torres noted that the house has structural problems and will be torn down and a new house built on the site. The new home will be able to house three priests and a seminarian.
The back yard of the house touches the school parking lot.
Father Torres finds great fulfillment in helping the OLPH community give a comprehensive upgrade to the parish facilities. Taking place concurrently with the church work is a renovation of the school’s upper level, converting a storage area into classroom space.
“I love beyond measure the OLPH family. They have been so supportive. They accepted this plan. They agree that we need to have renovation inside the church. And also because our heritage families, knowing what their great-grandparents and grandparents have told them about OLPH Church, they thought it was a good idea to expose, first of all, the floor. Why have carpet over a terrazzo floor? That makes no sense,” Father Torres said.
The project so far has yielded more than one surprise.
Father Arthur Torres, pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Chattanooga, stands in the sanctuary of OLPH Church that is being renovated. Father Torres said efforts are underway to update the church altar as part of the project. (Photo Bill Brewer)
“There have been lots of new discoveries in this process. We found the side altars under Mary and Joseph in the middle of the church, so the pedestals they are standing on used to be the side altars before. We have discovered the rest of the shape of the altar that has been covered by the carpet and a piece of wood that was placed as an extension of one of those shapes and has been covered by the organ as well,” he said.
Father Torres was looking forward to the completion of the carpet and underlayment removal in the sanctuary because he was told there is a beautiful cross design on the original floor.
Father Torres expressed heartfelt gratitude to the people of the OLPH community for their generosity in making the project possible. He explained that the parish held a capital campaign to raise funds for the work.
“The goal was $1.2 million. And we raised $1.6 million. You can tell how supportive the community has been. Everybody has been contributing to it. It’s very, very impressive. And it’s important to remember that we are a working-class community,” Father Torres said.
He pointed out that as the roof and vesting sacristy phases have been completed, and the church interior renovation is in progress, the final phase—the rectory project—will begin after phase three is complete.
He said the nave and sanctuary are the priority.
Father Torres described how the four phases of the project have been a leap of faith of sorts.
“Oh, the unknowns. You don’t know what you’re going to find. It’s been a little bit scary for us. There has been some anxiety. What if there is a big crack that we cannot fix? What are we going to do? So far, the Lord has blessed us. There have been just little cracks. Nothing big, nothing major,” he said.
“Our biggest fear has been removing the altar. What are we going to find underneath?” he asked.
He recalled that the OLPH interior was damaged by fire in the late 1980s or early 1990s, which required some refurbishment.
As OLPH works to update its altar, the centerpiece of its worship space, Father Torres hopes to host Bishop Mark Beckman for a dedication of the renovated nave and sanctuary and consecration of the new altar.
“Once everything is complete, we want to bring Bishop Beckman here for a rededication of the church,” he said.
Father Torres has been monitoring progress on the work daily, and he remains hopeful the project will be on schedule. But he also knows construction projects often encounter unexpected delays.
In the meantime, OLPH parishioners and supporters of the faith community are anxious to see the “new” church interior.
Father Torres also is directing the school upgrade to convert storage space to classroom space, which should be completed by the time school begins in August.
Also in the school, older windows are being replaced and roof repairs have been made.
“I love what’s happening right now. And I love what’s happening for the community with the renovation of the church and upgrades to the school. I know many people have been waiting for it to happen,” he said.