Magnificent undertaking; Sacred Heart sanctuary repainting begins this week

Services at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Du Quoin move to the nearby Haffner Hall this week as painting of the magnificent sanctuary in this historic church begins.

Wednesday's mass will be the first of several weeks of relocated services. The work should be completed a week or two before Easter.

Capital development chairman John Childs at Sacred Heart details the work ahead.

"The painting/decorating of the interior of Sacred Heart Church is the last of several capital projects to be completed over the last three years," said Childs.

"Other projects have included a new church roof, including roof decking; installation of automatic bell-tolling system, replacement of protective glass over the stained glass windows, re-sealing the exterior brick of all buildings and installation of energy efficient lighting in the church and parish center," he said.

" (Du Quoin contractor) Eric Graham has been contracted to re-paint the interior. He will be working closely with Ted Mueller of Chester, who will be the decorator/consultant. Ted has decorated dozens of churches throughout southern Illinois over the past several decades," he said.

"The primary purpose of this project is to add a fresh coat of paint to the interior and repair any plaster damage. The paint scheme will be similar to the current palette, with deeper colors and more shades in order to enhance the church architecture," Childs said.

"We will be adding some decorative enhancements, as our budget will allow, including: faux marble surfaces to the columns, enhancing the sanctuary ceiling, further framing the stained glass windows with complementary shades of paint, highlighting the Stations of the Cross with a background and re-painting the bases and perhaps adding some iconography to the walls of the sanctuary," he said.

Father James Oganda serves the historic parish as priest.

It is said that the roots of local Catholicism date all the way into the 1700s and the town's namesake Jean Baptiste Du Quoin. The first mass in the area was said by Father Cusack of Vandalia using a marble topped chest an altar.

The town's first Catholic church was built on Perry Street between Hickory and Walnut Streets, opened in 1868. In November 1870 land was purchased for a new church--the current church--on West Main street.

On November 4, 1890 a farewell mass was said at the old church.

At the outset, the first altar was made of highly polished wood and the pews were handmade by men of the parish. The three bells of the church were dedicated in 1908 and were baptized in honor of the holy family, Jesus, Mary and Joseph.

Many amenities have been added over the decades, but it has been over 30 years since the last sanctuary redecorating. To this day, the church stands as a tremendous home to the community's collective faith.