| By Gretchen Keiser
Workers who have the opportunity to pray or attend Mass at the Atlanta
Catholic Center are enjoying the improvements in the worship space made through
the gifts of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre.
Members of the Atlanta section of this papal order, which concerns itself
with the preservation of the Catholic faith in the Holy Land, assisted in
renovating the daily chapel at 680 West Peachtree Street and renaming it St.
Francis Chapel. Franciscan Friars are responsible for the preservation of
religious sites in the Holy Land.
Among the improvements made in the formerly unadorned chapel were the
addition of deep green carpeting, comfortable chairs, a presider’s chair
for the Mass celebrant, two large candlesticks, a holy water font, a new
chalice and paten, a set of vestments for the liturgical seasons, repainting,
the acquisition of artwork depicting St. Francis of Assisi, and a plaque
identifying the chapel. The space is on the third floor of the administrative
offices of the archdiocese and provides a noon Mass or Communion service each
weekday, as well as meditation before the Blessed Sacrament.
Approximately 30 Knights and Dames of the Holy Sepulchre from this
archdiocese took part in a Mass at 6 p.m. March 18 celebrated by Archbishop
James P. Lyke, OFM, in thanksgiving for their aid. Concelebrants were Father
Edward Dillon, vicar general, Father Jim Miceli and Father George Wiltz, SJ.
The renovation plan was coordinated by vocations director Father Don Kenny,
who sought help in improving the chapel from a number of sources. Following
renovations of offices on the third floor in 1991, “we had a good working
environment,” said Michael McWhorter, assistant to the vocations director.
“We needed a good prayer environment.”
Southeastern Church Supply and Business Furniture Liquidators also assisted
in the project, McWhorter said. A sacristy mirror was donated by decorator
Michael Berlinger and Notre Dame Book Shop donated a sacramentary and
lectionary to the chapel. New vestments were made by Mark Paige.
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