Renovation of the Sanctuary at St. Andrew’s with Sr. Marilyn

Renovation of the Sanctuary at St. Andrew’s with Sr. Marilyn Morgan

 

Project Team Members:
Johannes Albl, artist
Sr. Marilyn Morgan, Liturgical Consultant
Commissioned by St. Andrew’s Parish, Daly City, CA

St. Andrew’s Parish, a vibrant Filipino community in Daly City, CA, had long dreamt of transforming their multi-purpose space in the church into a more beautiful sacred space that better reflected both their faith and cultural identity. The journey of renovation spanned many years, marked by pauses and transitions in leadership and vision, as architects and pastors changed along the way.

One of the earliest and most impactful recommendations from Sr. Marilyn Morgan, the liturgical consultant and ACLS member, was the installation of stained glass in two of the existing windows. This decision served both a symbolic and practical purpose: to show progress in transforming the space to the congregation, and to obscure the unsightly view of the parking lot, which had been a persistent challenge for parishioners trying to beautify the space on their own.

The renovation also included a thoughtful reorientation of the sanctuary, placing it in alignment between two newly adorned windows, creating a harmonious axis of focus. A new reredos wall ( a large altarpiece, a screen, or decoration placed behind the altar in a church) was installed. At the center is a beautiful hand-carved corpus, set into a recessed gold-leafed cross. Custom altar furniture was crafted to complement the refreshed aesthetic, and plans for new seating will further enhance the space’s functionality and beauty in the near future.

Through these changes, St. Andrew’s is not only creating a more visually inspiring environment for worship but also honoring the spiritual and cultural richness of its community.

“Every church building is a gathering place for the assembly, a resting place, a place of encounter with God, as well as a point of departure on the Church’s unfinished journey toward the reign of God.”
—Built of Living Stones, chapter 1, #17

 

Marilyn A. Morgan, RSM

Within the ministry of liturgical consultation I bring my skills of teaching, my gifts of creativity and humor, organizational skills, and a deep love for liturgy. With my knowledge of the Church documents and the history of liturgy, my many years of experience as a liturgist and musician, I can offer insights into the needs required by ritual. I am aware of the challenges brought on by the possibilities of change. With this in mind, I want to participate in a process that honors people’s stories and their connections to their worship space, while offering them the opportunity to grow in their faith as a community. Complettion of program at the Institute for Liturgical Consultants, Catholic Theological Union, Chigago, IL Apprenticeship with Christine Reinhard, Liturgical Design Consultant MA Theology, area: Liturgy, University of Notre Dame, IL. BA Russell College, Burlingame, CA-Humanities.

 

 Learn more about Sr. Marilyn’s work!