As parishioners enter the Church of Saint Mary, they encounter a newly transformed space featuring a deep blue dome with gold detailing, brighter lighting, and marble accents.
In celebration of the Church of Saint Mary’s 150th anniversary, the parish has embarked on a multi-year beautification process intended to preserve the sanctuary so it will serve parishioners for years to come.
The renovations, which started in 2023, addressed both cosmetic elements and functional systems of the church. In addition to
The less obvious background improvements, such as electrical updates, are included. The major visual improvements include repainting some interior walls, installing marble flooring, and upgrading the altar. Previously, the dome was a relatively solid cream color. Now, it is a rich blue with gold detailing. Marble flooring was added around the altar and down the center aisle running from the back of the church to the altar. Together, these three changes plan to shift attention to the center of the church.
The communication to the parishioners regarding the intentions of this project is framed as “Restoring the Past; Building the Future.” The goal is to be able to beautify the space without jeopardizing the historic value of the building.
“The stained glass windows are central to the design of the church. Many of the stained glass windows are original, so those will not be changed, but a discreet stencil was added around them to frame and highlight their beauty. The structure of the church did not change, but received much-needed repairs, such as patching holes,” Religious Education Administrative Assistant Liberty Barry said.
While leaders in the renovation process view the changes as a way to preserve and improve Saint Mary’s for future generations, parishioners have responded with a mix of enthusiasm and nostalgia. While some members of the community are content with the changes, others have their concerns.
Being 150 years old, the church has deep roots in the community and is very important to a lot of families–especially those with ties running generations deep. Community member Kevin Linde is a father of five and has been bringing his family to Saint Mary’s Church for nearly 10 years since they moved to Lake Forest in 2017.
“They changed the lights first, which I think was really nice because it was so dark in there, and now it’s quite bright,” Linde said. “I prefer the new version to the prior version.”
For others, the changes are more emotionally complicated; some who have strong personal memories tied to the church are concerned that those changes may alter their sense of connection to the space. Junior Elise Mancuso, who went to Saint Mary’s School and has attended many masses at the Church of Saint Mary’s with both friends and family since a young age, says she is worried about what could get lost in the beautification process.
“I think the [beautification] changed the ‘homey or cozy’ feeling that the church had, and I’m afraid I’ll lose the memories I made there since it looks so different now,” Mancuso said.
As Saint Mary’s enters its next 150 years, whether the changes have sparked excitement or concern, most agree that the church will continue to be an important part of the Lake Forest community for generations to come. While parishioners have differing opinions on the beautification, the changes mark a new chapter in the church’s 150-year history.
