Looks pretty ugly to me.They moved the sanctuary to accommodate for a "Gathering Space" and made the front door be the side door for people to use, since most enter from the parking lot. Not having seen it in person, I suppose I shouldn't judge - but from the pictures, the beige walls in the sanctuary look rather incongruous with the rest of the architecture. I wonder where the piano will go.
A spokesman for the Cathedral said that the use of fixed pews and chairs allow for multi-use purposes, such as civic events as well as diocesan gatherings:
"The Cathedral will have a new seating arrangement that will provide individual seating and will include attached kneelers. We will use a combination of pews and chairs to provide maximum flexibility in our seating. This will allow us to create a wide range of seating options for both parish and diocesan events. It will also provide possibilities for other cultural or civic events for the Winona community." - Cathedral FAQ sheet on the renovation.
Nice.
The consecration takes place this afternoon:
"Sixty priests, 20 bishops (three of them archbishops), one cardinal (Cardinal Adam Maida of Detroit) and more than 650 people will come together at 2 p.m. today to rededicate the renovated Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, the spiritual center of the Diocese of Winona." - Winona Daily News
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