Parishioners stand as Bishop Edward J. Burns processes into the newly renovated sanctuary at Holy Family of Nazareth Catholic Church on March 21 in Irving. The parish recently completed a $2.5 million remodeling project that encompassed the entirety of the interior of the church. (Michael Gresham/The Texas Catholic)
By Michael Gresham
The Texas Catholic
IRVING — “Congratulations on your new sanctuary.”
A thunderous applause erupted March 21 as Bishop Edward J. Burns closed the celebration of a Mass for the consecration of the sanctuary at Holy Family of Nazareth Catholic Church with those words.
“What a great opportunity this is and what a great celebration this is to see this wonderful church of yours now transformed in a very glorious way,” Bishop Burns said to parishioners. “We’re here to celebrate this renovation and to ask for God’s grace on this very sacred space.”
Calling the completion of one phase of the parish’s renovation project “a major improvement,” Father Jacob Dankasa said it gave him “great joy” to see the parish community achieve this milestone.
“Our parish is not a ‘big money’ community, but there are many people with big hearts for the Lord,” said Father Dankasa, who praised the resilience of the parishioners who made the renovation project a reality despite limited resources. “I feel this is the beginning of many amazing things to come to Holy Family.”
According to Father Dankasa, who was installed as pastor of the Irving parish in September 2022, construction began in August 2023 for the $2.5 million remodeling project that encompassed the entirety of the interior of the church.
“Just to put it simply, almost everything inside the church is new,” he explained. “We have a new altar, new ambo, new baptismal font that is now located within the main sanctuary, a new tabernacle pedestal and tabernacle located at the altar area — formerly, our tabernacle was in a eucharistic chapel.”
New pews also were installed in an entirely new configuration to the altar area, replacing older pews that the priest said were “falling apart and creating discomfort” for worshipping parishioners.
Father Dankasa said renovations were fueled by a desire to “soften the tone” of the church and make the sanctuary “a beautiful presence of the Lord,” focusing on the altar as the center of the church and offering a “visible presence of the Lord” with the tabernacle and tabernacle light drawing attention to the altar.
In his homily, Bishop Burns noted that in John 4:19-24, the Samaritan woman said to Jesus, “I can see that you are a prophet.”
“As that discourse continues, her faith continues to grow and to grow and to grow until the point where she is able to confess who Jesus is,” Bishop Burns said. “It is here in this church where it is our desire to grow in realization of who Jesus Christ is in our lives. It’s here that we celebrate the sacraments. It’s here that we bring our families to be baptized, for the sacrament of reconciliation, for the sacrament of the Eucharist, for the sacrament in which we cherish when we are married, and when we even bring our loved here who have gone before us and have passed on. It’s here that we beckon God’s grace upon us, and it is here that we grow in our relationship with our lord, Jesus Christ.”
The parish community, which packed the pews on March 21, has embraced and celebrated the renovations, Father Dankasa said.
“I have never seen our parishioners as excited as they have been now,” the priest said. “The renovation of our sanctuary is bringing the community together even more. The parishioners should be proud of what they have achieved so far.”
According to Father Dankasa, originally the parish renovation project included the church’s exterior as well.
“It is quite difficult for visitors to identify the front of our church,” the priest explained. “The plan included the modification of the front of the church to make it stand out and also to create a drop-off area with a covered walkway where people, especially those with disabilities and the elderly, could be dropped off in case of bad weather or for enhanced accessibility.”
Due to cost constraints, however, Father Dankasa said the exterior portion of the project has been pushed to a later phase.
“Great things happen when God mixes with us,” Father Dankasa said. “For me, our new-look sanctuary will continue to serve as an instrument to evangelize the hearts of men and women who worship with us.”
