NEW TABERNACLE in Our Lady of Fatima church in Newtown

The next time you visit Fatima church, please have a look at the new tabernacle in the Sanctuary.

beautiful Sanctuary in Our Lady of Fatima church

design by Bernard and Gale LAUWYCK, made by Anthony and Ronald JOSEPH

The present renovation of the church is an initiative of Parish Priest Fr. Clement Vadakkedath, C.Ss.R.

Renovation by Fr. Clement Vadakkedath C.Ss.R.

WHAT IS NOT KNOWN IS THAT ALWIN BULLY designed this church for Fr. Stryckers, who built it, but never quite finished it. At that time Alwin was a young chap but Fr. Stryckers C.Ss.R. must have recognised his talent. THIS IS INDEED A MOST BEAUTIFUL CHURCH, dedicated to Our Lady of Fatima.

I also wish to recognize the ceiling works and Stained glass windows which we installed by Very Rev. Fr. Mark OWEN in 1990.  The stained glass windows in the sanctuary were obtained and installed by Rev. Fr. Charles VERMEULEN C.Ss.R.

The stained glass windows in Our Lady of Fatima church in Newtown

It is difficult to appreciate the stained glass windows in the sanctuary in the church of Our Lady of Fatima, as the sunlight only lights them up early in the morning. So I wanted to bring attention to these two beautiful windows :

• The Annunciation: Archangel Gabriel visiting Mary with a joyful message  and the Holy Spirit depicted as a dove.
• The Nativity : The ox and the donkey around the manger: Jesus and his loving mother Mary. The angel warning St. Joseph to flee to Egypt to escape Herod’s wrath.

These two windows were a donation of religious sisters in the USA and were obtained and installed by Fr. Charles Vermeulen C.Ss.R.

The Annunciation window in Fatima church

 

The Nativity window in Fatima church

UPGRADE OF THE LITURGICAL SPACE OF FATIMA CHURCH

In 1986, Fr. Charles Vermeulen C.Ss.R. and Belgian volunteer Filip Dedoncker establish the SMA workshop in order to produce quality furniture for churches and have a CXC training program for the students at SMA.  This CXC program has successfully trained hundreds of SMA students.  The teacher for the last 15 years is Mr. Steven Dailey. He is a very committed teacher.

Diocese Construction employed former employees of the workshop and they specialized in local wood products. Their names are Anthony Joseph, Ronald Joseph, Mc William Rolle, Ferdinand Webster.

They are the once who produced  several items for the upgrading of the liturgical space in Our Lady of Fatima church in Newtown.  The baptismal font was ordered by Fr. Charles Vermeulen C.Ss.R.  It was constructed in several rings of local White Cedar.

design by Bernard Lauwyck

The beautiful PRIE-DIEU or kneeler was commissioned by Fr. Clement Vadakkedath C.Ss.R. and constructed in local  Red Cedar.

PRIE DIEU designed by Bernard Lauwyck

The 14 Stations of the Cross were produced and installed for the Ordination of Fr. Elton Letang C.Ss.R. in June 2013.