Parishoners file into St. Mary’s Catholic Church, bless themselves and step around the paint cans and drop cloths. Dust abounds and there is a handsaw leaning against the wall.

A brown, newly-painted 15-foot-high wood crucifix stares out naked, unpainted altar flooring.

The scene is Gothic and at the same time industrial. Old yet new. Quiet, yet with a sense of subtle change…

“The renovation really began back in 1979, when Father Harold Nilges was pastor. He started a fund drive to repaint the interior,” said Father William Schwartz, the pastor of St. Mary’s sinch June, 1983.

Schwartz said St. Mary’s is basically a “townies” church– one whose membership, about 1,400 families, consists mostly of townspeople. Only a few NIU students attend Mass there.

The rebuilding is currently in the final stages of phase two of a three-stage project. Phase one included remodeling of the entry ramps for handicapped persons, remodeling of the chapel, chancel and sacristy area. This includes scaffolding, plaster repair, painting and decorating.

Phase two includes reworking of the pews, altar and carpeting and the furnishing of a reconciliation room and cruifix and the restoration of Stations of the Cross.

Phase three will be the reworking of the choir loft, vestibule and entry area, interior staircase, additional seating and confessional removal.

However, Schwartz said these three phases still do not make the renovation project complete. A new fire alarm system, controls for heating and air conditioning, new bathroom facilities and reinstalling the organ pipes are some other things that need to be done. Cost for the entire project is $600,000.

“We’re paying the contractors as they get the work done. Therefore, we don’t go into debt,” said Schwartz. He added that it was also the position of the church council not to spend any money not pledged.

Schwartz said a team of engineers evaluated the building in 1983 to see if it was structurally sound.

Their report was worse than expected. The whole church needed to be tuckpointed and extensive water damage resulted because continual freezing and thawing caused roof flashings to leak. These problems resulted on an unexpected expenditure of about $80,000 which was quite a deviation from the orginal plan of only painting and repairing cracks and split plaster.

The last major renovation was in 1973, after a fire that destroyed the entire sanctuary area, which had to be repainted. The fire also affected the window by leaving the detail less sharp than before.

In the late 1960’s, the church was modernized and the neo-Gothic concept disappeared. This concept provided for a procession by the vestry by which they move down the center aisle and through the back. With the current project, Schwartz said a return will be made to this professional concept.

Daily Mass was, and still is, held in the rectory basement. However, weekend Mass was held in the church despite the scaffolding, which has now been taken down.

“It was exciting to watch the people as they came in, viewing the changes that had taken place,” said Schwartz. “At one point, the bishop had to come and confirm 42 people– underneath the scaffolding.”

The church was closed off during the week, however, and First Lutheran Church across the street took the Catholics under its wing for weddings and funerals.

With only phase three and a portion of phase two to complete, Schwartz said the renovation will benefit parishioners by “providing opportunities for daily Mass in the new Blessed Sacrament chapel, by providing Mass for classes at St. Mary’s School in a quiet setting, and by providing a higher seating capacity.”