Bishop Olson blesses new altar, ambo, and pews at St. Paul the Apostle Church
Bishop Michael Olson speaks to parishioners at St. Paul the Apostle Church in River Oaks on March 19, 2023. Bishop Olson blessed the new altar, ambo, and pews at the church during the Mass. (NTC/Juan Guajardo)
FORT WORTH — Bishop Michael Olson on March 19 blessed the new altar, ambo, and pews at St. Paul the Apostle Church in Fort Worth.
St. Paul Pastor Thu Nguyen said the renovations enhanced both the church's physical and spiritual attributes.
“When I first came in July, the pews did not have kneelers,” Father Nguyen said. “So we recently installed 32 pews with kneelers.”
Earlier pews (the parish dates to 1952) had been replaced about six years ago.
“A Protestant church donated the pews, which didn't have kneelers, before we got the new ones,” Fr. Nguyen said. “So our parishioners had been kneeling on the hard floor for over five years.”
The changes didn't stop with the pews.
“At the same time, the altar was flimsy so we got a new altar, a new ambo, and a new candlestand for seven candles,” Fr. Nguyen said. “A piece of marble from the former altar was consecrated with a relic from the original church. That marble piece was inserted into the new altar and was there when we blessed it.”
“Several parishioners have said they like the new kneelers, that everything is much more comfortable now,” Fr. Nguyen said. “Bishop Olson commented on how beautiful the new altar is and the other changes.”
The projects cost about $85,000.
“We did fundraising events through the Advancement Foundation, the parish annual festival, and donors,” Fr. Nguyen said.