‘Dance of Holy Innocence’ mural, sanctuary restored

By Christine Bordelon
Clarion Herald

Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, celebrating its 111th anniversary this year, truly lives out its anniversary theme, “We Have Come this Far by Faith.”

Ardent parishioners expressed two years ago to their pastor, Divine Word Father Emanuel Tanu, the importance of restoring the church to pristine condition as a “beacon of hope” not only for the time- and hurricane-worn St. Roch neighborhood but also for everyone.

The first major project in the church’s renewal – restoration of its “Dance of Holy Innocence” 2001 Stella Maris mural by local artist Vernon Dobard – will be publicly unveiled on its feast day Sept. 25 at 10 a.m. Mass concelebrated by Archbishop Gregory Aymond and Father Tanu.

The mural and the church’s sanctuary will be blessed with holy water and rededicated with a special prayer, Father Tanu said, followed by an outdoor reception.

Parishioners are proud to announce that the project was self-funded.

“It’s truly a miracle,” Father Tanu said, noting the restoration work nearly doubled in price since it began. “I know our community, even in the middle of COVID and financial struggles, really wanted to see their church beautified. It’s a great sacrifice for them.”

Budget doubled
Interior church wall repairs were clearly needed when Father Tanu arrived at Our Lady Star of the Sea five years ago. Hurricane Katrina had walloped the church in 2005, and damage worsened in 2021 with Hurricane Ida.

“When I came, I saw the face of Mother Mary and all the angels were peeling off (the mural),” Father Tanu said. “We decided to restore the sanctuary first before the whole church.”

The parish budgeted $55,000 to repair Dobard’s mural of Mary, the protector of mariners, and her eight angel helpers unveiled in 2001 when Father Tony Ricard, was pastor, said Anthony Carter, a member of the parish’s building and grounds committee and its finance council. They thought it would take about a year.

When local artists bid to restore Dobard’s oil work on plaster, artist Elise Grenier was selected because of her previous mural restoration at St. Joseph Church on Tulane Avenue and her experience in Italy, Father Tanu said.

As Grenier tackled the job, she realized Dobard’s work – featuring Mary surrounded by multi-cultural angels wearing the Kente cloth sash used in Father Ricard’s first vestments – was an interpretation of an original mural with white, Gothic-style angels.

Grenier gave the parish three options: restore the original 1930s mural, Dobard’s mural or paint a new one.

“We took it to the whole church community and let people decide,” Father Tanu said. “The majority – 95% – decided to restore the existing one because it reflects the community we have right now – a mixed community, but mainly an African-American community.”

Carter said Grenier consulted Dobard to understand his vision of painting a Stella Maris Mary. Dobard was too advanced in age to restore the original, Carter said.

“Elise was able to capture what she did from talking to him,” Carter said, replacing and repairing some areas and retouching and cleaning other mural areas.

When the restoration was 99% complete last summer, Hurricane Ida hit, further deteriorating the mural wall and destroying Grenier’s work. She had to halt completion until the exterior brick wall was waterproofed, the round Christ the King stained-glass window above the mural was resealed and walls around it repaired as well as roof repairs.

“We had to stall awhile and fix the leaking parts; it took almost another year,” Father Tanu said, praising parishioners for tolerating scaffolding for two years. “We prayed the rosary to mother Mary every Wednesday … and with patience, concern and through consistent prayer, we made it.”

The final $122,000 cost was supported by parishioners, who first glimpsed the mural restoration in May.

“It was tremendous, even in this time of pandemic – the parishioners raised the money that was needed,” Carter said. “We didn’t have to go into any debt or have any significant parish program cutbacks.”

Future work at church
After the rededication Sept. 25, Father Tanu said work will begin in earnest to restore the remaining interior – replastering walls, replacing ceiling tiles and restoring and resealing stained glass windows installed in 1931 by Emil Frei and Associates from Missouri. The sound system and lighting will follow as will replacement of its ADA-ramp with a metal one. The exterior sidewalks will be last with an expected completion date of 2026.

“Maybe when we’re finished the whole church, the archbishop … and everybody will come back and recelebrate,” Father Tanu said, to witness the beautification of the “tallest building in the neighborhood.”

Our Lady Star of the Sea has been ingrained in the fabric of the St. Roch neighborhood for more than a century.

“You can see our church everywhere you go,” Father Tanu said. “Spiritually, our parish wants to be the star of the city, the light, the beacon to bring hope to the community.  Parishioners tell me, ‘Father, we will fight to keep the doors of this church open not only because it’s historic, but we want to bring hope to our neighborhood. It means a lot to the parishioners.”

Visit https://olss-no.com.

[email protected]