Carol Frenning

The biggest changes are in the use of materials and light in the worship space. Where previously the space was rather dark and stark, almost womb-like, in the new design "there is a sense of light opening up, a celebration of the goodness of God and salvation. This reflects the theological shift of Vatican II," she said.

The brick Church of the Immaculate Conception, originally built by Father Bernard Donnelly in the 1850s, was elevated to the status of cathedral when the Diocese of Kansas City was established in 1880. Kansas City's Catholic population had outgrown the old church, so a new cathedral was built. The first worship services in the new cathedral were celebrated on Trinity Sunday, 1883.

"A sense of continuity, of Catholic tradition, of the past aligned with the present and the future, is part of the inspiration for the renovation we are celebrating now," she said.

The continuing journey begins at the narthex, or lobby, Frenning said. The basilica shape of the building allows for processionals, she said. Some changes are non-verbal, and may not be actively noticed, but will be felt, she said.

One of the primary changes involves the use of patterns, color and shape, such as in the floor tiles. There is a pattern of circles and squares leading up the processional aisle to the altar. There is a deep symbolism in the pattern, Frenning said. Squares represent the earth, finite and limited, while circles are symbols of the infinite, or heaven. Walking through the ceremonial doors into the worship space symbolizes the meeting of earth and heaven, she said.

Another pattern used is a shaft of wheat bound by a grapevine. These symbolize the Eucharist, the celebration of Jesus as the Son of God.

Natural light shines through the circular patterns of the new rose window onto the altar. The seating is modified antiphonal. The main altar has been relocated in the central nave, with pews in front and behind it. This will enable the congregation to face the altar from both sides, as though gathered at a table. Mass at the cathedral is a community form of worship, not a private prayer, Frenning said. The presider's chair is set apart from the community as the presider or pastor holds a special place in the worshipping congregation, she said. The chair is made of wood, however, like the cherry-wood pews and chairs. The cathedra, or bishop's chair, is carved of Kasota limestone, with the diocesan coat of arms and a Celtic knot pattern etched into the stone. The use of limestone from a seam running from Missouri to Minnesota is a connection to the Midwestern region. The carved reliefs of shafts of wheat in the altar base, or predella, which symbolize the Eucharist, are likewise a connection to the community, Frenning said. Wheat and grain have played a major role in the growth of the Midwest. The primary elements of water, oil and salt have been incorporated into the new design. The baptismal font is visually connected to the main altar, and is constructed so water flows from a shell form into a larger pool that can be used for immersion baptisms. The vessels of the oil of chrism, the oil of catechumens and oil of the sick are prominently displayed immediately behind the bishop's chair. Salt is represented in the shafts of wheat carved into the stone of the altar. Wheat is ground into flour for bread, to which salt is added. Bread is changed into the Body of Christ in the Eucharist, which is the focal part of the Mass. The cathedral contains layers of the past that can be peeled away by an architectural historian, Frenning said. In 1911-1912, the cathedral's interior was renovated, and 16 stained glass windows were installed. Due to a high luxury tax on imported manufactured items, such as leaded stained glass, a German and an Englishman were brought to Kansas City to execute the project with the help of local artists. The windows were cold-washed, which prevented much outside light from entering, in keeping with the pre-Vatican II theology of incarnation and refuge. Those windows have been cleaned, repaired and the cold wash removed, thus permitting up to 80 percent more natural light into the worship space. The imagery is Victorian, Frenning said, depicting the lives of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, and St. Cecilia. Frenning said the newly-cleaned stained glass windows "now glow from the inside out like a lantern within the city." This is an apt role for the cathedral, a lantern or beacon for the community, she said. The sense of the 1955 renovation was "moderne," Frenning said. "This time, we tried to return some sense of the ornamentation of the 1880s. This is very up-to-date, but the new design feels refreshed and has a more intimate appeal." "The sense of touch, whether by eye or hand, is the most intimate sensory experience," she continued. "We wanted to bring back the human scale of the cathedral, the desire to touch the backs and ends of the pews, to delight in seeing the carved columns with capitals." The design of the rose window, which was installed in place of the 1955-era mosaic on the south end of the worship space, is based on the five-pointed mystical rose, one of the symbols for Mary. Frenning said the design features images from Revelation (e.g. Mary's crown of stars), and contains crystal stars imbedded in the glass. The crystals throw prisms of light that dance around the worship space and cast light across the altar when the sun shines through it. The stairs have been moved into the nave and the balcony lowered to allow a better line of sight to the altar. As a result people in the balcony will feel more a part of the congregation, she said. The challenge of the renovation was to take an interesting character-filled old church and make it liturgically functional in the 21st century, she said. "I think people will like the changes," she said.

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