The black marble that has been on the walls of the church behind the altar was installed in 1958 as part of a remodeling that took place at that time. Here are the “before” and “after” pictures:
As you know, part of the Project 2017 plan is to remove the marble from the walls in order to brighten and lighten the space. (The marble steps, floor, and altars will stay.) The black marble on the walls is from Italy and is called Portoro Marble. We have hired Murray Granite and Marble Works, from Bartonville, Illinois, to take the marble down. They have been working on this for the past week. Some of it will be cut and re-purposed into other areas of Project 2017 including the new baptismal font and the new Our Lady of Guadalupe devotional area. We will also be selling a portion of it. This type of marble is frequently used for fireplace hearths, table tops, and bases for sculptures (see the photos below for ideas). If you would have any interest in purchasing a slab of Portoro marble before we put it on the market, please contact the Parish Office or any of the Project 2017 team members.
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