An update on the repairs of the dome of the Parish Church of the Holy Sacrifice
After many years, the elements have finally caught up with the Church of the Holy Sacrifice. In the last fifteen years, the cracks, leaks, peeling of the paint and pulp adhered to the dome, water marks on the dome, not to mention the bad acoustics, and many other problems have surfaced. As the newly appointed pastor in January of 2006, I immediately set into motion a campaign to arrest the dilapidation of the church dome and other facilities of the parish. I got in touch with those originally involved with the building of the church like Engr. David Consunji and Engr. De Los Reyes as well as with Leandro V. Locsin and Partners. The latter serves as consultants on the repairs of the church. The needed repairs were studied, discussed and decided on. Of course, the funding for such repairs is of main importance. Thus, we launched the fundraiser, The Shell-ter Project. Thanks to many anonymous and generous donors, we were able to reach our target.
But since the Church of the Holy Sacrifice has been declared a national historical structure by the National Historical Institute, no repairs can be done without informing and presenting to them the plans and getting their approval and to coordinate with the Office of the University Architect as well. This has added to the lengthy process of the repairs of the dome of the church. You have to add to the whole process getting a minimum of three bidders, studying the most competitive bids, the best materials, the right solution/action to be taken as response to the problems of the dome of the church and the availability of the consultants who have given much of their services gratis.
Many repairs have to be done and THEY CANNOT BE DONE OVERNIGHT, EVEN IN A YEAR. The waterproofing of the dome has already failed, thus, the leaks and watermarks on the inside part of the dome. The acoustic pulp adhered to dome also is peeling and is stained by the water leaks. It is also not as effective in minimizing the reverberations or echoes of the sound system of the church. The lighting and electrical system needs to be updated as well. The sound system itself was a constant complain of the parishioners. The pews need to be refurbished and the tabernacle has to be improved befitting the honor and importance of the Blessed Sacrament. As you can imagine, the magnitude of the tasks at hand is not as simple as some might think. What follows is the present status of this project.
1. Water-Proofing of the Dome (Outer Portion)
The waterproofing of the dome started middle of April, 2007 and finished in July of the same year. The total contract cost is stated in the financial report is also found here. We had to wait for the rain to pour to test the effectiveness of the new waterproofing before starting any other work on the inside portion of the dome. We have discovered that there are failures in the new waterproofing on some portions of the dome. The contractors are solving this problem. The work on the inside portion of the dome can only begin when this is problem is arrested.
2. Repair of the Inside Portion Dome
Several things need to be done on the inner dome of the church. First, the scraping of the pulp material adhered to the dome has to be done. We have already accomplished this task. Second, the new acoustic materials will be placed or adhered to the scraped dome. Depending on the kind of acoustic material that will be used, the amount of time and expense will also be crucial. Three bids have been submitted and each is of different kinds and cost as well. If new electrical wires are needed it will be done during this time as well. Three kinds of acoustic materials have been considered. First is an acoustic spray. The consultants have some misgivings about the sprayed acoustic material. It is the most cost-effective and less complicated though. The second material suggested by an acoustician we consulted is hanging baffles. They are the most effective in minimizing the reverberations. We informed NHI and submitted the plans. They did not approve the plan. Another material suggested is called a Megasorber, a foam-like material, but the cost is more than P5 million. The third material will require boring holes on the dome from which metal furrings will hang and acoustic boards inserted. This is more complicated, not to mention, the most expensive, amounting to more than P8 million. And we don’t have that amount. A structural engineer needs to be consulted as well to determine the integrity of the dome structure if it can carry the weight of the new acoustics to be added to the dome.
As you can imagine, this process is tedious and time consuming. Haste is not an option here. I have the responsibility to the many donors that their donations be used in the most effective manner and not waste it just because some are impatient or think nothing is going on.
3. Repairs and Improvement of the Electrical and Lighting System
We already have asked an electrical engineer to evaluate the present electrical system and submitted his evaluation. Basically, there is a need to rewire the whole system to avoid any untoward incident. A lighting design consultant will also advise us on how to get rid of the many unsightly wires and ineffective bulbs and lighting fixtures and replaced them with a more effective lighting system.
An Appeal for Patience
In 1997, the façade of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome underwent renovations, mainly, cleaning it. Many complained because they could not get good pictures due to the scaffoldings that blocked the view. The renovation was finally finished in 2000. They worked day and night. But the preparations that went into it took longer than renovating it. For many years, our church here in UP has slowly been deteriorating. But now we are doing something about it. Can we not show the same patience and understanding as in those many years of its deterioration? We only have started the repairs in our church this year, 2007. The money raised for this project is accounted for from the last centavo to its interests in the bank as attested to by the periodic financial report posted on our bulletin board. Please be patient.
Thank you for your continued support and understanding. May God bless you and your family always.
Sincerely in the Lord,
Fr. Raymond L. Arre
Parish Priest
