Lawrence parishioners lay plans to restore Sacred Heart church interior
John Huthmacher
Hastings Tribune
Aproject for the ages is endeavoring to restore Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Lawrence to its architectural prominence as a place that draws visitors closer to God.
Talk of restoring the almost-century-old church has been ongoing for years in the parish, which includes 140 families in the Nuckolls County area. With the arrival of a new pastor, Father Jamie Hottovy, in June, the project has gained a powerful ally devoted to turning the parish’s lofty vision into reality.
Hottovy served previously as pastor of St. Teresa Church in Lincoln and before that was pastor of parishes in Orleans, Oxford and Alma.
Having studied architecture prior to seminary, the priest is well-versed in what it takes to bring new life to a building. His expertise has made him a fixture in church restoration projects across Nebraska, where he has helped guide the hands, hearts and minds of those restoring more than 40 historic Catholic churches.
He’s a proponent of maintaining or restoring churches in line with traditional Catholic aesthetics.
“There has been this trend in America for 40 to 50 years of super-modernizing, but we have 20 centuries of profound, engaging architecture and art in the church, and that’s what moves people,” he said. “What’s the point of having a church that looks more like a modern art museum or college lecture hall? If we’re just making it look like everything else, we’re losing the distinctive nature of our Catholic heritage.
“This whole tradition of beautiful art, altars and statues is meant to give you a glimpse of heaven. Through this respect for restoration, we are respecting what our ancestors did in building churches that had sacred beauty in them. Churches that have this rich imagery in art are most conducive to prayer, creating the best environment for the Mass and sacraments.”
The interior-only project being contemplated at Sacred Heart complements a series of exterior restorations made over the past two decades. These exterior upgrades included the repair of the church’s seamless windows, along with major roof repairs.
The brick building is massive, 85 feet by 45 feet, with the apex of the roof about 75 feet off the ground and two bell towers standing 85-90 feet tall.
The church seats 500 people comfortably, according to Tribune archives. The roof is covered with distinctive green clay Ludiwici tiles.
Plans for the interior restoration project will uncover elaborate design details lost through the years. From the 50-foot-high ceiling to the solid oak floors covered below, few stones will be left unturned in the Gothic-style building.
“We’re not doing a carbon copy of what it looked like in 1924 when the church was consecrated,” Hottovy said. “There will be a lot of different details we’re working on. It’s going to be spectacular and much more beautiful.
“We’re going to try to bring out details that have been covered over the years. For example, we’re uncovering the oak floors that have been covered by carpet for a long time.”
Plaster repairs to the church’s interior walls as needed will be enhanced by a new paint job intended to bring out intricate structure details buried under coats of cream and white paint.
“We’re going to fall back on what it was before, using contrasting colors to really bring out the incredible architectural details already in the columns, arches and capitals,” Hottovy said.
Statues purchased from another church when Sacred Heart was built will be repainted and restored, complemented by re-stained pews. The electrical system will be rewired, and a state-of-the-art sound system will be added.
Though the project’s final price tag is still in flux in light of the current construction market climate, Hottovy said, years of both advanced and ongoing fundraising efforts by church groups and private donors will be counted upon heavily to bring it to fruition, to coincide with the church’s 100th anniversary celebration in 2024.
Already the project has Hottovy envisioning a beautifully restored building that will continue to inspire Catholics visiting the church for decades to come. He considers it an honor and privilege to be part of the process.
“It makes sense that I’m here at this point,” he said. “I could not be more excited and humbled to be able to work on this church restoration. It is an absolute architectural jewel.”
This item originally appeared in the Hastings Tribune. It is reprinted with permission.
