Liturgical Design & Engineered Lighting for Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church

Original mosaic artwork reflecting the three key components of Roman Catholic worship was a key element of this work: the altar for Eucharist, the ambo for the Word, and the tabernacle for reservation of the Eucharist.

Rambusch created a new base for the existing Mensa to reflect and symbolize the centrality of the altar. Similarly, a new tabernacle stand was created to appropriately present the wonderful bronze and enamel tabernacle, which the community already possessed.

These new stone refinements were all keyed off the visual vocabulary already found in the existing ambo, so that the key liturgical elements would be united in their design details and material.

The current lighting system could not meet the needs of the various liturgies and events within the space. As is often the case with open-plan architecture of this era, congregational illumination was lacking. We designed, manufactured, and installed an integrated, expandable lighting system of Rambusch fixtures controlled by a Lutron multi-scene dimmer to serve all the various liturgies and lighting needs. Our LED lighting system illuminates and enhances the environment with subtleties and flexibility not possible with the old lighting system. 

• Operates at a fraction of the energy cost.
• Former shadows and bright spots are eliminated with exceptionally smooth distributions
• System is tailored to properly display mosaics and other interior elements.
• Paint, lighting and reworked liturgical elements form an open sanctuary, easing movement, visually separating the tabernacle, presider’s chair, altar and ambo.
• Rambusch suggested moving the tabernacle to enhance adoration and prayer, accenting its stunning mosaic backdrop with accent lighting.
• Mosaics and Venetian gold tiles fabricated in Italy.