The Renovation of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Omaha, Nebraska

Immaculate Conception Church in Omaha, Nebraska was constructed in the early twentieth century when still served by the Order of Friars Minor. By our own time, the parish was in need of some re-vivification and re-enchantment, and so it was that Erik Bootsma Architecture and John Canning Co. were engaged to accomplish this important task, a task which was completed in 2024.

Erik Bootsma Architecture describes the situation as well as the solution:

The church, despite having beautiful architecture, had sadly deteriorated and had been subject to a drab color palette. The high altar was removed and given to another church and replaced with a brand-new high altar of marble with new statues commissioned in Germany by Albl Oberammergau. The floor of the sanctuary and the entire church were replaced with colored marble and new side altars, and altar rail of marble were installed as part of the project. 

John Canning Co. offered their liturgical design services as part of this collaborative project, which, as mentioned, also included the services of ALBL Oberammergau for the new sculptural works, and Pedrini Sculptors for the stone fabrication. 

To give you a sense of the church as it stood prior to these renovation efforts, we will employ our typical 'before and after' methodology. As you will see, the church was beautiful, but it was certainly feeling somewhat drab and monochromatic. 

BEFORE

The high altar followed a typical Victorian era "gingerbread" style that was commonly found in churches in English speaking North America at the time it was built -- and while many consider this quite nice and 'traditional' comparatively today, it must be remembered that this type of work was rather 'cookie cutter' and the Art Saint-Sulpice 'catalogue style' of that particular timeframe.  

Some further views of the nave and narthex.

AFTER

Within the newly renovated iteration of the church, we see the rather clinical, 1950's turquoise blue ceiling refreshed with a more neutral palette, while geometric elements have been added throughout to emphasize and augment the architecture.  What's more, a beautiful polychromatic pavement was added, which naturally leads one's eye from it, right up to the new altar and sanctuary. 

The high altar itself has seen its generic, cookie-cutter gingerbread style replaced by something more noble, done in a more Italian style that is better suited and harmonized with the rest of the architecture.  The columns of the ciborium found over the altar too were given a polychromatic treatment, drawing one's eye and lending greater focus to the altar and tabernacle itself. 

A new altar rail also separates the nave from the sanctuary. 

A closer look at the new high altar, which follows the exposition throne model, framed by three baroque sculpltures of St. Peter, Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception and St. Cecilia. 

Once again, a few general views of the nave and narthex:

The side altars were also given similar treatments to the high altar. Here is a detail showing the side altar dedicated to St. Joseph. 

Of course, many of our readers are always curious about the 'before the before' and here is a historical image showing the parish church as it looked earlier in the twentieth century. One can see here some of the details that had been lost over the decades, most notably the mural of the Immaculate Conception originally found over the high altar, as well as the elevated pulpit. 

While the reclamation of the mural of the Immaculate Conception would have been ideal of course, considered overall, in my estimation the parish as it now stands is actually an improvement over the original.

If you would be interested in learning more about this or to explore the potentialities for your own church or chapel, we'd invite you to visit the sites of Erik Bootsma Architecture and John Canning Co. 

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