St. Felix Catholic Church has been around for over a century, and due to the building’s old age, it has recently been undergoing some renovations. The church priest is currently appealing to various groups and individuals to make financial contributions so that the church can replace its eight nave windows.
Asking Donations for the St Felix Catholic Church
According to Suffolk Churches, St Felix Catholic Church is less noticeable than other prominent churches. Still, it does have a calm and respectable appearance behind its courtyard and wrought iron gate. The quarters of the clergy can be seen on the left part of the church, and a splendid modern hall is located on its right part. This replaces a smaller hall the church had outlived and is written in an active variant of the Suffolk vernacular. St. Felix was constructed in a subdued Gothic style when Decorated became Perpendicular toward the end of the 14th century. However, this is a building from the early 20th century, and it was not subject to the Anglican scrutiny of a Phipson or a Cautley; as a result, it breaks the rules in a rather delightfully unconventional way.
As per East Anglian Daily Times, the parish priest of St. Felix Catholic Church in Felixstowe, Father John Barnes, said that after more than one hundred years of the Gainsborough Road church being in existence, the copper strips had begun to deteriorate, which was the direct cause of the glazing starting to bulge. Because it is malleable and can be molded into the desired form, lead is the material of choice in window frames as the adhesive that holds the individual panes of glass together. As mentioned, the priest is trying to get sponsors to donate a window to cut down on the expense of repairing the eight nave windows, which is estimated to be around £65,000 or over $80,000. Accordingly, sponsors can either pay £8,500 or more, the $10,000 plus VAT for a whole window, or £2,800 or around $3,500 for a portion of a window.
On the other hand, Father Barnes also noted that they intend to replace the green frosted glass with clear glass, which will significantly increase the amount of light that enters the church. Moreover, the cost of the craft work associated with the windows would be reportedly high, especially considering the project’s scope. “Sponsors will be able to have one of the diamond-shaped panes engraved with an inscription, maybe saying it is in memory of someone who has died or in thanksgiving for some event. A kind of permanent memorial,” he added.
Also Read: Tabernacle Baptist Church Receives $750K Grant for Church Repairs
About of St Felix Catholic Church
WeConnect stated that 1858 marked the beginning of the St. Felix Catholic Church. The current structure dates back to 1893 and has a capacity of 500 people. The church of St. Felix was given its name in honor of Father Felix Tissot, who served as the first priest at the parish from 1858 to 1866. As stated, the Church pipe organ was put in place in 1904 for $4,000.00, and in 2000, the organ underwent a refurbishment that cost $50,000.00. At this time, the replacement cost would be over $250,000.00.
Furthermore, the School of Sisters of Notre Dame founded St. Felix School in 1872 and officially introduced it to students that year. The school is currently offering classes from Pre-Kindergarten up through Sixth Grade. However, the High School was closed, and the final graduating class from St. Felix High School occurred in 1968. In 1901, the church altars were brought from Bavaria, Germany, crafted by hand out of butternut wood.
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