BLESSED SACRAMENT parish in Westminster recently started a renovation project that will bring several changes, including a new retablo and much-needed air conditioning.
The project will also include an expanded sacristy (from 569 square feet to 919 square feet) that has been completely renovated with an ADA-compliant bathroom, new cabinetry and a new vestment area.
Construction began in May, with Fr. Anthony Hien Vu giving a blessing that helped kick off the project, which is expected to be finished by late November.
The wooden retablo with integrated lighting and various detailing is being crafted by the San Diego-based Wood & Iron Factory, Inc. It will also feature saints and be located behind the altar. Great care is being made to match the retablo with the design style already in the parish, said Charles Kluger, principal with Kluger Architects, the Los Angeles-based firm heading the project.
“We’ve been really sensitive to the historic architecture of the church,” Kluger said.
Kluger Architects is a longtime partner in the Diocese of Orange for some 20 years, having worked at St. Anne in Seal Beach, Rosary Academy in Fullerton and, recently, on the retired priest residence for St. Kilian in Mission Viejo and school gym at St. John the Baptist in Costa Mesa.