A Generous Gift

A Generous Gift

Submitted by Fr. Eugene Harrison

Fr. Richard Thibodeau, pastor of St. Alphonsus Parish, was pleased to receive and bless a new, uniquely designed baptismal font in St. Mary’s Assumption Church in New Orleans on December 2. The font was commissioned by anonymous donors and reflects the style in which St. Mary’s is constructed. Executed by Italian craftsmen, the font has been placed in the back of the nave as a reminder to all who enter the church of their own baptismal commitment.

The marble based comes from the same dark veined Italian Carrera marble as the holy water fonts next to each church door. The “feet” around the base are inspired by the brackets below the pulpits in the front of the church. The base and the cover are two separate pieces:the cover can be easily lifted and moved for an actual baptism.

The cover takes its inspiration from the exterior of the church. It is hand-carved lindenwood, similar in color to the columns found throughout the interior of the glorious church, bringing the glory of the tower into the midst of the church. The cross atop the church was destroyed by a lightening strike in 2009, so the cross atop the baptismal font captures the cross of the tower in all of its original perfections.

St. Alphonsus Parish is grateful to King Richard’s Liturgical Design and Contracting for collaborating with the donors both to design the construct in Italy this magnificent font for St. Mary’s Assumption Church, just as the original architects and artists did so many years ago.