Made possible by both the generosity of Shrine benefactors and the hard work of faithful from St. Mary’s Oratory in Wausau, Wisconsin, the Upper Room has a new furnishing: the high altar; complete with a stone slab, altar stone, and three tiled platforms. It is built using the dimensions of the Shrine’s high altar which was irreparably damaged in the fire.

Ever since early November, Better Built Cabinetry has been designing and building a sturdy, beautiful, mountable High Altar. Just before Christmas a truck full of volunteers and Altar pieces made its way down from snowy Wausau to chilly Chicago. When the truck arrived a crew of Chicago volunteers was already on site, having taken down the temporary Altar and ready to haul up the heavy pieces of the new one.

The stone slab alone weighed over 600 pounds and had to be brought up three stories. The Wausau faithful built a casing for it, including yokes, to help carry the holy burden. More than ten men and young men shouldered the load up all of the stairs: a living image of Our Lord with His cross going up Mount Calvary.

The Altar steps were assembled on site, then the altar placed at the summit, the slab placed on the Altar, and the tabernacle and linens on the slab. The new altar is well-suited to enshrine the Shrine’s tabernacle, which, having been saved from the fire, has recently been completely refinished. Enjoy the beautiful pictures that show the labor of love and the beautiful new Altar of the Upper Room… allowing the continuation and development of the spiritual life of the Shrine.