Before you plan to visit St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, you may want to visit their fantastic website. It's helpful to find out mass times, church events and much more. When there is a Holy Day of Obligation, regular mass times do change in most churches. St. Francis Xavier is located approximately 45 minutes, in weekday traffic, north east of the Provo/Orem area. There is plenty of parking, because along with the
From the parking lot, I headed up a ramp to two sets of tinted double glass doors. Turning left is the next set of doors to into church. I first noticed glass block curved wall with glass Stations of the Cross on the left side of church. In the middle of this long wall is an incredible painted adoration area for Our Lady of Guadalupe known as the Queen for the Americas. Directly on the back wall are a series of large beautiful stained glass windows featuring many of our Catholic symbols. There is separate adoration area for Mary with a painted background that reminded me of Lourdes with peaceful and serene colors.
There is one main aisle down to the altar and two smaller side aisles. The side walls have exquisite Stations of the Cross paintings along the top edge of the wall. There is a color design in the middle of the ceiling with four square skylights outlined in blue. I knew there had to be a reason that it was in the center of church. So after church I asked one of the parishioners who was so kind to tell me a little history. Apparently when Father William Wheaton came to Saint Francis Xavier Catholic Church in 1999 the altar was in the middle of the church with pews all around it. This is similar to the idea of "theater in the round" but for a church. The four square skylights would send in light onto the altar. Fr. Wheaton had the floor plan changed to the traditional way we see it today.
The altar today is the head of the church and the tabernacle is protected with two gorgeous angels that can been seen in the photo below. To the right of the altar is the a grand piano which I had the pleasure of hearing while a pianist was playing classical music upon entry into church this morning. Further right is an area for the choir and todays choir was made up of school children with lovely voices. The pulpit is to the left of the altar along with a changing room for the clergy and other ministers.
I wish to thank the parishioners of St. Francis Xavier for their assistance, smiles and for welcoming me into their parish today. May God bless you always. "It is not the actual physical exertion that counts towards a one's progress, nor the nature of the task, but by the spirit of faith with which it is undertaken." -Saint Francis Xavier
(Feel free to click on the photos below to view them enlarged)