A Reynoldsburg St. Pius X Church parishioner has significantly added to the parish Adoration chapel by completing a 60-square-foot Sacred Heart mosaic on the wall behind the tabernacle of the small prayer space, located next to the building’s entrance.
The mosaic displays the traditional Sacred Heart symbols of a heart encircled by a crown of thorns, topped by a cross glowing with flames, representing the boundless, sacrificial love and compassion of Jesus Christ. Above the heart are the words “Holy Holy Holy” in a half-circle.
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Before the mosaic was added, the space at the front of the chapel consisted of a cabinet with the tabernacle and flowers on top, flanked by statues of the Virgin Mary and of Jesus displaying His Heart. The wall was beige with a crucifix in the center.
The bright red and gold of the mosaic and the flecks of gold tiles surrounding it provide a dramatic focus to the space, which had been lacking in the original. The statues have been replaced by seasonal flowers.
The mosaic’s designer is parishioner Caroline Berger, 23, who recently graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a degree in industrial design and art education.
The mosaic was dedicated on Friday, June 12, the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus this year. Berger said it consists of about 30,000 tiles and took more than 200 hours to complete over the span of a year.
The artwork is part of a redesign of the chapel, which served as a capstone project for Berger’s degree.
The new look also includes 12 (the number of promises of the Sacred Heart) red oak chairs handcrafted by Berger. In addition, the ceiling was repainted in a maroon color to match the hues of the chairs and cabinet.
Wooden symbols of roses and lilies – representing respectively the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Chaste Heart of St. Joseph – were placed on the cabinet doors.
“The chapel is small to begin with and the new color palette makes it appear even smaller,” Berger said. “This was intentional. I wanted it to be that way because I want people to feel as though they are stepping into the Sacred Heart of Jesus itself. It’s my hope that there is a cohesiveness to the space that will keep people from being distracted.”
“The chapel is one of the most significant additions to the vision of expanding and beautifying the St. Pius X campus, especially our sacred worship space,” said Father Patrick Watikha, AJ (Apostles of Jesus Missionaries), the parish’s pastor. “Its purpose is simple yet profound: to foster a deeper love for and devotion to our Eucharistic Lord, Jesus Christ. Since its opening, the chapel has become a place of prayer, peace and encounter with Christ for countless parishioners and visitors.
“Our patron, Pope St. Pius X, often called ‘the pope of the Blessed Sacrament,’ possessed a profound love for the Holy Eucharist. He beautifully reminded us, ‘Perpetual Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament is the devotion which surpasses all others.’ He also wrote, ‘The daily Adoration or visit to the Blessed Sacrament is the practice which is the fountainhead of all devotional works.’
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“Finally, he taught, ‘Devotion to the Eucharist is the most noble, because it has God as its object; it is the most profitable for salvation, because it gives us the author of grace; it is the sweetest, because the Lord is sweetness Itself.’
“Inspired by these words, I warmly invite everyone to discover the gift of Eucharistic Adoration. When we spend time before Jesus with open hearts and simply allow Him to love us, we cannot help but grow in love for Him in return. That encounter transforms us, strengthens us and teaches us to become the people God created us to be. As Jesus Himself tells us, ‘I came that they may have life and have it abundantly (John 10:10).’”
Berger said funds for the renovation were provided anonymously by a parish member. “The donor took me aside one day after Mass, took me to the chapel and said she had learned I was studying design. She said she had come into a sum of money sufficient to add to the chapel and had been praying for someone who might be able to enhance the space,” Berger said.
Father Hohman Council 5253 of the Knights of Columbus presented a thank-you contribution to Berger when the project was completed.
“I have a strong devotion to the Holy Family and have fallen in love with the Eucharist and with helping my parish. This was an opportunity that I saw as a gift the Lord presented to me,” she said.
“It took a whole parish to help with completion of this work. I feel so blessed by having the support of many people every step of the way. First are my mom and dad (Deacon Mike Berger, who serves at St. Pius, and wife Megan) who were so generous with their time and support.
“When I got disheartened about this, they built me up, and they allowed me to take over our dining room to put the mosaic together. Then there’s our pastor, Father Patrick. He’s been enthusiastic about my plans from the start.
“Parishioner Mike Paszkiewicz rented a truck and drove to and from Cincinnati with my father and me to bring the chairs from my woodshop at school to the parish. This was so generous and an answered prayer for me.
“Scott Marish is our head of maintenance and was instrumental in bringing everything to life. He helped coordinate all the logistic things and ensured everything was smooth sailing.”
Berger has obtained a license in art education and will be teaching this fall in the Gahanna-Jefferson School District at High Point Elementary School and Gahanna Lincoln High School.
After the school year, she plans to pursue a Master’s degree at the Sacred Art School in Florence, Italy, with the ultimate hope of having a career as an artist making sacred objects. Anyone wishing to discuss this with her can email her at sacredheartbycj@gmail.com.