We again take an opportunity to pause and reflect on the blessings of the past year, with deep gratitude to all that the Lord has accomplished in the past six years of our team’s work together!
In 2023, we saw the fruition of many years-long efforts that began in the early days of Studio io’s mission and now serve as unique proclamations of what God intends to do with each of us as he perfects and fashions us into his holy temple as a light to the nations.
COMPLETED NEW CONSTRUCTION
St. John Vianney College Seminary in St. Paul MN concluded a roughly year-long construction process of a new addition featuring chapel, residences and communal spaces for priests, basement meeting and hobby space, with an almost-complete Dedication on April 20 by an overjoyed Archbishop Hebda and to a full house of glowing seminarians. Those in attendance were filled with awe seeing unique mural work designed by EverGreene and painted by local Twin Cities sacred artist Nicholas Markell and his studio, as well as beautiful furnishings and carvings by ALBL Oberammergau. Over the subsequent weeks of the remaining spring semester and summer break, the chapel grew in beauty still, with the arrival of custom pews and the completion of two large exterior mosaics (also designed by EverGreene) made and installed by Lenarduzzi, along with matching mosaic furnishings panels on the altar, ambo, and altar of repose. Then came the insertion of 24 stained glass windows (four each featuring groups of three angels in the sanctuary, and another 20 each featuring groups of three prophets and saints) by another Twin Cities studio, Gaytee-Palmer. The final element to find its new home was a completely custom new pipe organ by Lewtak, commissioned with great care by UST’s director of sacred music, Dr. Jacob Benda. We have been delighted to visit several times since dedication and see the final pieces fall into place, enriching the worship and formation of the outstanding men at SJV and those entrusted with their care. We are sincerely grateful to rector Fr. Jon Kelly and his incredible staff for their patient generosity, kindness, and inspiring vision for the Church. We are very grateful to Finn Daniels Architects for the collaboration on this challenging and extremely special project.
Above Top: The new 5-story addition includes a new basement level with hobby and meeting space, double-height chapel, two floors of faculty residences, and a rooftop entertaining room and patio. Bottom: The interior of the chapel after the final phases of sacred art were installed in the months following the dedication, a home of prayer for the men.
After a two-year journey, the long-anticipated dedication of the new church for St. Mary’s Catholic Center in College Station TX took place on July 29, with a full house and nine bishops in attendance, led by Bishop Joe Vásquez with pastor Fr. Will Straten representing the eager throngs of faithful students, staff, benefactors, and other resident community. We’ve been delighted hearing enthusiastic reports from those who have been able to visit since the opening and pray this church serves to glorify God and call his people to intimate communion with him for years to come. Artwork produced through extensive collaboration by EverGreene, ALBL Oberammergau, Foster Stained Glass, and Texas Carved Stone formed the majority of the sacred arts program, which included an impressive showing of the first phase and reach goal items in time for the Dedication and opening liturgies preceding the start of the 2023 academic year. Future phases of completing the vision are already underway and currently feature additional statuary in the narthex. We have greatly enjoyed working closely with BRW Architects on this and several other current projects.
Above: the completed interior for Dedication features rich figural murals and decorative paint, luminous stained glass, and custom statuary and furnishings with mosaic panels. Below: the exterior of the new church and interior details from the Dedication Mass.
To round out the trio of long-awaited new construction projects dedicated in 2023, Church of the Visitation in Westphalia, TX finally opened its doors in August after a devastating 2019 fire destroyed the beloved historic wooden church. Pastor Darrell Kostiha, a local native from the parish, led a team of committed volunteers to restore the spiritual home of this community. The twin towers once again mark the hilltop as seen from miles around, and the bells ring out again to call the faithful to prayer, which brought many to tears after the long wait to replace such a beloved edifice. We are grateful for the tireless work of Design/Build team K4 Construction to bring this beautiful vision to life.
An updated but historically-inspired rebuild of the Church of the Visitation in Westphalia, completed in August, marking 4 years since the previous edifice was lost in a tragic fire.
COMPLETED RENOVATIONS
Also in the summer, work was complete on a new reredos by Little Way Construction for St. Joseph in Killeen, TX, tying an existing stone altar of repose to the 1960s tester canopy and using the existing crucifix. The underside of the canopy was also painted to further integrate the pieces. Alterations to the predella (the steps that raise the altar above the rest of the sanctuary platform) allow for full incensation around the altar and expand the space available for the priest to celebrate Mass on either side of the altar. The ambo was elevated using matching rose granite.
Nearby at an adjacent parish, Holy Family in Copperas Cove received a beautiful and large new reredos of their own, designed to complement and conceal an existing pipe organ. Designed by Studio io in close collaboration by its builders in Spain – Talleres de Arte Granda – the reredos was carefully assembled on site in a week and blessed by Bishop Joe Vásequez immediately thereafter.
During the fall, we teamed up again with Granda to visit Corpus Christi Cathedral for the dedication of the completely renovated Emmanuel (crypt) chapel. The new design, aiming to better reflect the character of the impressive original cathedral building in whose basement level it resides, retains the original 1980s side aisle arches and coffered ceilings, but replaces flooring, pews, lighting, and the entire sanctuary and furnishings.
The renovated Emmanuel Chapel in the Corpus Christi Cathedral serves as a crypt for bishops and was renovated in a Spanish baroque and Romanesque style of the original architecture.
FORMATION RECAP
This year, Michael gave a presentation in April for St. Mary’s College Station on the new church, which opened a few months later. The talk featured explanations of the arc of early concept to a nearly-completed church building, with layered typological references to the Garden of Eden and desert tabernacle / temple archetype fulfilled in Mary the Mother of God, the new Eve and first tabernacle. The firm was also able to collaborate closely with St. Mary’s to prepare Tour Guide booklets for the Dedication that remain in the narthex to explain the architectural theology of the church building and the narrative of the sacred art, themed around the glory of transformation in Christ through the Christian life and sanctification offered through the sacraments, as modeled par excellence by the Blessed Virgin Mary, who is Mother of the Church. The new church has served as a vibrant setting for a monthly, full-house eucharistic exposition event Magnify, giving life and a human face to the Word Made Flesh, our eucharistic Lord.
Subsequently, Michael was invited to give two workshops for an outstanding Eucharistic Revival sponsored by the Diocese of Lansing in November. The sessions included ‘Homeward Bound: The Eschatological / Heavenly Dimension of the Eucharist’ and ‘A Church of the True Presence: How Sacred Art & Architecture Reinforce Eucharistic Theology.’
Finally, in December, St. Thomas Aquinas parish in Dallas hosted Michael for a monthly speaker series to give a presentation entitled ‘Beauty and the Eucharist,’ reflecting on the nature of beauty as a revelation of God’s very being, love itself, and how that is expressed and encountered sacramentally in the Christian life, with the eucharist as its source and summit.
PERSONAL UPDATES
The team was very blessed to expand again this year, enthusiastically welcoming Elizabeth Openshaw, who joined Studio io this summer shortly after getting married to her husband, Tommy. New residents of Washington state, they have loved spending time in the great outdoors. They look forward to all the way God will work and guide their lives as they begin their life together.
Michael and Hannah Raia welcomed their daughter, Clare Pia, on June 1. She was baptized by her uncle, Fr. Jonathan Raia, and the priest who provided marriage prep and administered her parents’ vows, Fr. Paul-Michael Piega. The baptism took place in the newly completed St. Mary’s just one week after its dedication, marking the first Christian initiation in the Church and baptismal font.
Ryan and Cecilia Pigg enjoyed summer travels this year exploring the western United States. In the fall, they sold their house and moved cities to be closer to family – just in time for the wintertime birth of their fourth child and first daughter, Aoife Clare.
Katie and Jerome Ortega experienced a lot of growth together in 2023, professionally and personally. They spent eight joyful months preparing for their daughter Giavanna Marie. Our Lord called her home just before she was expected to be born, but Katie and Jerome found great peace in honoring and celebrating the gift of her life, short as it was. Giavanna means “God is gracious,” and they feel that even under such a heavy cross. They attended the dedication of the new church at St. Mary’s Catholic Center, after Katie also traveled to Minnesota for the dedication of St. John Vianney College Seminary’s new addition.
Elsa Kosegarten-Stubblefield & Jeremy had a full year, spending spring break in Hawaii and then traveling to Mexico in April for her sister’s wedding. In June they welcomed baby #3 and their first boy, Joaquin. He was baptized in July, and family from Mexico came to meet him. Their oldest, Natalia, started Kindergarten in the Fall. Elsa and Jeremy then spent the Christmas in Illinois and rang the New Year in Austin.
Mike and Lauren Tamara had a busy year, with two musical teenagers and a now-mobile toddler. Aedan made high school marching band as a freshman, and participated in many competitions, and Hope sang with the advanced school choir on the stage of Radio City Music Hall and at St. Patrick’s Cathedral and Rockefeller Center in Manhattan. Eli began walking and has full run of the house now.
We all continue to give thanks to God for his abundant blessings in providing us the opportunities to apply our talents to the service of our wonderful clients, with deep gratitude for the individual generosity of those who make our work possible. We entrust this coming year as always to the continued intercession of Our Lady and St. Joseph – pray for us!