Very Rev. Christopher Lankford, KHSPastor · St. Raphael

Pardon Our Dust: Sound System Update

Dear Friends in Christ.

It is time for another installment of Pardon Our Dust! Once again, the purpose of these articles is to offer transparency to you, our wonderful parishioners, about the projects, needs, and improvements at St. Raphael, and how your generous donations are being used to make them possible.

This edition of Pardon Our Dust will focus entirely on our sound system. As many of you know, one of our speaker towers broke before I arrived, and we have been relying on a poorly functioning temporary solution ever since. In addition, our beautiful worship space does not always lend itself to clear sound. The hard surfaces cause sound to bounce and become distorted. In one area of the church you can hear every word clearly, while in another, it can be very difficult to understand.

Before I arrived, a nearly $80,000 proposal had been signed to replace the church's sound system. Because of the significant cost, and after learning just how complex our sound challenges are, I chose not to move forward with that plan right away. Instead, I invited several sound professionals to evaluate our space so we could be sure that, when we make such a major investment, it is truly the best solution for our church.

My team contacted many vendors, and ultimately six companies submitted bids. Using digital modeling technology, they were able to recreate our worship space and recommend speaker systems that would best meet our needs.

After much consultation and prayerful consideration, we narrowed our choices to two vendors. Both visited St. Raphael, brought sample speakers, and conducted live demonstrations for our staff and parishioners. Friends, the difference was incredible! Even with just one speaker and half of the church tested, the improvement was dramatic.

We ultimately selected Integrity Sound as our contractor. Integrity Sound is a highly respected company that has designed sound systems for Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago, St. Josephat Basilica in Milwaukee, and the Cathedral of St. Paul in Minnesota, among many others. I have visited all three, and believe it or not, the Cathedral in St. Paul has even more reverberation than we do! If any company can help us, this one can.

While this solution addresses our worship space, I also began looking at the broader sound needs across our campus, especially in the choir loft and the gym. If you look in the choir loft, you'll notice a single black speaker on a stand, which currently provides the sound. The white speaker on the ceiling in the center is no longer functional. Our choir and music ministry are wonderfully talented, and that gift should never be limited by outdated equipment. With all the singing and chanting at Mass, new speakers will truly elevate our liturgical experience, so I have included the choir loft in this upgrade.

The same is true for the gym. Depending on where you sit, you may or may not hear what is being said. We experienced this during the Joliet Jammers basketball game with our seminarians and 8th grade boys. Some could clearly hear the vocation story being shared, while others could not. Since we celebrate Christmas and Easter Mass in the gym and use it daily for school sports and events, it made sense to include the gym sound system in this project as well.

Now you might be thinking, "Fr. Chris, that's a lot!" And you're right, it is! But it is also necessary and provides a long-term solution for our entire campus. By bundling these projects and working with one vendor, we were able to negotiate a fair and reasonable price.

As of publishing this article, we are still finalizing details, but I can share that the total proposal for the church, choir loft, and gym is under the original nearly $80,000 proposal that was signed previously - for the church alone. This is a big win for St. Raphael!

Next, I will be exploring ways to increase the internet signal in the church. You might wonder why this is needed. One feature of the new sound system allows parishioners with hearing aids to connect through Wi-Fi and receive the Mass audio directly into their devices, like their own personal sound system! To make this possible, we need to upgrade the church's Wi-Fi. While I don't yet have an estimate, the new sound system will be ready to support this feature once the internet upgrades are complete.

Once again, the goal of Pardon Our Dust is to keep you informed and to explain the reasons for these projects. I am excited for the day when God's Word is proclaimed with clarity and the music of the Mass is heard with even more elevated beauty!

We have already been blessed with several donations designated for the sound system, and I am deeply grateful. I am hopeful that, together, we can raise the remaining funds needed. If you would like to donate, please write "Pardon Our Dust" on the memo line of your check. You may also give online, by mail, in the office, or by placing a marked donation in the collection basket. Any excess funds will remain in the Pardon Our Dust account for future parish upgrades.

Thank you for taking the time to read this long update. It is important that you are informed parishioners.

Let's keep Leading Souls to Heaven!

In Christ,

Father Chris