Behind the ambo and just to side of the ambry, there is an archway that leads to a back passage with a ramp that provides easy handicapped access to the sanctuary and service access to the sacristy.  To maintain the symmetry of the area’s design, there is a matching faux archway behind the presider’s chair.  Often, by the archway, there is a service table in the access ramp that is used by the altar servers and Mass celebrants to stage the items needed to conduct the Mass.

Off to the left and beyond the Sanctuary is a door leading to the Sacristy.  This is the service area for the preparation of the Mass.  It is here that priests, deacons and servers don their vestments, and the various objects used in celebration of the Mass and other services are kept, stored and cleaned.  The objects used in the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist such as the chalice, ciborium and patens are initially washed in a special sink called the Sacrarium.  The Sacrarium is distinguished in that the drain pipe discharges directly into the ground and not into the general waste disposal system.  This is done as a sign of reverence for the Sacred Host and Precious Blood.  The parish rectory is located directly behind the church. This is where pastoral team resides and all the administrative work of the parish takes place.  The lower level of the rectory is home to St. Patrick’s Parish Outreach.

In the foreground of the photograph of the Consecration Mass (see above,) we see two of the instrumental figures in realizing this House of God; Monsignor, now Bishop, Walsh (front, center) and Monsignor Walden (right).  As pastor of St. Patrick’s parish, Bishop Walsh saw the need of the growing church and school.  He began the planning and construction process.  However, before the church was complete, he was call by Pope John Paul II to serve as auxiliary bishop for the diocese.  Msgr. Walden became the new pastor of St. Patrick’s during the spring of 2003 to find the construction process well underway.  There was still much to do.  With much dedication on the part of the pastoral team, the support of the Diocese, the architects and contractors, the Pastoral Council, the staff, many volunteers and the entire parish, the church was consecrated on November 15th, 2003.

In this tour of St. Patrick’s Church of Smithtown, we have scratched the surface of the great “W” questions: What, Where, Who and Why.  We invite everyone, whether you are a stranger to our parish, or a familiar face, to spend some time listening to the message of our church, and perhaps finding the answer to the question of ’How?’ How can we open our minds and hearts and hear the message of the Good News which is all about us, in our church building, in the great examples of the community gathered under its roof and in the kingdom of our Lord, under the care of His One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church?

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