Church Background: Day Chapel & Tabernacle

An important decision in church design is the location of the tabernacle. We designed the church with a separate area where we can say Mass when there are fewer congregants. We use this for the weekday morning Masses. When we do this, the faithful who are participating aren’t spread out through our large church. With that decision, our liturgical consultant recommended that the tabernacle be placed in the Daily Mass Chapel. This provides a smaller space for those who want to pray before the Eucharist in a more intimate setting. It allows the reserved Eucharist be used for daily Mass and for a communion service. Many of us grew up in churches that had the tabernacle behind the main altar, and it takes some getting used to having the tabernacle placed in this location. But it provides a reverent and beautiful space to pray with Jesus in the Eucharist.