Photo Gallery: Renovation of the Church Exterior, 2015-2016

Several years before the project began, it became clear that the green-colored stone covering much of the exterior of St. Francis Church was deteriorating and allowing water to damage the structure. Serpentine (the technical name for the stone) is a soft stone composed of hydrous magnesium silicate, basically the same mineral found in talc. It is a fibrous material that tends to absorb water. The presence of water accelerates the deterioration of the stone due to the effects of expansion and contraction of the stone during freeze/thaw cycles. Since serpentine is an alkaline stone, it is also sensitive to attacks from sulphuric and sulphurous acids as well as carbon dioxide dissolved in rainwater. When small pieces of the stone began falling, the work became urgent. After careful planning and serious fundraising, and with the support of Bishop of Richmond Francis DiLorenzo and strong commitment from former pastor Joseph Wamala, in the spring of 2015 the parish began the renovation of the exterior. This photo gallery documents the process of removing the old stone and its replacement with granite. Click on the image below to start. To navigate to other pictures, click the left or right side of the image (or use the left and right arrow keys on the keyboard). Click outside the photo (or press the escape key) to close the image window. To obtain a copy of an image, contact the Webmaster.

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