EH: What drew you to church conservation work? DR: This kind of work is a vocation for me. I’ ve worked in 20 State Capitol buildings and done many civic-oriented projects, which are wonderful. But as a practicing Catholic, I wanted to do more for the Church. I wanted to enhance beauty and architecture to celebrate the mass. Now our company divides its time between secular buildings and churches. I’ m in churches every week, advising, consulting, and teaching about decoration.
EH: How did you become involved in the San Joselito Chapel project? DR: Canning was invited to do a rendering for a beautification of St. Joseph’ s Church in Norwalk, Connecticut. I became friendly with one of the priests there who wanted to do some stencil work in the adoration chapel on their campus. The congregation and staff are mostly Latino and Hispanic, so the pastor had dedicated the chapel to San Joselito, a popular Mexican saint who
The completed decoration in San Joselito Chapel. © Robert Benson Photography was martyred in the Cristero War of the 1920s. The priest asked me to make a stencil of a Gothic pattern, which I did. Then he asked for instructions on how to apply the stencil himself. Instead of doing that, I offered to volunteer my time and put the stencil on myself, and I brought my eighth-grade son. I wanted him to see his dad in action and thought it would be a nice weekend project for us.
EH: How did the project evolve? DR: My son and I set out and started stenciling the back wall. Parishioners began coming in asking me if I needed water or food, help cleaning up, or tools. They wanted to help me however they could, even if it was the smallest thing. At the end of the day when that wall was done, I was so moved that I had a revelation of how the whole chapel should be decorated. I have never had a clear vision like this in such detail. I asked the priest if I could continue the decoration beyond the original wall. He said absolutely— didn’ t ask me what it would cost or what it would look like but took it on faith.
EH: How was this project personally significant to you? DR: It is the most profound project I have ever worked on in my career. So much came out of it from a religious perspective. St. Joseph’ s started as an Irish immigrant parish but over time the congregation has become largely Latino and Hispanic. The parishioners gave me insight into San Joselito. They spoke about him with a reverence and love I had never heard before. Their passion for his shared sacrifice stirred me so I took great care to choose and place the decoration to honor the saint. I incorporated palms, which represent martyrdom, and red to symbolize the shedding of both Christ’ s and San Joselito’ s blood. I used the star of Our Lady of Czestochowa in the sanctuary to represent the cuts that San Joselito endured from the soldiers before he was martyred. At one point during his ordeal, San Joselito shouted out,“ Viva Christo Rey,” or long live Christ, and I included that inscription in the decoration.
EH: How was your family involved in the decoration? DR: My son, who was around 13 at the time, put gold leaf on the wall and got to watch this pattern come to life. He saw the tangible results of his work: permanent and attractive decoration. He understood the craft. And we talked about life and what I do, so the connection extended to my family and my faith life. Not just my son, but my wife and two grown daughters helped, and colleagues as well. Although it was all volunteer work, we each left with something meaningful from the experience.
EH: How do you think the decoration has impacted the congregation? DR: My hope is that the parishioners experience true sanctuary and feel the presence of Christ and San Joselito’ s sacrifice. These incredible people, many of whom are immigrants and live modest lives, are so devout. My goal was that the chapel provide comfort to them and serve as a place to relax spirit and mind and enjoy beauty. If that’ s the case, I’ ve done my job.
24 SACRED PLACES • SUMMER 2026