And example of what young priests can do when they have a chance.
A chapel at a school: before and after.
Our “worship spaces” don’t have to be ugly.
Our churches and chapels reflect what we believe (or at least what the designers believed, if anything). But they also shape our belief.
Coat of Arms by D Burkart
on PASCHALCAzT 2025 – 54: Low Sunday – “scandal, hypocrisy, bland liturgies, false teaching, broken families, sin and sinners everywhere.”: “Fr. Z – Thank you for the “chirping” and spiritual encouragement to leave the nest and soar on as on…”
on ROME 25/4– Day 17: Easter Friday: “Isn’t it checkmate in one move? Qd8#. I don’t see any moves that remove the black King from checkmate.”
on Sonnet about the papal funeral procession: “The Great Roman once again reading Er Belli, another gem! Thank you for these exquisite 46 seconds.”
on Sonnet about the papal funeral procession: “Yeah, but they could have done something to jazz up the truck. Black streamers, even. Some bunting along the sides…”
on ROME 25/4– Day 19: Low Sunday – with a grand digression: “I loved that Inspector Morse series! The Brits know how to make really excellent detective stories. Same for Endeavor, etc.…”
on Sonnet about the papal funeral procession: “I think it was the usual “Popemobile” but with stuff removed. The license was SCV 1.”
on Sonnet about the papal funeral procession: “I was surprised to see this – a wooden box stuck in the back of a white pickup. For the…” on Pray for a new Pope to who will be… better than we deserve! : “Cardinal Burke has a Novena prayer for the conclave which may be found at the Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine…”
on Sonnet about the papal funeral procession: “Satire, Socratic irony, rhetorical musings — written by Charles Haddon Spurgeon; though not Catholic, a contemporary of Giuseppe Gioachino Belli.…”
on ROME 25/4– Day 17: Easter Friday: “yeaeeaaah, that is NOT a Fiorentina. The only proper one I’ve ever eaten was in … well … Florence, as…”
on Closing Francis’ coffin – What did they put in there with him?: “I was going to write what Maelwys’ wrote. The self-referential line made me laugh out loud when I read it.…” on Sonnet about the papal funeral procession: “I didn’t catch any of the jokes, but I loved the Great Roman’s voice! I could hear the drumroll.” on Sonnet about the papal funeral procession: ““A pope dies, ya’ make another.” Simple man, simple life, no better way to go to the grave than on…”
on Pray for a new Pope to who will be… better than we deserve! : “donato2 – you took the words out of my mouth. I was just thinking: how quiet and peaceful it all…”
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A Daily Prayer for Priests
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since Sat., 25 Nov. 2006:
Great improvement! The tabernacle and crucifix right in the center, instead of tucked away in the shadows. Quite inviting. And the prie-dieu as a makeshift rail is a good thought.
Beautiful! Much improved. The tabernacle is now where it should be.
Churches like the top say, “I’m going to put Jesus in a dark corner, but I’ll put his picture front and center.” It would be like a man keeping a picture of his beloved as his cell phone background, but ignoring the real woman in favor of his favorite apps. Neither the image of Christ nor the wife are wrong, but we mustn’t prefer the copy over the real thing.
Much better.
I read someplace that celebrating the Novus Ordo on an altar with a tabernacle is prohibited. Is this true?
Definitely a great improvement. The changes themselves weren’t numerous but they were significant.
Nice job! I always like to see before and after pictures where churches become more reverent. When inside one, it’s hard not to think about how a sad 1970’s church can be improved. I find these architects really inspirational:
http://www.stroik.com/portfolio
http://www.mccreryarchitects.com/portfolio/
Great use of adding some color, and Jesus front and center, not back in the shadows somewhere.
Big improvement!
“Our ‘worship spaces’ don’t have to be ugly.”
Indeed! To that point, in the First Things podcast (2/27, “Spirit and Form”) they talk with Matthew Schmitz about his article in the Catholic Herald. I can’t remember who in the podcast made the point, but the hypothetical was this. Say there are two churches on opposite sides of the tracks. One is painted in drab colors, the churchyard is a simple lawn, has simple decorations and rustic furniture, the altar is bare, and the tabernacle is made of simple materials. The church on the other side is brightly painted, statuary present throughout the yard, the windows are colorful stained class, and the interior is lavishly decorated.
Which is the church full of the poor and for the poor?
Is it the case that the steps up to the altar have been removed and the altar is now at ground level?
Scotus…..I do not think the steps were removed.. looks as though the photo was just taken closer to the altar.
The second pic is from a slightly higher elevation too.
bushboar— As I read the documents it’s allowed but not recommended or preferred. This is what the GIRM says:
128 & 129 refer to 1967’s Eucharisticum Mysterium # 53 & 55 (I’ve included 54)
Very good start, most importantly with providing an appropriate place of honor for the tabernacle. I hope they’re able to continue making gradual improvements over time. I think there’s even more the pastor, or perhaps even better, appreciative alumni, can do to continue to improve the sacred character of the chapel.
As I read about the histories of some of the great cathedrals of Europe like St. Peter’s or the Duomo of Florence that inspired St. Peter’s dome, the idea of a church being “finished” has started to seem mistaken to me.
As we should keep growing and improving spiritually, I think it’s likewise worthy to try to continue to make our churches and chapels progressively better and better spaces for worship…or to progressively reverse the damage done by others. Even with the resources of the Vatican States to provide ample skilled labor and high quality materials, Bernini spent 50 years on the interior of St. Peter’s, and he was not the only contributor.
It seems there was an intermediate step of adding some lights above the tabernacle’s former location… maybe they’ll add some statuary there later.