Posted on 01/18/2013 7:03:53 AM PST by marshmallow
One of the recommendations of Vatican II was that priests be formed in the arts: “During their philosophical and theological studies, clerics are to be taught about the history and development of sacred art, and about the sound principles governing the production of its works. In consequence they will be able to appreciate and preserve the Church’s venerable monuments, and be in a position to aid, by good advice, artists who are engaged in producing works of art” (Sacrosanctum Concilium, 129). This is not a bad idea, considering that priests are the caretakers of the Church’s artistic patrimony. Each pastor is ostensibly the curator of a small art gallery as well as the overseer of a physical plant which needs constant maintenance, repair, and additions. Then there are the lucky few, or perhaps not, who have the opportunity to build anew. Building a church is a grand undertaking which includes thousands of decisions from hiring the right architect to raising millions of dollars to critiquing the statue of the Blessed Virgin to deciding whether the door hardware should be bronze or polished brass. And it all has to be done in addition to the full time job of running the parish.
Given that many pastors have to be shepherd, curator, head of the physical plant, chairman of the music and education programs, and chief development officer, does it make sense that they should have some training in art and architecture? If it could be fit in—and seminary education is packed as it is—what would it look like? An introduction to Catholic art and architecture should include three broad topics: the history of sacred art and architecture, the architectural design process, and the process of construction. A history of sacred architecture is hard to cover in one semester (think eighteen centuries........
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Great article! Thanks for posting.
ALL Catholics should study Sacred Art and Architecture.
It is a total disgrace what Catholic parishes fund and build today. Honestly, you cannot tell the difference between Catholic and Protestant Butler Buildings these days.
I know what you mean. I’ve been to Mass at many churches that look like fire halls on the outside and school cafeterias on the inside.
I don’t know why, but we often seem to be so bound to the physical.
Like the Jews who wanted an earthly king, and later expected the Messiah would sit physically on David’s throne, and are still waiting for Solomon’s earthly temple to be rebuilt...Even those of us who believe the Messiah has come, and that He has ascended to His heavenly throne, still we bind ourselves with the earthly, the physical, the temporary - things which “perish with using”.
It’s as though we had never read the book of Hebrews.
I’ve been to Mass at many churches that look like fire halls on the outside and school cafeterias on the inside.
I have too, but I do believe that it only has to do with money. The Catholic Church cannot build those huge Cathedrals like buildings anymore because of the costs involved.
Not true in my diocese. St Gregory the Great Parish in VA Beach is very wealthy. They chose to build a very expensive, very large, bland and beige palace.
All the beautiful and breathtaking art you see in Europe was created during the time of the Church’s ascendency and power. That power is now gone. The survival of the Church and Christianity is threatened.
It should be studied for its beauty and harmony with human nature.
But they should study how to fight the very strong and brutal powers that want to turn churches into latrines.
Making kissy-face with bearded savages just gets your face dirty, and they’re going to kill you anyway.
All the beautiful and breathtaking art you see in Europe was created during the time of the Church’s ascendency and power. That power is now gone. The survival of the Church and Christianity is threatened.
It should be studied for its beauty and harmony with human nature.
But they should study how to fight the very strong and brutal powers that want to turn churches into latrines.
Making kissy-face with bearded savages just gets your face dirty, and they’re going to kill you anyway.
The California Missions were built with adobe— basically dirt. Yet they are beautiful and holy. Also, the Cathedral of the Plains in Victoria, KS, was built by poor farmers who quarried and transported the stone themselves, and yet it is absolutely lovely.
I will say that the European churches sometimes took more than 100 years to build. Now, churches are built much quicker, and I think there is less commitment to the process of building, as something worthwhile in itself, which builds the community as it builds the building.
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