[NYer]

The public is invited to the ceremony, which will be televised live on EWTN, the worldwide Catholic television network; Catholic TV; and the Latin American TV station El Sembrador. Relevant Radio will provide U.S. coverage. Mass will be celebrated by Cardinal Francis George, Archbishop of Chicago.

Mark the calendars!

[samtheman]

When it comes to a consecrated Host, why is bigger better?

[Thane_Banquo]

The iconic monstrance is nine feet tall and weighs 700 pounds.

That is one monstrous monstrance. /rimshot

[trisham]

Amazing!

[markomalley]

The monstrance depicts the Blessed Mother as the link between the old and new covenants. She stands over the Ark of the Covenant, a sacred container that held the stone tablets inscribed with the 10 Commandments.

I don't understand this. From what is written, it sounds very unsound on a theological basis. The BVM is the Ark of the New Covenant. I would think that a far more theologically sound way of depicting her role in a monstrance would to either have the Sacrament depicted within her or to have her cradling the luna in her arms.

(FYI -- for those who aren't familiar with the theology of this -- The Ark of the Old Covenant also contained manna and the Rod of Aaron, as well. This is why we recognize the BVM as the Ark of the New Covenant: she carried Jesus within her womb for 9 months (just as the Ark of the Old Covenant carried its contents, listed above). Jesus is the Word of God incarnate (10 commandments), the Bread of Life (manna), and the High Priest after the order of Melchizedek (Rod of Aaron))

[ken21]

just weird.

[MinuteGal]

I'm not a Catholic, I'm Lutheran. I fail to see why some people have to nitpick everything to death on threads pertaining to religion. Get a life.

Here we have an inspired artist creating a very large work of art glorifying various aspects of his religion in his own talented way.

We have a supportive church that will benefit from folks coming to see and admire its beauty. We have an artisan who is not creating monstrous objects like Christ urinating in a bottle.

Weird? Some artists do miniatures, some do massive pieces. They have talents on loan from God.

Would one opine that enormous frescoes painted on the inside of a dome in a huge cathedral by an artist who laid on his back on a scaffolding for decades be considered a "weird" endeavor? It was, by many at the time.

Congratulations to this artist and the supportive priest and congregation for backing this artisan. I firmly believe they feel it's for the glory of God and an admirable addition to the body of religious art in this country.....the same way we feel on a larger scale about Michelangelo's artistic gift to his religion, the Vatican and to the world.

Leni

[A.A. Cunningham]

St. Stanislaus Kostka

[baa39]

I thought you three folks might be interested in a more detailed article on this story, explaining some background and the connection to Divine Mercy, “just FYI” —

http://www.thedivinemercy.org/news/story.php?NID=3184&PLID=73