Banners and Fabric Hangings

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lmpolitsky1216

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I recently became the Director of Liturgical Environment and Art at my parish. Though only 19, I have been told I have a good eye. Everything is going very smoothly for me so far. However, we have never had many fabric hangings from the walls or ceiling, in fact there is only one instance that I can remember we have, and I wanted to start hanging more fabric and banners. The problem: our ceilings are very high (about 50-70 feet) and I don’t know exactly how to go about it. I am looking for any advice on types of hardware, mounting it, and tips on hanging banners and fabric. The church walls and ceiling are very light and straight-cut without embellishment, so any blemish would be noticed- I hope to keep any hardware as unnoticed as possible. Thank you!
 
lmpolitsky1216 said:
I recently became the Director of Liturgical Environment and Art at my parish. Though only 19, I have been told I have a good eye. Everything is going very smoothly for me so far. However, we have never had many fabric hangings from the walls or ceiling, in fact there is only one instance that I can remember we have, and I wanted to start hanging more fabric and banners. The problem: our ceilings are very high (about 50-70 feet) and I don’t know exactly how to go about it. I am looking for any advice on types of hardware, mounting it, and tips on hanging banners and fabric. The church walls and ceiling are very light and straight-cut without embellishment, so any blemish would be noticed- I hope to keep any hardware as unnoticed as possible. Thank you!
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Please don’t do this. We suffered through the silly banner era in the 1970s and 80s. We’re just now coming out of it.

Why not put in some REAL artwork instead?
 
last of the old directors of altar society have retired and I finally got rid of, with the blessing of their current officers, the last of the ghastly homemade banners, Praise Be.
 
lmpolitsky1216 said:
I recently became the Director of Liturgical Environment and Art at my parish. Though only 19, I have been told I have a good eye. Everything is going very smoothly for me so far. However, we have never had many fabric hangings from the walls or ceiling, in fact there is only one instance that I can remember we have, and I wanted to start hanging more fabric and banners. The problem: our ceilings are very high (about 50-70 feet) and I don’t know exactly how to go about it. I am looking for any advice on types of hardware, mounting it, and tips on hanging banners and fabric. The church walls and ceiling are very light and straight-cut without embellishment, so any blemish would be noticed- I hope to keep any hardware as unnoticed as possible. Thank you!
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At age 19, I’m guessing that you have not had any formal training in sacred art and architecture (or “art and environment” in modern-speak). To do this job well, you need much more than a good eye.

As short-term suggestion, I recommend that you subscribe to Sacred Architecture magazine:
sacredarchitecture.org/

You can read back-issues here:
sacredarchitecture.org/articles/everglade_oratory/

Also, read the book “Spirit of the Liturgy” by Pope Benedict XVI. His book covers more than art and architecture, but all elements of worship are inter-related.
 
lmpolitsky1216 said:
I recently became the Director of Liturgical Environment and Art at my parish. Though only 19, I have been told I have a good eye. Everything is going very smoothly for me so far. However, we have never had many fabric hangings from the walls or ceiling, in fact there is only one instance that I can remember we have, and I wanted to start hanging more fabric and banners. The problem: our ceilings are very high (about 50-70 feet) and I don’t know exactly how to go about it. I am looking for any advice on types of hardware, mounting it, and tips on hanging banners and fabric. The church walls and ceiling are very light and straight-cut without embellishment, so any blemish would be noticed- I hope to keep any hardware as unnoticed as possible. Thank you!
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Those types of church “decorations” were a fad from the 70s. Unless your Church is a 70s style building with mostly 50-60 year old parishioners, they will be quite out of place. If your Church really IS a 70s style building and the parishioners are predominantly children of the 70s, they might apprciate the walk down memory lane. 😉

Whatever you decide to do, make sure that the pastor has approved it. Making any more serious changes may need approval from someone in the chancery.
 
😃

I’m 50 so I can relate to the banner era. Some of them were awful, not religious art.

Our parish today has a huge corner banner that resembles tapestry. It matches the Fall theme. It has a stained glass look to it and is of much higher detail and quality that what I remember as a child.

I wonder where all those old banners were sent?

churchsupplywarehouse.com/catalog_product.asp_Q_categoryId_E_42_A_subcategoryId_E_542_A_categoryItemId_E_10860_A_Mother_Theresa_Wall_Banner_E_Mother_Theresa_Wall_Banner $700
 
In order to have wall hangings that are truly worthy of being called sacred art (or perhaps act as canopies for other sacred architecture in your church) you need to have a decent budget for both the wall hangings and for the hardware to hang them.

Our parish does have some of these. We have high quality permanent rods and brackets. We also have a lift so that the wall hangings can be safely be taken down and re-hung safely. The rods are colored so that they are not obvious against the wall but since they are attractive in their own right they don’t look ugly if the wall hangings have been removed for some reason.

If you don’t have the budget (and what you have in mind will not be inexpensive) then you might want to reconsider.
 
I agree with all of the above, especially the ones that say, PLEASE DON"T!
 
When I see banners, I think of (Protestant) Sunday School/Vacation Bible School projects… 🤷
 
Lepanto said:
At age 19, I’m guessing that you have not had any formal training in sacred art and architecture (or “art and environment” in modern-speak). To do this job well, you need much more than a good eye.

As short-term suggestion, I recommend that you subscribe to Sacred Architecture magazine:
sacredarchitecture.org/

You can read back-issues here:
sacredarchitecture.org/articles/everglade_oratory/

Also, read the book “Spirit of the Liturgy” by Pope Benedict XVI. His book covers more than art and architecture, but all elements of worship are inter-related.
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Moreover, the blog entitled, New Liturgical Movement may also be beneficial:

newliturgicalmovement.org/
 
Please don’t think we’re beating you up or anything. But please, no banners.

And congratulations! You’ve accepted an awesome set of responsibilities. May you and your parish be open to the workings of the Holy Spirit.

Peace
 
Thank you all for your comments! I see I made a huge mistake by mentioning banners- I put this in the message and subject because I knew it would attract more attention- just not the kind of negative attention it did! Believe me- I have seen some of our old banners we no longer use (and have not for a long time)- I have/had no intention whatsoever of buying banners! What I have been working with in the church is highlighting the liturgical color more and I thought having free-flowing fabrics (NOT straight banners) hanging from the ceiling as well as backdrops behind our Saint statues would help to give a different feel to the church in each season. Recommendations for this??
 
lmpolitsky1216 said:
Thank you all for your comments! I see I made a huge mistake by mentioning banners- I put this in the message and subject because I knew it would attract more attention- just not the kind of negative attention it did! Believe me- I have seen some of our old banners we no longer use (and have not for a long time)- I have/had no intention whatsoever of buying banners! What I have been working with in the church is highlighting the liturgical color more and I thought having free-flowing fabrics (NOT straight banners) hanging from the ceiling as well as backdrops behind our Saint statues would help to give a different feel to the church in each season. Recommendations for this??
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In our parish, we have a cloth behind the altar that cooresponds to the liturgical season. (you can see it in the video in the link). The cloth is usually ruffled, except for Good Friday, when it’s taut, which gives a subtle feel.

Other than that, we don’t have any other wall hangings. The only exceptions are around Easter when there’s small “banners” that the kids receiving First Holy Communion made (has their name and some symbols) - even then, it’s only there for a week, and outside of the church during Advent, there (used to) be a large, but simple and professional looking banner.
 
Lepanto said:
The so-called “National Cathedral” is Episcopalian (and liberal Episcopalian at that). Definitely not something that we want to be emulating.

And I’m sorry, but that booklet is just a meaningless mess of colors.
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Good call, Lepanto. The types of advice the OP wants (“types of hardware, mounting it, and tips on hanging banners and fabric”) could not possibly be answered by Episcopalians.
 
MarkThompson said:
Good call, Lepanto. The types of advice the OP wants (“types of hardware, mounting it, and tips on hanging banners and fabric”) could not possibly be answered by Episcopalians.
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Perhaps you are unaware of the pope’s out reach. You are practicing a a form of religious bogotry, very un- christrian and against Catholic Teaching. Bad call for Mark and Lepanto
 
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