Im just sick and tired of catholic churches that look like protestant mega-churches
I believe that is entirely the point of modernisation in America.
The more Protestant a nation in its makeup, the bigger was the rush to change sanctuary and façade. The Blessed Lord was shifted to the side so we could make Protestants feel more comfortable about our “cannibalism”. Bucer, Melancthon, Luther, Calvin, and Zwingli would be quite happy with the shift from
Altar->Priest->People to
Priest->Altar->Table, and the moving of the tabernacle to the side chapels. Have you seen pre-Vatican II Lutheran churches? There is always a “picnic table” and no tabernacle thereupon. Thank God it was not a real requirement of Vatican II that these things be done, or else Archbishop Fulton Sheen would not have lamented Sanctuary-changing, as he did in the
1970’s. What can be done inside can be undone.
The problem here is not with sanctuaries, but with the overall structure of churches. A huge block of concrete shaped like a “plus” + sign, and covered in abstract murals, means and signifies nothing but narcissim. The Protestants invented narcissism in official morality (cf. Luther’s disagreement with the Epistle of James), whereas the most degenerate popes never even imagined changing the Bible to suit their needs. Anything that moves us towards even
looking like Protestants should be condemned and reversed, if already enacted.
Nicholas Owen and the Jesuit Martyrs of England did not die so we could appease the descendants of their murderers with lunch-tables and undisciplined blocks.
Perhaps wasteful to the extreme. So…who gets to finance and who gets sole authority on what is “acceptable”. Heck…out here we have enough trouble just to keep up repairs on what we have.
Hmmmmm…sorry Lord, I was going to feed the hungry and clothe the poor but I built a beautiful new cathedral instead…
Maybe a better idea would be for any new churches being built to be more traditional…of course I have a suspicion that someone will find something to grumble about.
The more liberal-“looking” churches inspire almost no devotion; realistically, this can be seen in the floundering Homeless Outreach programs based in ugly churches. On the other hand, the gigantic edifices always have flourishing homeless programs. People simply “feel” (and thus act) more holy in an ancient-looking church. Lex credendi, Lex orandi?
Devotion is
required to inspire men to feed the poor. Classical architecture inspires devotion, a sense of awe, displacement into another World, and the presence of the Most High. A shopping mall does not exhibit these tendencies, and modern churches are simply shopping malls. Sure, it’s all psychology… but every little thing that affects us must be used for the greater glory of God. We are not above psychology simply because we’re “more advanced” these days - sin remains, sadly.
I agree with you 1100000000000%, BUT, who would pay for the reconstruction of the sacred buildings?
I believe the Roman Catholic Church has a not-insignificant amount of money. How were all these despicable travesties of architecture, fit only for “Frank Lloyd Wrong”, financed in the first place? It was either by charismatic (in the traditional sense) theologians, fiery bishops, and righteous priests, or by progressive protestant/liberal Catholic businessmen with a lot of money to throw around. We just need to find their polar opposites to create real churches.
Holy is God in eternity.
