Round Churches --yeah or nay?

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I never feel like I’m in a Catholic Church when I attend one that is round. It feels so Protestant. Most round churches lack statues, stained glass windows depicting the lives of the saints, a “true” alter, stations of the cross, and even a traditional crucifix at the front of the church. One round church I attended, had a wood carving of Jesus, fully clothed, standing with his arms raised and that was the ONLY image in the entire church.

I also noticed that no one seems to genuflect or “act” as Catholic in these churches. They always tend to act more Protestant.
 
Catholic_Kat said:
I never feel like I’m in a Catholic Church when I attend one that is round. It feels so Protestant. Most round churches lack statues, stained glass windows depicting the lives of the saints, a “true” alter, stations of the cross, and even a traditional crucifix at the front of the church.

I also noticed that no one seems to genuflect or “act” as Catholic in these churches. They always tend to act more Protestant.
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Not all protestant churches are round – Many of the older churches are built in a more traditional style (some Lutheran churches could pass for Catholic if it weren’t for the fact that they don’t have a crucifix, statues, candles, etc.).

But, I don’t like those round, or semi-circle churches, either. I’ve even seen a “round” (it was rectangular, but the seats were in a semi-circle fashion) with random patterns of stained glass (looks like something you’d see as a decorative item in someone’s home).
One round church I attended, had a wood carving of Jesus, fully clothed, standing with his arms raised and that was the ONLY image in the entire church.
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Sounds like the above church I mentioned. They had a multi-colored cloth cross on the back wall (it looked like a Revival Church or something), with a fully clothed (ressurected Jesus) suspended in mid-air above the altar, which was some 50 feet from the back wall.
 
Did you feel that parishoners acted “less” Catholic in the round church?

My parents attend a round church in Colorado and they don’t even have kneelers! The parishoners were instructed to stand after receiving the Lord. I also noticed that every time I attended a round Church, the priest didn’t take the Mass as seriously. One recent experience I had in a round church, the priest joked throughout the Mass and after the Mass before the final blessing, he came forward with the left over Eucharists on a tray and holding them over his head like a waiter said to the congregation, “We’ve got some extras, anyone want to take some home?” Two people came forward and took them!! I was mortified and nearly started crying.

These types of things always happen at the round churches I’ve been to, but never at the traditional shaped ones.
 
Catholic_Kat said:
Did you feel that parishoners acted “less” Catholic in the round church?

My parents attend a round church in Colorado and they don’t even have kneelers! The parishoners were instructed to stand after receiving the Lord. I also noticed that every time I attended a round Church, the priest didn’t take the Mass as seriously. One recent experience I had in a round church, the priest joked throughout the Mass and after the Mass before the final blessing, he came forward with the left over Eucharists on a tray and holding them over his head like a waiter said to the congregation,** “We’ve got some extras, anyone want to take some home?”** Two people came forward and took them!! I was mortified and nearly started crying.

These types of things always happen at the round churches I’ve been to, but never at the traditional shaped ones.
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There is a saying—the road to hell is paved with the skulls of priests etc.
 
I grew up in a Round Church. It has been the only one I have seen. I thought we had a unique building. Anyway, We had Stained glass windows, Stations of the cross, Statues of Mary, St. Joseph,and St. Tarsisius (SP?) A Baptismal Font, kneelers, a large Crucifix, and the Tabernacle is in the front of the Church at the Altar. So, I guess it depends on which round Church you attend. 🙂
 
Catholic_Kat said:
Did you feel that parishoners acted “less” Catholic in the round church?

My parents attend a round church in Colorado and they don’t even have kneelers! The parishoners were instructed to stand after receiving the Lord. I also noticed that every time I attended a round Church, the priest didn’t take the Mass as seriously. One recent experience I had in a round church, the priest joked throughout the Mass and after the Mass before the final blessing, he came forward with the left over Eucharists on a tray and holding them over his head like a waiter said to the congregation, “We’ve got some extras, anyone want to take some home?” Two people came forward and took them!! I was mortified and nearly started crying.

These types of things always happen at the round churches I’ve been to, but never at the traditional shaped ones.
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:eek: :eek: :eek:
 
I think some old Churches are designed that way, in a round fashion. I could be wrong but I am sure I have seen it.

I am pretty darn sure though that the old round Churches retained the Catholic sense in the way of having Catholic icons, statues, decorations, candles, etc. Designed for Catholic worship of God, yet just happened to be round. This is different from what has happened lately by some of those wacky designers.

There has been a tendancy in some of those round Churches to look empty and shed any Catholic identity and instead of being a Catholic Church that happens to be round it is designed like a round building designed to focus on each other that calls itself Catholic.

God Bless
Scylla
 
scylla said:
I think some old Churches are designed that way, in a round fashion. I could be wrong but I am sure I have seen it.

I am pretty darn sure though that the old round Churches retained the Catholic sense in the way of having Catholic icons, statues, decorations, candles, etc. Designed for Catholic worship of God, yet just happened to be round. This is different from what has happened lately by some of those wacky designers.

There has been a tendancy in some of those round Churches to look empty and shed any Catholic identity and instead of being a Catholic Church that happens to be round it is designed like a round building designed to focus on each other that calls itself Catholic.

God Bless
Scylla
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But of course most of that depends on the priest and the congregation, rather than the shape of the church.
 
My church is in a semi-circle and most people genuflect and kneel, it has a big crucifix at the front with Jesus and John and a smaller crucifix they they process in. There is a big baptismal fount, an altar, the stations of the cross, and statues. There isn’t a whole lot of stain glass, but I think that has more to do with the adobe style everyone uses down here in the SW.

I’m not sure I understand how round=protestant and old style=Catholic. With the round style everyone is much closer to Jesus at the altar and can see it all. It seems like that would be a good thing!
 
Tim_Kirchoff said:
But of course most of that depends on the priest and the congregation, rather than the shape of the church.
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You are right, fill the Church with a bunch of people without faith and they will commit sacrilege.

Yet the design of a Church should teach the faith, if I design a Church to look non-catholic then people will eventually form their belief in response to how we act and how the Church is designed.
Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi.
Even the atheist’s agree,
atheism.about.com/library/glossary/western/bldef_lexorandi.htm

God Bless
Scylla
 
When I lived in Wichita, I went to a church called Magdalen. It was round, and very Orthodox. It can work.
 
I don’t think I have ever been in a truly round church, but I have been in several semi-circular ones, both Catholic and Protestant. I have seen just as much traditional “stuff” lacking in many of the newer rectangular churches as in the semi-circular ones. I don’t think the shape of the building means much in this regard; one has to look at the bigger picture.
 
I don’t think the form of a Church encourages or discourages irreverance.
I will say that I used to go to a church in college that was round. The idea was that it was supposed to resemble a pilgrim’s tent to remind us that we are a pilgrim Church. Unfortunately, it had weird echoes and generally bad acoustics. Every year architecture classes tour through it and they’re shown what NOT to do as far as designing with acoustics in mind.
One more thing. My dad always used to tell me that “They built it round so the devil couldn’t catch you in the corner.” 😉
 
Catholic_Kat said:
I never feel like I’m in a Catholic Church when I attend one that is round. It feels so Protestant. Most round churches lack statues, stained glass windows depicting the lives of the saints, a “true” alter, stations of the cross, and even a traditional crucifix at the front of the church. One round church I attended, had a wood carving of Jesus, fully clothed, standing with his arms raised and that was the ONLY image in the entire church.

I also noticed that no one seems to genuflect or “act” as Catholic in these churches. They always tend to act more Protestant.
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With all due respect, I think this is a false stereotype. Unless you have visited and studied all the “round” churches in the U.S., and also gotten to know the parishioners well, you cannot make this blanket statement.

Our church is semi-circular, and our people are definitely Catholic.

I grew up Protestant, and in all the Protestant churches I was part of or visited over 47 years, only one was round.

I think it presents problems for whoever is in the ambo. They always have their back to someone!

I happen to like round and circle designs. My husband and I are huge fans of the “dome home,” and if we ever win the lottery (it would help if we actually played the lottery!), we will build one. But we often go to dome home tours and dream.

I really like homes that have rounded corners in the rooms instead of square.

One of my daughter’s college buildings has no square edges at all in the building, and all the rooms are painted pastel colors. I find this very pleasing and soothing. It feels like being inside a giant Easter egg!

It’s a matter of personal preference. The God that created lines and squares also created circles and ovals.
 
cgvnau said:
I don’t think the form of a Church encourages or discourages irreverance.
😉
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When I go into an old, historic Catholic Church that is filled with statues, ornate alters at the front and sides of the church, stained glass, murals on the ceiling…it “feels” like God is present. It “feels” Catholic. When I attend a modern “round” church, that is bare, it does not feel Catholic. The round church I attended where the priest was “giving” away Eucharist, is built in a way that one focuses more on the lay people rather than the priest. After all, when seated in a semi-circle, you actually see the other parishoners. I think when they used to build the more traditional style churches, everyone was facing the front. Just like in a traditional classroom.
 
Many of the newer churches being built are large. A semi-circular shape allows for more people to be able to see the altar.
I am amazed by the crucifix in one of the nearby churches. It is full sized as it is in some of the other newly built churches around here. This church is even larger. Regardless of which direction you enter the church, the crucifix appears as if you were looking at it headon. It is amazing and only adds to the reverence to which we are called.
 
my favorite church of all time is round, the Shrine of the Little Flower, built in Royal Oak, Michigan in 1928, and my baptismal parish. still looks great, the design and building has stood the test of time, worked great for the TLM–I grew up there–and works great for the Mass of today. It is actually an octagon, not actually round, and in each of the niches on the various sides are the traditional side altars, and it has been described here before on the various forums discussing church architecture. all the traditional statues and embellishments, and almost no changes when the “new” Mass came in, because they were not necessary.
 
There have been some famed circular churches from the earliest days of Christianity. Santa Costanza (built 337-351) is still standing in Rome (although it was originally a mausoleum), San Vitale (built 547) is in Ravenna, Italy, and of course, the Pantheon was adapted for Christian use.
 
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