Stanford University Memorial Church

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Duesenberg

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One of my favorite church buildings anywhere here in California is the Stanford University Memorial Church. They often celebrate the Mass there. I especially like how Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper is positioned right under the stained glass window of the Crucified Jesus Christ. I wonder why the Last Supper is not more commonly depicted in more Catholic sanctuaries? Seems like a reduced size (the original is almost 30’ long and 15’ tall) example would be perfect on the stipes of an altar? A very good reminder.

https://places2explore.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/stanford-memorial-church-hdr-01a.jpg(image larger than 4096KB)
 
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It is one of my favorites also, and I have opportunity to be in it frequently. I never tire of finding new areas to explore. It was built as an ecumenical chapel and has remained that for the past century+. The Deans, however, tend to be mainline Protestants or Anglicans. The current dean is an Anglican from the UK.
 
ComplineSanFran said:
It is one of my favorites also, and I have opportunity to be in it frequently. I never tire of finding new areas to explore. It was built as an ecumenical chapel and has remained that for the past century+. The Deans, however, tend to be mainline Protestants or Anglicans. The current dean is an Anglican from the UK.
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It was actually built as a non-denominational church by Jane Stanford to memorialize her late husband Leland Stanford. They founded the university to memorialize their son who passed at only 16 years of age. I suspect, but I don’t know, the Stanfords might well have been Anglican Protestants.

There’s a Sunday 10:00 PM Mass at the memorial church. I think I would go to that every Sunday – in addition to my current parish, if the campus was a bit closer.
 
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They do a good job of offering services for a wide range of faiths. Do you know the priests who take the RC services? Are they on staff of Stanford? Or do they come in from the community?
 
amazing that is hasn’t been torn down by the secular humanists
 
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ComplineSanFran said:
They do a good job of offering services for a wide range of faiths. Do you know the priests who take the RC services? Are they on staff of Stanford? Or do they come in from the community?
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There’s a couple of them – all order priests which celebrate the Mass and they are dedicated to the “Stanford Catholic Community” – much like other campuses have a Newman Center. I suspect they are paid by the Catholic Community at Stanford and not the university itself.
 
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Duesenberg said:
There’s a couple of them, and they are dedicated to the Stanford community" – much like other campuses have a Newman Center. I suspect they are paid by the Catholic community at Stanford and not the university itself.
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That makes sense. There are quite a few chaplains around also, especially at the Medical Center. Have you met the Dean? She is quite nice.
 
brian_custer said:
amazing that is hasn’t been torn down by the secular humanists
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Why would you make such a comment? This church is the architectural heart of the entire parish. It’s right in the center of everything. It is beloved.
 
i’ve seen the Last Supper on maybe 1 in 3 high altars, right beneath the “shelf” or what have you…
 
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