What do you prefer in a church building from a liturgical sense?

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What do you prefer in a church building (parish church) from a liturgical and operational sense? A number of things are important to me.

What I like:
  • It has to be “liturgically correct” in a simple sense even if it’s not mandated by the Church. It has to have kneelers, the tabernacle in the rear center of the sanctuary, a proper crucifix with corpus on display, etc., unless there are serious reasons preventing this. Even the simplest and most economical buildings can be “liturgically correct.”
  • I like buildings that place a person’s ability to view and hear the celebration over excessive ornamentation and brick-a-brac.
  • I appreciate structures that are easy and low cost to maintain – both inside and out.
What I dislike:
  • Expensive structures or ornamentation that struggle to look humble.
  • Designer churches whose designs derive from modern art.
  • “Bowling lane” churches that make it very difficult to see or hear what’s going on atop the altar.
  • Controversial decorations in any way.
 
Solomonson said:
What do you prefer in a church building (parish church) from a liturgical and operational sense? A number of things are important to me.

What I like:
  • It has to be “liturgically correct” in a simple sense even if it’s not mandated by the Church. It has to have kneelers, the tabernacle in the rear center of the sanctuary, a proper crucifix with corpus on display, etc., unless there are serious reasons preventing this. Even the simplest and most economical buildings can be “liturgically correct.”
  • I like buildings that place a person’s ability to view and hear the celebration over excessive ornamentation and brick-a-brac.
  • I appreciate structures that are easy and low cost to maintain – both inside and out.
What I dislike:
  • Expensive structures or ornamentation that struggle to look humble.
  • Designer churches whose designs derive from modern art.
  • “Bowling lane” churches that make it very difficult to see or hear what’s going on atop the altar.
  • Controversial decorations in any way.
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Acoustics, acoustics, acoustics and beauty.
 
Monastic simplicity.

The tabernacle front and centre is not a requirement, and side chapels are common in the Benedictine world, a concept I rather like as a quiet and meditative place to meditate in His presence. Many older churches in Europe are this way.
 
OraLabora said:
Monastic simplicity.

The tabernacle front and centre is not a requirement, and side chapels are common in the Benedictine world, a concept I rather like as a quiet and meditative place to meditate in His presence. Many older churches in Europe are this way.
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You are quite correct, it not a Church requirement, but I have to say, tabernacle placement typically says a great deal about a parish. Yes, in some very limited cases (some cathedrals, basilicas, etc.) it makes more sense to have the Blessed Sacrament reposed in a chapel outside of the sanctuary, but in the huge, huge majority of parish churches the best place for the tabernacle in the rear center of the sanctuary.

“Monastic simplicity” has grown on me over the years. I have come to embrace it. What I detest however is “fake simplicity”, that’s not simple (it’s political) and typically quite expensive.
 
Solomonson said:
What do you prefer in a church building (parish church) from a liturgical and operational sense? A number of things are important to me.

What I like:
  • It has to be “liturgically correct” in a simple sense even if it’s not mandated by the Church. It has to have kneelers, the tabernacle in the rear center of the sanctuary, a proper crucifix with corpus on display, etc., unless there are serious reasons preventing this. Even the simplest and most economical buildings can be “liturgically correct.”
  • I like buildings that place a person’s ability to view and hear the celebration over excessive ornamentation and brick-a-brac.
  • I appreciate structures that are easy and low cost to maintain – both inside and out.
What I dislike:
  • Expensive structures or ornamentation that struggle to look humble.
  • Designer churches whose designs derive from modern art.
  • “Bowling lane” churches that make it very difficult to see or hear what’s going on atop the altar.
  • Controversial decorations in any way.
Click to expand...
My personal preference is for what I’ll term “understated grandeur”.

And by that I mean I like a traditional cruciform, or near cruciform church with a recognizable Narthex, Nave and Sanctuary (even better if it’s got a Transept, Apse, etc…). Preferably one with high ceilings that allow for good acoustics. I like the cross/crucifix to be front and center above/on/behind the altar/sanctuary. I like to see stained glass windows, the stations of the cross, etc… But I also like it to be something that’s humble as well. Decoration kept simple and to a minimum. Nothing overly ostentatious.
 
flat floors to make it easier not to trip.

side door access- so that choosing a front seat doesn’t mean you’ll be the last to leave after the event
 
Since I’ve never been on the committee to design a new parish, I’ve never given it any thought.

It’s WHO is present that is important. My personal taste has little to do with it.
 
This may be a different way of looking at this issue. There are Churches around the US that have been renovated over the last decade or so for the commonly stated reason that things were removed from older Churches in the 1960s by persons unknown. These items include statues, communion/altar rails and other things. The tabernacle was even moved to a type of closet in one case, prompting a call to put the Tabernacle on the altar at the end of the middle aisle, on the high altar.

Then persons unknown with access to funds and architects created Churches that did not glorify God or inspire the fact that people were there to worship. The things removed were to elevate people into the sacred. These were never decorations. Pope John Paul II wrote about art and beauty and that the Church needs this. We need this. Not this:

amazon.com/Ugly-As-Sin-Churches-Forthright/dp/1928832369/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

Best,
Ed
 
I have been fortunate to have been part of a few parishes that had architect Patrick C. Keely (Brief info on him) design the Churches. He knew how to create a sacred space.
 
Solomonson said:
What do you prefer in a church building (parish church) from a liturgical and operational sense? A number of things are important to me.

What I like:
  • It has to be “liturgically correct” in a simple sense even if it’s not mandated by the Church. It has to have kneelers, the tabernacle in the rear center of the sanctuary, a proper crucifix with corpus on display, etc., unless there are serious reasons preventing this. Even the simplest and most economical buildings can be “liturgically correct.”
  • I like buildings that place a person’s ability to view and hear the celebration over excessive ornamentation and brick-a-brac.
  • I appreciate structures that are easy and low cost to maintain – both inside and out.
What I dislike:
  • Expensive structures or ornamentation that struggle to look humble.
  • Designer churches whose designs derive from modern art.
  • “Bowling lane” churches that make it very difficult to see or hear what’s going on atop the altar.
  • Controversial decorations in any way.
Click to expand...
I LIKE:

-beautiful, traditional churches, particularly in the Gothic style.

-ornamentation, art, and beauty, as long as it does not detract from worship.

-Tabernacle behind altar, unless it’s a cathedral or major tourist attraction.

-I prefer high altars with reredos.

-Altar rails

-Pipe Organs

I DON’T LIKE:

-Modern and post-modern architecture.

-Asymmetrical designs

-Pews in a circle with the altar in center.

-Plain crosses or “Resurrection Jesus”

And worst of all:

-Wreckovations
 
I was Episcopalian in my childhood, and I really loved the altar rail. Unfortunately, since I came back to the Church, I have yet to see one.
 
Padres1969 said:
:confused:
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“Wreckovation” is a term that refers to churches that were once beautiful and ornate, but were stripped of their ornamentation and/or replaced with something distasteful or downright ugly.

In my observations, these things tended to occur most during the misguided 1970s “Spirit of Vatican II”, or something to that effect.
 
Thom18 said:
I was Episcopalian in my childhood, and I really loved the altar rail. Unfortunately, since I came back to the Church, I have yet to see one.
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I see that you’re from Ohio. If you go to some of the beautiful old churches in Cincy, Cleveland, or Columbus, you’re bound to find an altar rail pretty quickly. In fact, I know of a few of these parishes where the rail is still used regularly. 🙂
 
ctb95 said:
I see that you’re from Ohio. If you go to some of the beautiful old churches in Cincy, Cleveland, or Columbus, you’re bound to find an altar rail pretty quickly. In fact, I know of a few of these parishes where the rail is still used regularly. 🙂
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Thanks for the heads up! I’m glad there are still some out there.
 
ctb95 said:
“Wreckovation” is a term that refers to churches that were once beautiful and ornate, but were stripped of their ornamentation and/or replaced with something distasteful or downright ugly.

In my observations, these things tended to occur most during the misguided 1970s “Spirit of Vatican II”, or something to that effect.
Click to expand...
The “Spirit of Vatican II” is a scapegoat. A myth used by those responsible for removing things meant to encourage worship to hide behind.

Ed
 
edwest2 said:
The “Spirit of Vatican II” is a scapegoat. A myth used by those responsible for removing things meant to encourage worship to hide behind.

Ed
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Oh yeah, I know. That’s why I mentioned it. I love Vatican II and its true and intended purpose, but I despise the “spirit of v2” that justifies things like wreckovations.
 
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