What would you do if you had to Build a Parish Church?

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Nicholas_Larkin

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I was wondering, if you were in charge of designing a new Catholic Church, what would you do?

I would build everything out of nice marble, put in beautiful statues, and have a High Altar put in.
 
hmmm, well I am a tad bit on the simple side, being as I am discerning a Trappist vocation, but I do enjoy icons immensly. I guess I would go for something in the Romanesque style. I would love a great rose window, but the other windows perhaps floated glass, able to let in light but not present a clear picture. Conception Abbey has the best example that I can think of, though I am not so fond of the reredo(sp) I think it needs a different color or something, not sure what.
 
I’d use a minimalistic, modernistic, plain steel style for the exposed frame. It would be topped by castlesque embellishment with, perhaps, statues of saints in enclaves. This sort of a design would provide for wide full curtain stained glass windows between the supporting pillars. The interior floor would be marble with wood pews in a wide open nave. The Sancturary ceiling and exterior would rise higher as a sort of crown. There would be sactuary windows with images of angels (the angel of God through whom the sacrifice is being taken to the heavenly altar). A wide window would encompass the area over the choir loft. Wood carved entrance doors. Freestanding altar under baldachino with frescoed side chapels for the Blessed Sacrament and Reconciliation.

Now, if I had the room, I’d build an 8 sided stone baptistry outside - forward from the main entrance. There would be artwork enveloping the inside, but one solitary window near the upper east wall (which faces the Church) depicting the Baptism of Christ. This being the only entry point of light. Flowing from this structure would be a fountain which creates a small, narrow moat surrounding the Church, with periodic rivulets - particularly located at other entrance points which bridge over the little flowing creek.

How much do you think that all will set me back? 😉
 
Della said:
I’d build it like this: Shrine Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe, La Crosse, Wisconsin.
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I agree that is going to be an amazing temple for Our Lord.

I totally think that we should clone Archbishop Burke, he is awesome. However, he’s kind of fighting like crazy against that, so we may not be able to clone him.😃 😉

Seriously though, that is going to be an awesome place for pilgrimage, and I hope and pray that the Marian Catechists grow in this country and beyond, there is a serious need for Marian Catechists.

God Bless Archbishop Burke, and may he be given a red hat.
 
Nicholas_Larkin said:
I was wondering, if you were in charge of designing a new Catholic Church, what would you do?
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What’s the budget? 🙂 That will determine what materials you could use, and how big it could be.

As an overarching plan, I’d probably go for a semi-circular design using lots of wood and natural light. I would hire local artists to create sculpture or paintings or icons of the seven sacraments to surround the church. I would also leave money in the budget to fund a reasonable (above the poverty level) salary for the liturgist, the music director, youth minister, etc.
 
chotock said:
Wow Amazing!! I am glad that there are still some churches being built with some class to them. I may be a NO attendee, but that does not mean I enjoy auditorium churches that look rather high schoolish than reverant.
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proud2bcatholic:
I agree that is going to be an amazing temple for Our Lord.

I totally think that we should clone Archbishop Burke, he is awesome. However, he’s kind of fighting like crazy against that, so we may not be able to clone him.

Seriously though, that is going to be an awesome place for pilgrimage, and I hope and pray that the Marian Catechists grow in this country and beyond, there is a serious need for Marian Catechists.

God Bless Archbishop Burke, and may he be given a red hat.
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My Lay Association of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Chapter went on a one day pilgrimage there last month. The site is fantastic, set on a hill with a pathway that winds up and back to the Shrine Church set in the trees. We plan on attending the dedication in 2008, God willing. Indeed, God bless Archbishop Burke for his faith and his vision that is bringing this much needed Marian site to us in Upper Midwest America.
 
cheese_sdc said:
What’s the budget? 🙂 That will determine what materials you could use, and how big it could be.

As an overarching plan, I’d probably go for a semi-circular design using lots of wood and natural light. I would hire local artists to create sculpture or paintings or icons of the seven sacraments to surround the church. I would also leave money in the budget to fund a reasonable (above the poverty level) salary for the liturgist, the music director, youth minister, etc.
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If I had to build a parish Church I would not hire you.
 
Maybe the circular design which tends to focus worship central instead of up to God. Kinda like making a stadium instead of a Church.

The Church I attend is kinda a circular design and it tends to lend focus more toward the people participating than the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

I would stick the choir where they belong off in the balcony so that their voices join ours in worship of God.

The design of the Church should look at every possible way of focusing on God first then the community. The community is truly united, in its worship of God.

God Bless
Scylla
 
Depends of course on the lot which I had to build on, but in general I’d go for a round building.

Closer parking for the worshippers, easier evacuation in case of a fire or other emergency, the people closer to the altar so they can see and hear better.

Of course, I’d use the finest materials that the budget would allow.
 
scylla said:
I would stick the choir where they belong off in the balcony so that their voices join ours in worship of God.
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Yep, my Church would also most definitely have a choir loft, a high altar with no free standing table, altar rails, and good acoustics for the chant.
 
I would go with a High Altar in the center of a triangle shaped (Trinity) building. I would have icons of the covenants God made with humanity along the walls. In each corner would be a prayer area with votive candles. I would make the High Altar of granite with a crucifix hanging from the ceiling. The ceiling would have clouds that were heavy and gray, but just above the crucifix, there is a halo of light with the Hebrew letters for “Yaweh”.

The interior would be mostly of woods and stone with earthy colors for everything. That way the items associated with the Divine (gold and silver) would stand out and symbolize the light that God gives us.

The Baptismal font would be in a glass atrium to the East (were Christ was buried/rose) and it would be a bowl of white marble with a triangle on it again, with the hebrew letters for Yaweh.
 
In the united states you dont have much choice, you have to follow a book called "Living Stones.It woould preclude the building of just about every Church proposed in this thread,.
 
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