Your idea, in an image, of noble simplicity?

[YoungTradCath]

Out of interest, what do you really like?

I have been to Churches that literally took my breath away, To worship regularly in such a place would be wonderful.

I like all sorts of styles. I like the Romanesque and I think it will probably be the most popular style going into the future of Catholic church building in the United States and Canada since it can be done on practically any budget and can be well made of practically any natural and traditional materials. Furthermore, it has the added benefit of being almost instantly recognizable as being Catholic.

I love the Gothic churches of Europe and I hope this style will be revived in the future to a skill level that rivals those of the past. Of course, it is very expensive.

I love a Baroque church, but I think it can be a bit too much sometimes.

I like the traditional Byzantine style (I don’t much care for the newer, shorter, fatter version), even for some Latin churches.

What I do not like is a church built in a style that has to be constantly apologized for and explained ad nauseum because people continually object to it. I’m thinking your friendly Suburban Spaceship Church, or those that look like giant legos or something. I am convinced that modern and postmodern architecture is, for the most part, incapable of being what I call “literary architecture.” Lots of books are written, only the good ones are remembered in the future. I am convinced that the modernist masterpieces will not have such staying power, and if they do, it will be just to be an example of what not to build.

And for some reason, I would like to include this image, just to illustrate what I do not like:
flickr.com/photos/catholicsanctuaries/4997340604/
That altar has to be the most hideous altar I have ever seen in my life, even worse than the one in Notre Dame in Paris. It looks like a butcher block crossed with a wine rack:
chefdepot.net/graphics26/big_easy_block.gif

 

[andrewstx]

I like all sorts of styles. I like the Romanesque and I think it will probably be the most popular style going into the future of Catholic church building in the United States and Canada since it can be done on practically any budget and can be well made of practically any natural and traditional materials. Furthermore, it has the added benefit of being almost instantly recognizable as being Catholic.

I love the Gothic churches of Europe and I hope this style will be revived in the future to a skill level that rivals those of the past. Of course, it is very expensive.

I love a Baroque church, but I think it can be a bit too much sometimes.

I like the traditional Byzantine style (I don’t much care for the newer, shorter, fatter version), even for some Latin churches.

What I do not like is a church built in a style that has to be constantly apologized for and explained ad nauseum because people continually object to it. I’m thinking your friendly Suburban Spaceship Church, or those that look like giant legos or something. I am convinced that modern and postmodern architecture is, for the most part, incapable of being what I call “literary architecture.” Lots of books are written, only the good ones are remembered in the future. I am convinced that the modernist masterpieces will not have such staying power, and if they do, it will be just to be an example of what not to build.

And for some reason, I would like to include this image, just to illustrate what I do not like:
flickr.com/photos/catholicsanctuaries/4997340604/
That altar has to be the most hideous altar I have ever seen in my life, even worse than the one in Notre Dame in Paris. It looks like a butcher block crossed with a wine rack:
chefdepot.net/graphics26/big_easy_block.gif

Looks like a dog crate to me.

 

[andrewstx]

Looks like a dog crate to me.

That Cathedral was on EWTN in Cathedrals across America last nite, they got a new bishop.

 

[YoungTradCath]

That Cathedral was on EWTN in Cathedrals across America last nite, they got a new bishop.

Mhm, which is where I saw it! Disregarding this, their new bishop celebrated a Vespers a few days ago which was quite beautiful.