Oakland Cathedral revisited: "There is no prayer there"

American Papist ^ | October 7, 2008 | Thomas Peters

[RichInOC]

Well, it’s less ugly than Our Lady of the Angels, I’ll give it that.

[Revolting cat!]

The problem may be that there is no modern church architecture. All new Catholic churches that I have seen, even in Catholic countries, are ugly modern structures.

[Revolting cat!]

I tell you this, even if this is beautiful by current secular architectural standards, it will not age well. It reminds me of the post-stalinist architecture in Russia and elsewhere, that was superior to what preceded it and hasn’t aged well at all.

[Aquinasfan]

Here's a link to what the cathedral looks like from the inside including the image of Christ.

It looks like the inside of a grain silo. Not that there's anything wrong with grain silos, but grain silos aren't churches.

[Aquinasfan]

Here's a link to what the cathedral looks like from the inside including the image of Christ.

It looks like the inside of a grain silo. Not that there's anything wrong with grain silos, but grain silos aren't churches.

[AnAmericanMother]

Pretty ugly.

Doesn't look much like a church. Inside or out.

It's not as Brutalist as the LA Cathedral. Looks more like an office building than anything else.

[Desdemona]

Are we sure those are windows and not solar panels?

Seriously, that place could be a solarium.

[Northern Yankee]

Saw the pictures. It doesn't look very holy.

During the summer I am able to get to daily Mass. There is nothing that I like more than walking into our parishes around town; smelling the candles, and seeing the altars in traditional style. The candles, altar, Tabernacle, votive candles, the Crucifix in prominent display, statues of our Blessed Mother, and the Stations of the Cross.

These images invite us to holiness.

[NYer]

The candles, altar, Tabernacle, votive candles, the Crucifix in prominent display, statues of our Blessed Mother, and the Stations of the Cross.

You are absolutely right. "Smells and bells". The aroma of incense also helps to draw us into prayer. When you consider the cost of building a 'cathedral' today, the bishop would be better off restoring the original structure.