Check it out.
Easter
Christmas Mass
Thanksgiving
Posted on 08/04/2010 2:31:29 PM PDT by Alex Murphy
Alderman recently drafted a manifesto offering easy, affordable ways for make these sanctuaries "less ugly and more Catholic":
-- Do everything possible to return the visual focus to the main altar and the tabernacle that contains the reserved sacraments, the bread and wine that has been consecrated during the Mass.
-- Reject any strategy that tries to hide decades of modernity behind a blitz of statues and flowers
-- "work with what you have, and don't work against it"
Some are so charmlessly modern you think you’re in a Toyota dealership.
No more felt church banners!!!!!
I find it funny that Catholics seem to place so much importance on how esthetically pleasing things should look in their churches, while some of these same Catholics, when asked why their songbooks lack the beautiful sorts of songs Protestants have (i.e.-Amazing Grace, How Great Thou Art, etc.) claim, “Well, we don’t believe people should enjoy their music, but instead enjoy God.”
I’ve actually had a couple Catholics say that to me. That the Catholic church specifically keeps songs that sound unpleasing to the ear on purpose.
Generalizing on what 2 people say. Interesting.
FWIW, in my Catholic parish, those songs you listed are in our song books along with many other beautiful songs.
I would suggest a new reality show called “Pimp My Parish”, but that would be wrong.
Check it out.
Easter
Christmas Mass
Thanksgiving
At least the Catholics are moving toward less franchise-driven gospel presentation. The protestants, meanwhile, are embracing the pastor-conference ponzi-scheme model, where leadership seminars are all the rage, and Hollywood provides sermon suggestions with the video clips it sells churches for use in their sanctua— I mean worship centers.
The Catholic church should disassemble some of those old, empty churces in Europe that have no parishioners anymore, crate them up, ship them over and re-assemble them here. That plus the Latin Mass and an upgrade in liturgical music should bring back the flock.
The Church is the people, not the building.
Much of the first century church met in homes.
Some denominations still do.
Many years ago, I wanted to be in the school choir. This was at a Catholic elementary school (1-8 grade) and the school choir also sang at Mass and special Masses. It was about as cool as you could be, given the circumstances.
Sister told me no girls could be in the choir because the female voice was not pleasing to God. Yup. Might as well have been a freakin’ Muzlim.
Wow! All of them?
I personally don’t care what the church looks like I only care what comes from the pulpit and the people. IMHO, the more minimalist the better. I am there to worship G-d not the building.
Well, as many as Catholics reverting to the non-beige model
When Luke wrote in Acts 2 that “the Lord added to the church daily those that would be saved,” he wasn’t talking about a building.
Those early Christians worshipping in the catacombs and quietly in homes were the church.
Our obsession with brick and mortar is pure materialism. The bride of Christ isn’t made by human hands, and, as Paul told the Athenians, the “God that made the world and all things therein. . . dwelleth not in temples made with hands.” (Acts. 17:24)
Please don’t take this the wrong way, but those ARE in the missals in my parish, from one of the major publishers of missals in the country. There is, however, a reason that we don’t generally sing them. They do not espouse Catholic theology. Speaking only for myself, I’m not too fond of the music I usually hear at Novus Ordo Masses. I’m much more fond of the music I hear at Tridentine Latin Masses. That’s just me. I will add, and this is not any sort of a sleight, that, in Mass, we aren’t singing for ourselves. We sing to give glory to the Lord, where it is due. I can, and, in the right circumstances, do, enjoy some of the protestant hymns. They simply aren’t appropriate for a Catholic Mass. No offense meant, whatsoever. Now, as to esthetics, I will always favor non-modern architectures. I am a traditionalist, to the bone. I have participated in Mass at churches of almost any architectural style you can think of. Whether or not the architecture suits me, I am there for Mass, not to criticize the choice in columns.
On a separate note, major kudos to your priest, mware. Beautiful altar displays, well captured.
Amazing Grace, Eternal Father Strong To Save, and Be Not Afraid.
Catholics Pastors and musicians who actually care about music have other options.
A visitor who use to belong to our parish came to our Easter service.
Her comment regarding how we decorated the Church was,
"He changed an airplane hanger into a cathedral."
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