[Grateful2God]

There are churches, especially basilicas, where there are Crypt Chapels, downstairs from the main area. These are often quite beautiful, and a reminder of the Early Christians who, under persecution, lived in the catacombs and practiced their Faith. It's no less of an honor, especially because, wherever it is in the building, the Monstrance will contain Jesus: Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity!

God bless you!

[defconw]

Having read the article and the response to it. I have a few things to observe/contribute.

It is beautiful and I am glad it was found and restored. What a gift. The stripping of the inside of our once beautiful churches to entertain modernists and others who felt we were to opulent are going by the wayside, slowly but surely. Praise God. I got married in a pretty ugly church. It was modern but it was the parish closest to my home. The interior of the church may have been ugly, BUT! Jesus was directly behind the alter in his Tabernacle, we had the bells etc.

There was this horrible modern Humanistic "crucifix", that I hesitate to call a crucifix as it was more of a scary version of that risen Lord on the cross thing, whatever that is supposed to be. But anyway. The ugly utilitarianism of that parish in no way reflected the hearts of it members. It was the home schoolers choice parish and we had many young large and ever growing families, which also meant we were on the poor side when it came to money. That said, that will always remain my parish heart. Best parish I ever belonged to.

For many years we all gritted our teeth. See that ugly thing (Cross) had been commissioned and donated by a founding family with that parish. When there were finally none of that family around anymore we simply did not have the money, as the Rectory was in danger of sliding down the hill into the river and the mice out numbered the insulation. Our sister parish helped us build the rectory and so did the diocese as long as we made it big enough to house a retired priest or two. What to do, what to do! We prayed and prayed and had bake sales etc. Father needed a new car, the basement of the church kept flooding and so the years passed and that "crucifix" still hung there.

Then one sunny day, a decommissioned church called and said they had a Crucifix and would we like to have it? Praise God! It was beautiful! We hung it for Easter that year. So the rest of the church is still blah, but that Crucifix!

My point is, God's time is not our time. Perhaps that Monstrance was rediscovered at exactly the right time. At a time when it would be given a special place so that all that look at it can marvel at it's beauty? A time when people have begun to see the error of stripping our Church of their artwork and marble etc. A time when it would be appreciated.