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To: NYer
Many churches have replaced the crucifix with a simple wooden cross

Fortunately, I have never been to a Catholic Church that did not have a crucifix.

At my parish, the younger priest (we have two) is responsible for the Catechism, and he brought the 3rd and 4th graders into the church and asked how one knows if it is a Catholic Church. When one kid said, "There's a cross", Father corrected him and said, yes, but it's a special cross. All Catholic Churches everywhere in the world have a crucifix. He went through everything ... the tabernacle, the Stations of the Cross, the relics under the altar, etc.

I would hope that the laity would complain if a cross replaced the crucifix. In my view, the church would no longer be Catholic.

38 posted on 06/14/2002 9:53:32 AM PDT by Gophack
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To: Gophack
All Catholic Churches everywhere in the world have a crucifix.

Not quite all - St. Luke's in McLean, VA has what our priest called a 'resurrectifix' - the cross is on one side, then a fully-clothed risen Christ, holding out His arms in blessing, is about 15 feet away on the wall. I was in a wedding there a couple of years ago. The holy water font is a mulit-level fountain in the vestibule, that looks like it should have goldfish and pennies. The tabernacle is in a side chapel somewhere (I asked).

I realize the substance of the Church is not the forms, but it was so irreverent.

39 posted on 06/14/2002 10:01:47 AM PDT by nina0113
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To: Gophack; NYer
I used to live in a small town and belong to the parish there. It is a beautiful, small white church that just warmed your heart when you entered. There was a beautiful, large crucifix hanging over the altar and the pews all had kneelers, it was a traditional lovely small church.

A few years ago, I went back in for a visit and found the crucifix placed in the back of the church over to the side (barely visible unless you looked for it) and it had been replaced by a plain cross over the altar (which doesn't house the Tabernacle anymore) - the front pews - about the first 10 rows - had been ripped out and replaced with chairs that have no kneelers. My heart was broken.

42 posted on 06/14/2002 10:07:43 AM PDT by american colleen
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To: Gophack
All Catholic Churches everywhere in the world have a crucifix.

The formerly beautiful little Church I grew up at in Queens NY replaced the Crucifix with a bizarre Risen Christ thing along with a real totem-pole tabernacle .

No Crucifixes there anymore.

43 posted on 06/14/2002 10:09:21 AM PDT by katnip
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