I didn't think it would happen but it did! I suggested someone Photoshop the new Christ Cathedral in Orange County to make it look more traditional, with high altar, side throne and altar railing and gates.
AND GUESS WHAT! An up and coming architect Matthew Hoffman, who attended the dedication of the new Cathedral, read my challenge on my blog and did it!!!!!!!!!
You can access Matthew Hoffman's website by pressing this sentence! And look at his age! There's hope for the Church of the future, Praise God!
Thank you very much Matthew!
7 comments:
My brother earned his Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Architecture (5th year) from CUA. Great school and great architecture program.
That is well done! How does Matthew feel about church architecture in general? What are his preferences?
Oh my God, a Catholic sanctuary! Kudos
Niiiiiiiiiiice!!!!!!!!!
Gaudete in Domino Semper!
Still has the choir in full view, nothing but a distraction from the mass
rgc, to paraphrase a frequent poster here,He's just one kid and it's just his opinion and his opinion means nothing
Thank you Fr. McDonald for that very nice post! I hope one day soon I'll be able to have a hand at designing a church in reality!
@rcg Thank you! I'm definitely in the camp that believes architecture was one of the most visible signs of the collapse/change of the faith following Vatican II; the stripping of magnificent churches into these bland spaces in so short of time for sure altered our idea of church from God-oriented to man-oriented. We're definitely moving in the right direction in the last decade or so, but I believe there's much more we can aim for.
My personal favorite is Baroque churches, for what it's worth, along with neo-Gothic and classical. But even a modern church, with a baldacchino/reredos, high altar with tabernacle, and altar rail can be good. Just look at the difference in Christ Cathedral with the two sanctuary variations. Sometimes the sacred furnishings affect the space as much as the architecture.
Yes, the communion rail really sets off the sanctuary.
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