The before picture of Immaculate Conception Church in Chicago shows a stunning pre-Vatican II altar that oriented the parish's worship to God in an awesome way. The marble reredos is magnificent. It must have been the pride of immigrant and native Chicagoans at this parish and it must have cost a lot for the parish to commission it. It is a work of art, not just the altar, but the entire church. Please note the beautiful ambo/pulpit.
But after Vatican II, iconoclasm reigned and the church was raped by those who stripped it and destroyed that high altar and the proper orientation of worship to God.
Because of Pope Benedict's theology of renewal in continuity, the parish embarked on a restoration. The after/after photo is it. The restoration more than likely couldn't restore the old altar/redos because it was destroyed and couldn't be replicated due to costs. But it is a step forward:
BEFORE:
AFTER:
AFTER/AFTER:
But after Vatican II, iconoclasm reigned and the church was raped by those who stripped it and destroyed that high altar and the proper orientation of worship to God.
Because of Pope Benedict's theology of renewal in continuity, the parish embarked on a restoration. The after/after photo is it. The restoration more than likely couldn't restore the old altar/redos because it was destroyed and couldn't be replicated due to costs. But it is a step forward:
BEFORE:
AFTER:
AFTER/AFTER:
2 comments:
I never understood how after Vatican II and why such stunning high altars, statues, communion rails, things of such beauty and artisanship could be destroyed as if it was mere garbage? The time and effort of all these immigrants Germans, Poles, Italians, Irish who gave what little they had in terms of money just gone in a flash! I always here the same thing that Vatican II NEVER called for the removal of high altars, communion rails and statues but alas it happened and I have never gotten straight answer as to why?? The church in the picture above sadly will never recover what they once had and that my friends is a crying shame, the hatred of the TLM and such beauty most interestingly came from the older priests who were there during the pre-Vatican II period, why they hated old rite is a very strange question indeed, one that we may never know. I however am a lucky man who belongs to a F.S.S.P. parish and can attend the TLM and traditional sacraments 7 days week. Our church is a Gothic one given to us by our local bishop who otherwise would have closed it for lack of people. Now we have over 2000 attendees and of course the majority is young and BIG families typical of TLM parishes.
In many places new church buildings are being constructed in a traditional style. Also, many "Pizza Hut" style churches are being somewhat transformed into more reverent "worship spaces" as the liberals like to call churches.
Post a Comment