Saint Raphael Catholic Church in New Orleans was devastated by Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath.
The parish closed for a while due to the damage but re-emerged as the church building for a new parish of consolidated parishes.
The new parish name is Transfiguration.
I visited St. Raphael in the very early 1980’s shortly after my ordination as I had a seminary classmate who was assigned there.
This is what it looked like then:
After Katrina and the closing of parishes into one merged parish that used the once flooded St. Raphael Church but renamed Transfiguration, this is how it was renovated:
29 comments:
Think of all the money that could have been used for the poor instead of turning a perfectly acceptable sanctuary into a tasteless clutter
I suppose, relative to RC books, it serves the purpose and doesn't invalidate the sacraments. If not for the sanctuary lamp, I would not have recognized the tabernacle as such. Indeed, this is a style.
So often, we hear "don't do x so it doesn't take away from the altar". There is so little there to remove.
Space that inspires? I guess that which provides inspiration is derived from the perspective of the individual. This doesn't inspire much in me and the off-centeredness is irritating. Ideology at the expense of Catholicity? Rupture? I just don't know what to think here. What I do know is in certain RC diocese around me, and to their credit, this design would NOT have been approved for execution. I feel badly for children. They are going to grow up thinking the Jesus, the Church etc. is off-center and they'll likely just drift away as so many do. Off-center vocations? Probably not; but, you never know.
The priest in the link below looks as though he is mentally redesigning this "space". I would be.
I thank goodness this sort of presentation is just not permitted in my rite/Church.
To see more:
https://neworleanschurches.com/transfiguration/index.htm
Something that immediately caught my eye was the severe reduction in size of the crucifix. Sad.
From "meh" to "gah!"
Nick
Father McDonald,
Some good news for a change:
https://x.com/Sachinettiyil/status/1896293039536251053?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1896293039536251053%7Ctwgr%5Ee257ac7d8f012a3d0243fc3b1bbe7a61f02c4b7c%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwdtprs.com%2F
I can't say much about the renovation. To me it is rather cold - simplicity going a bit too far. They had so much space to work with, especially the vertical. And this is me - the asymmetry drives me bananas.
There is a built-in sedilia on the left, so I wonder what the chairs are for. Maybe they were for the bishop and deacons at the re-dedication mass
Father McDonald,
You will enjoy this article from Archbishop Aguer:
https://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2025/03/what-is-path-forward-for-church-church.html?m=1#more
Hey K, I think Senator Fetterman is talking about the Dems you admire!
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/03/sen-john-fetterman-slams-unhinged-petulance-democrats-during/
Hey TJM - Did you see Georgia's own Marjorie Taylor Greene yell, "China is spying on us!" and, "Liar!" during Biden's State of the Union in 2023?
Of course you did, but to you THAT wasn't "unhinged petulance," now was it?
The TDS in you is strong, child...
Hey K, I did and did not approve. In this case, Your entire clown car was on display! I guess you lack the capacity to notice the difference!
I don't usually do non-topic; however, I'm going to have to use Sen. Fetterman's line. I hope he hasn't copyrighted.
"A sad cavalcade of self owns and unhinged petulance. It only makes Trump look more presidential and restrained. We’re becoming the metaphorical car alarms that nobody pays attention to—and it may not be the winning message," the senator said in a post on X.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/fetterman-calls-out-dems-unhinged-petulance-trump-speech-becoming-metaphorical-car-alarm
I am beginning to warm up to Senator Fetermann. People like those silly democrats who are unhinged, to include FRMJK, are doing more to denigrate the Democrats with their compulsive chicken little, the sky is falling, syndrome, than anything Trump has thus far done. Their Democracy Derangement Syndrome is ridiculous as is their constant alarm bells everyone is now ignoring. Clowns indeed.
Fr. AJM, Likewise! Not something I thought I'd EVER do.
Fr. ALLAN McDonald: Tell it to the SCOTUS that has taken the first step in shutting down the maniacal Trump/Musk monster. That is how Democracy works.
Fr. ALLAN McDonald - And tell it to all the folks you know on Medicare/Medicaid who are going to be shafted so that the wealthy can get their tax cuts, a la Trump. "And the Congressional Budget Office just confirmed that the House Republicans’ budget would, in fact, slash funding for the health programs their constituents rely on." And I hope you aren't too reliant on your Social Security check, 'cause that's also in the crosshairs of the Republicans.
And in less than 4 years, Democracy will elect Vance as president, thanks to you democrats and chicken little nonsense. And if needed, SCOTUS will confirm it as it did Bush’s victory over Gore on the Feast of Our Lady of Guadeloupe! That indeed is American democracy.
Fr. MJK, are you suggesting that reducing/eliminating the trade imbalance that exists unfairly to the U.S. in many places, reaching armistice regarding a war Ukraine will never win and Putin warned them about almost 30 years ago without dragging ourselves more into conflict with a regime we do not need to antagonize, turning off the sieve that is our border and removing many who are only here to exploit and harm (it's unfair to those who aren't but, rules are rules) is maniacal and monster like? Sure, SCOTUS is forcing the honoring of contracts, let us hope we don't enter into such lopsided agreements going forward. We can no longer afford to support so much, so often and for so many. We can't even pave our own roads and provide certain services while ensuring a reasonable standard of living at home.
Fr. ALLAN McDonald - And tell it to the girlfriend who suffered domestic abuse at the hands of Benjamin Martin who was pardoned by Trump. "Martin, who has multiple previous convictions for domestic violence, was found guilty in November 2024 of possessing an illegal weapons cache that included an AR‑style rifle and 500 rounds of ammunition."
"Martin was convicted of the firearms charges following a one-day trial in Fresno. According to evidence presented at the trial and other court records, in September 2021, the FBI executed a search warrant at Martin’s residence in Madera and arrested him on charges filed by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia for the breach of the United States Capitol that occurred on Jan. 6, 2021. During the search, the FBI found eight firearms, including an AR‑15‑style rifle, multiple high-capacity magazines for the AR-15, and more than 500 rounds of ammunition. Martin was prohibited from possessing these items because of his prior domestic violence conviction, and resulting restraining order, for choking his then girlfriend and dragging her back into the house after she tried to flee."
Isn't it grand a domestic abuser can legally have guns again?
Fr. ALLAN McDonald - And talk about derangement, tell it to the child with brain cancer who was given an honorary Secret Service badge by Trump. "Devarjaye "DJ" Daniel, the 13-year-old with cancer who received an honorary Secret Service agent badge from President Donald Trump."
And this little "Isn't That Sweet?" performance at the same time Trump's/Musk's suspend funding for cancer research. "Ongoing scientific research could be affected by the Trump administration's recent changes across the federal government. Last week, the National Institutes of Health abruptly changed its funding rules for scientific research, prompting chaos and uncertainty for scientific researchers everywhere, including in cancer research."
Obsessed and unhinged!
Byz - Are you suggesting that whatever agreement might be reached with the dictator Putin, he will abide by? If so. I have a bridge in Brooklyn that I will be happy to sell you. "History shows that no ceasefire or treaty with Russia can be trusted" https://thehill.com/opinion/international/4443781-history-shows-that-no-ceasefire-or-treaty-with-russia-can-be-trusted/
As for the suffering you seem to endure in your "standard of living," look around and see that, in the USA, we've got it better than 99% of the rest of the world.
Ridiculous arguments not predicated on facts. Typical liberal blather. Go offer yourself up to the Treasury to forgo any compensation you receive so that dreams of skipping up a hill while singing "I'd like to buy the world a Coke" are fulfilled - perhaps in your mind and those of others blinded by your own ideologies.
As for me, I don't want/need a bridge, certainly Russia cannot be trusted but I hope we don't keep poking the tiger without hope of ever seeing a single dime repaid (not a cent...) and I'll hope the world looks at us less as their collective patsy to thumb their noses at while gleefully accepting our aide and support.
K, corrupt and ill informed! Abortion is still not healthcare!
K maybe you should take a clue from this Dem who fought SuperTrump and lost!
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/03/breaking-hampton-dellinger-backs-down-ends-challenge-against/
This will give K the sadz. SuperTrump's policies creating more jobs for Americans:
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/trump-hails-20-billion-investment-220805575.html
Hey K, when writing about the Dems descending into Madness, I think he was including folks like you:
https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2025/03/the_democrats_descend_into_madness.html
Byz - That aid and support gleefully accepted made American a more secure nation and expanded good will toward us around the globe. That aid gleefully accepted kept children alive. That aid gleefully accepted kept people with HIV from dying - 220,000 per day were treated through PEPFAR. That aid gleefully accepted fed, house, and provided medical care in over 100 countries.
And who is your neighbor?
Fr. without question, the examples you cited have merit. At the same time, is this assistance now coming at the expense of fiscal responsibility? I wish I could share the egalitarian worldview you maintain with the same verve. In places, buying your friends likely draws questionable results, but it's business and safety driven - not necessarily founded on Christian principles of love thy neighbor.
In the northeast, much is crumbling, much is not the way it was. Our standard of living has been reduced and many suffer greatly. In our large cities, many are homeless, and suffer in unimaginable ways clearly not reaping the benefit of the society of which they are part. The Church, where it is not otherwise struggling, has the feel of a rich-man's luxury. Here, resources and money are dwindling and while many parishes are affluent, an equal to greater number are not. All is not well with many of our nearer neighbors. Our country in many ways has failed its own. You've not mentioned them and their suffering....particularly those who have several jobs to not make ends meet. $12 Big Macs won't solve this problem either.
Hey K,
Another example how evil your side is:
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/03/fema-fires-three-supervisors-following-investigation-officials-order/
Such “nice” people
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