This is St. Michael Roman Catholic Church in Roswell, Georgia. I had an unexpected visit there after visiting today KING RICHARD Liturgical Design and Contracting, a clearing house for all things Catholic from grand Catholic Churches up north that have closed. The sales person there took us to his Church which is an affiliate of the Society of Saint Pius X. But he was quite friendly and very hospitable, quite a post-Vatican II Catholic in that regard. His name is Joseph Copp and acts as the sacristan of his parish of about 100 families.
The altars all come from the Nashville Dominican's convent that they no longer use. These were dismantled and sent to Roswell and put back together. Again, this is a cheap "Butler Metal" building, but very Catholic looking.
I told Joseph jokingly that I would become the new pastor and liturgically update it. Can you imagine taking these altars out of this church and putting up felt and burlap banners and an ironing board altar? But that's what we did and if this were an Ordinary Form parish in this Butler building you can only imagine what it would look like!
19 comments:
Each morning, in addition to the more usual Catholic prayers, I pray the St. Pio Prayer, that through his intercession, the SSPX will be reconciled to the Church.
He is certainly able. Let us pray that he WILL.
Noble simplicity at it's finest!
~SL
How beautiful it is, but sad to think of all those closed, sold off churches.
Fantastic!
Father, I believe these photos show that it is possible to have a thoroughly Catholic and thoroughly traditional church on a shoestring budged.
Too often we hear people croon over how only their ugly modernist church design is "economically feasible." The next time I hear such, I will show them this post and make them eat their words!
Oh and, by the way Anonymous, Sacrosanctum Concilium--you know, that pesky Vatican II document on the liturgy--NEVER! uses the phrase "noble simplicity" in reference to architecture, art, or music. Its authors only use that phrase in reference to the liturgy itself.
In fact, on the sections devoted to art, music and architecture, the feeling you get is that the Council Fathers wanted anything but "simplicity." I'd say just the opposite!
Let me say it again. "Noble simplicity" is not used by Vatican II in reference to art, architecture or music. In fact, the words of the Council on those things suggest exactly the opposite of simplicity.
Let's all re-read SC, and in Latin!
So many beautiful ethnic downtown churches have been closed in the north and other places. Walking through King Richard, one wonders what the statues and other things must have looked like in the churches that were closed. It is like a death. But at least King Richard allows these to be used again elsewhere rather than going to the dump.
I value your Blog Father for so many reasons, but these peeks into your mind are worth more than anything else.
I can not help but wonder what purposes brought you to King Richard. What treasures might be on their way to a new service life at St Joseph For the Greater Glory of God. I dare not guess.
And then the double treat of knowing that you...my pastor...walking the aisle of an SSPX Chapel. Be still my beating heart. Honestly, would you have seen yourself there 12 months ago? Surely the times they are a changin'
Father, I believe you are referring to St. Michael's Chapel, in Roswell, GA. The photos seem to match the appearance of those on the SSPX site.
Yes, Bill, you are right, it was in Roswell, not Norcross (In fact I joked with others in the car by asking "is this were the aliens crashed?" However, their sign outside says, St. Michael Roman Catholic Church, (not chapel) but it clearly states also The Fraternity of Saint Pius X.
Father, I have driven past, but have not gone in. I continue to be interested, as it is only a couple of miles further away than the parish we have attended for the last 6 years. The one and only FSSP parish--which is the only place to find the EF in the Atlanta archdiocese--is 43 miles, one way. My wife would not be pleased... ;)
I pray for the reconciliation of the SSPX to Rome, which looks most promising.
Father, I don't know whether you have seen it, but you may also enjoy the photos of St. Fransis de Sales, the FSSP parish in Mableton, GA.
I have seen these photos. I think this this was a former Baptist Church and again shows you what you can do in a less than ideal building to make it look Catholic and beautiful.
Yes, it was a Baptist church. From the outside, it is a fairly ugly moth.
Thank you for the clarification ytc.
Beautiful, directed, simplicity at it's finest!
The Iinside of King Richard looks so much like St Frances de Sales in Mableton, an FSSP church.
~SL
Gee, Father, I hate to do this, but I have to tell you that Mableton is NW of Atlanta, just outside the perimeter. Not East. ;)
Click below to see the most diabolically ugly Catholic Church in the universe, bar none. This is the infamous St Mary of Rockledge, FL....the inside is even worse, if that's possible.
http://starkweathers.net/stmary.htm
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