www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Another Cathedral Monstrosity

I was reading online earlier that the RC diocese of Orange closed escrow today on the so-called "Crystal Cathedral" and, while reading the comments below the article, noticed that a Canadian writer mentioned another new RC cathedral monstrosity in Saskatoon, Alberta. Here's the link to it:

http://www.saskatoonrcdiocese.com/cathedral/

Sadly, our Canadian neighbors are not immune to this disease either!

The more I see of what goes on every day in our big "sister church" the more I truly shudder. The "protestantization" of the RC church just goes on and on . . .

Saskatoon is in Saskatchewan. Saskatchewan is the province east of Alberta.

These new churches accord perfectly with the liturgy they're planning to celebrate inside, which is just a little showy, just a little ridiculous, and just a little empty.

God forgive us.

Saskatchewan. I knew that. I have a friend just returned from Edmonton and so "Alberta" was on my mind!

Interesting innovations--but better suited to a public space of some sort, and definitely NOT a Church...The warmth, the awe, and mystery of worship is lost in such buildings, or so I personally believe.

I cannot believe that if surveyed, Catholics would rather worship in this new space instead of a beautiful Gothic cathedral like St. Patrick's.

A Church designed by the architects of Silicon Valley it looks like. Ugh. We Orthodox are not immune to MUCS either(modern ugly Church syndrome) so that's all I will say.

Parishioner: "Our new church is so bare"
Pastor: "We have the new look"
Parishioner: "And where are all the statues?"
Pastor: " We sent them across town to an antique dealer"
Parishioner: "Where is the tabernacle?"
Pastor: "It's that red enamel box way over near the side entrance"
Parishioner: "Why no cross on top of the church?
Pastor: "We want to blend in with the Protestant neighborhood"
Parishioner: "Are we still Catholic?
Pastor: "Why do you ask?

Please offer me an example...not of the outside but of the inside...It is the inside where we seek out the mystery of God.

Rybak,

Just to let you know that the Forum moderators have reminded us previously that the Church News forum is about news involving the Eastern Churches.

Since the topic of this thread is about a Roman Catholic cathedral in a Roman Catholic diocese, the Church News forum is not the right place for this topic.

God bless,

GC

I'm sure they will move the post in good time.

As far as the Cathedral is concerned, I am glad that I do not have to worship there.

I tend to agree with you that the design issues to which I speak generally do refer to exterior designs, particularly of buildings put up in the 1970's and 1980's. I don't want to post any links parishioners in question. Architects often sold parish committees on the idea of 'evoking' the 'spirit' of the old country in 'soaring' modern ideas.I can think of four or five in my own diocese. Most interior designs are passable, I can think of one or two oddities that I've seen over the years, but I don't have any personal photos of same. Since the 1990's I've noticed a return to a more direct attempt to recreate older design concepts using modern materials in a tasteful way.

There is a very unfortunate Greek Orthodox "round church" (ca. 1970) in my neighborhood, which, with its flattened silver dome surmounted by a stylized Greek cross, looks for all the world like a flying saucer. Inside, it does not work very well at all, since the sanctuary is scrunched up against one quadrant of the circle, with a convex iconostasis. The nave is filled with long, curved pews, which on the outside of the aisles have no view of the ambon, and which in the center are so long as to be impossible to leave without disturbing a dozen people or more.

I know that some Protestant denominations, and even some Roman Catholic parishes, experimented with "Churches in the round" back then, placing the altar in the center of the Church, with the people seated all around it. But, bad as that it, it's not appropriate for Orthodox worship, and the attempt to shoehorn an Orthodox temple into a round building is an EPIC FAIL, as my daughter would say.

No issue with the thread (in fact, I kind of enjoy the subject - not because I like the look, but I'm always intrigued by the thought 'what were they thinking?'), but GC is correct as to it being more appropriate here in TH than News.

I have to also agree with Alice, that the interior is definitely the more important architectural feature of a temple, particularly since, as Eastern Christians, we tend to fully involve our senses in expressing and participating in worship. But, I do think that an aesthetically pleasing exterior still plays a part, inviting us - the problem being that what is aesthetically pleasing to one is not to all.

That said, there are, indeed, temples of all the Apostolic faiths that are not of a nature which most of us would embrace as spiritually or visually edifying in their exterior presentation. And, in fact, we've had a thread or two on this subject in the distant past and the topic does tempt me to post links to a few of what I consider to be the more egregious examples.

However, not sure who made the observation above but it's valid - pointing out specific temples that cause us to maon, groan, grimace, cringe, or laugh does indeed risk offending those to whom such are beloved spiritual homes.

Because, ultimately, the church is the people, regardless of whether the building itself is historic and beautiful or an outright ugly storefront housing a devoted and enthusiastic worship community. I rather doubt that God is as concerned about the building in which we worship Him as that we do.

Many years,

Neil

One who has been to Rome knows that many of the most beautiful churches have very unprepossessing exteriors. In fact, you can't even see the exterior of some, because, over the centuries, the Romans have built apartments right up to the exterior walls of the church. The 9th century Basilica of Santa Prassaeda (which boasts some outstanding mosaics of Constantinopolitan workmanship) can only be entered through a long tunnel under an apartment block, but then you come into this magnificent space (through a side door, of course).

Nearby is the 4th century Church of Santa Pudentiana, which was converted from a private bath house. It now lies some 30 feet below the present street level, and the only way you know it's even there is by a sign attached to the unprepossessing building that is not on top of it. A narrow stairway takes you down to the entrance--where you will find some of best pre-Iconoclasm Greek mosaics anywhere.

Don't judge the book by its cover--but today, the cover does frequently anticipate the content.

A grand fortune was paid to the late and great Frank Lloyd Wright (he agreed because his wife was Russian Orthodox) for him to design a Greek church in Milwaukee, Wisconsin..and sure enough it was round!

The biggest problem is that the materials of construction were not well suited to the climate and I have been told (my mom's cousin was a trustee) that the maintenance costs a fortune.

Inside, he also designed icon panels, which were interesting versions of Byzantine icons. The new priest did not like them and took them down (they can be seen in the basement) and had more 'authentic' (whatever that means, because there are so many different styles of iconography) ones made.

In my area there is another round Greek church from the era that 'round' was all the rage. Inside, instead of iconography on the walls, there are large stained glass windows of classic iconography. The pews are straight across as you would find in a square building. Only the side walls feel convex a bit. Everything else is straight.

Alot of Greek Orthodox say it is the ugliest church. However, art and architecture are subjective. The iconostasis is lovely, the carpeting is red, a large chandelier hangs over the middle of the center aisle--so while it is not overly decorated, it is decorated enough and one would not mistake that they were indeed in a house of worship, and the atmosphere is reverend and warm...This to me is the important factor.

The roundness of a building does not preclude the arrangement of the interior space that is more appropriate for worship.

Interior spaces can be set aside for storage, offices, meeting rooms, chapels, etc. leaving a square, rectangular, or the shape of a cross for the worship space.