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Beige is Out, Color is In!
There is a movement in contemporary church design to revive color and detail. After a few decades of scrubbing church interiors free of “unnecessary” or “distracting” ornamentation, Catholics realized that what they were left with was not so much sober and simple as it was bland and uninspiring.
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Catholic Architecture, Part 1
Does it matter what your church looks like? Is a church building just a place in which to gather out of the elements, or is there some kind of significance in the way it’s put together? More importantly, does God care about any of this?
In this 10-part video series entitled “Catholic Architecture,” Dr. Denis McNamara lays out the theological rationale for sacred architecture in the Catholic tradition. Each short, accessible episode focuses on one aspect of sacred architecture and how it supports the Catholic understanding of God, worship, and the Sacraments.
This week, we look at the first episode, “Architectural Theology,” where Dr. McNamara argues that material things can be used to communicate something of the mind of God and the nature of the Church. In this way, church architecture is not merely a matter of personal taste or what’s popular, but rather should present a foretaste of Heavenly realities.
Dr. McNamara McNamara holds a Bachelor of Arts in History of Art from Yale University, as well as a Masters and Doctorate in Architectural History from the University of Virginia. He is currently the Director of the Center for Beauty and Culture at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas.
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Music for Christmas
Here’s a link to “Christmas at Ephesus,” from the CD by the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles. It’s a must for your Christmas listening enjoyment! Learn more about them at their website here.
Merry Christmas!
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Art Spotlight: Nativity from the Lallemant Missal
Jean Poyer (1465–1503), Tours, France, c. 1495 -
Does it Matter How We Look?
When we consider truth and beauty, we don’t usually think about our own dress and appearance. Part of the reason may be that we’re afraid we will be engaging in vanity if we show concern for these things. But perhaps the biggest reason is simply the fact that, as a society, we have become extremely casual in our dress. This applies particularly to men for some reason. We’ve decided that how we present ourselves is not important. After all, who cares what anyone else thinks? I wear what I like and what’s most comfortable—end of story.
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Virtual Tour of Denver’s Cathedral Basilica
On this great feast of the Immaculate Conception, take a few minutes to enjoy a tour of the eponymous Cathedral Basilica in Denver. It’s a lovely example of early-20th century French Gothic architecture in America. The so-called “Gothic revival” or “Neo-Gothic” movement started in England and spread to Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries, eventually landing in America, resulting in many beautiful new churches, including St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York.
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The Role of the Artist
“… the primary purpose of art, at least from a theological standpoint, is to show the splendor of God to a people that have largely forgotten Him.”
Dcn. Lawrence Klimecki -
Art Spotlight: Botticelli
The Madonna and Child with the Infant Saint John the Baptist, Sandro Botticelli, late 15th century, oil on panel. -
The Advent Wreath
So far, we have focused mainly on beauty in the Liturgy. But we don’t want to neglect the Domestic Church. There are so many ways we can bring the true and the beautiful into our own homes. Below is a link to a fun and informative article on Advent wreaths from the Liturgical Arts Journal; where they came from, the various colors and configurations, etc.
Let us know your own Advent wreath traditions in the comments!
https://www.liturgicalartsjournal.com/2021/11/the-american-transformation-of-advent.html
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Why Beauty Matters
If you have an hour to spare over the Thanksgiving holiday, consider watching this 2009 documentary, “Why Beauty Matters,” presented by British philosopher Sir Roger Scruton (1944–2020). With great intelligence and sensitivity, plus his trademark acerbic wit, Scruton lays out the case that beauty is an objective reality, and shows how the modernist deconstruction of art, architecture, and music continues to have a deleterious impact on us all.
Roger Scruton was a treasure, and is sorely missed. RIP.
Why Beauty Matters
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