Beauty of the church

Our church is getting a make-over! I'm so very excited for this. The new plans look great and I was excited about them (still am), but when I saw how the church used to look back in the 1930's, I was shocked as to how much they took away with their updated modern look.

Then

Now

I don't mean to be critical of our church, but why on earth did they change it? It had a communion rail, beautiful adornments surrounding the statues, and they took all that away and replaced it all with wood. I don't understand it.

Perhaps they were trying to simplify, but sadly, we are creatures that need the adornment, the majesty and reverence in order to think of heaven--not earth. When I enter a church where everything is so ordinary....where I see felt tapestry instead of satin, or wood instead of stone...maybe I am just vain in this area, but I feel so uninspired. When I go to church, I need to be in a place that is different than the world, where the spiritual things are lifted up, not placed in the ordinary.

I think most people are this way. Look at the cathedral and Basillica and all the people it draws in just by its beauty--both religious and non-religious. They come to be inspired and in awe.

Photo credit Thousand Wonders

True, not every church is meant to be a cathedral but no church should be ordinary either--unless it is called to poverty, like the Franciscan order or something like that. And speaking of the Franciscans, God didn't exactly stop St. Francis when he misunderstood what "build my church" meant, did He? He waited until after he was finished rebuilding the church before God told Him what He meant!

My church is not the only church around here who has stripped itself of it's adornments but most of the churches our here in the west seem to like this. True, it is about the Mass--but all the more reason for more grandeur, I say.

So that's why I'm very happy that our church is bringing back a little of what it lost, for whatever reason that was. They are going to redo the Stations of the Cross, which so badly need it.

Not only will they be repainted, but they will have a backround to help them stand out--not blend in! 

And they're going to redo many other things, like put a little adornment back around the statues and the altar, among other big changes.

I'm so excited for this much-needed inspired make-over! Let the people be inspired and draw closer to God because of it!