Built of Living Stones 148: Appropriateness

“Liturgical appropriateness” defined:

§ 148 § Appropriateness for liturgical action is the other criterion for choosing a work of art for church. The quality of appropriateness is demonstrated by the work’s ability to bear the weight of mystery, awe, reverence, and wonder that the liturgical action expresses and by the way it serves and does not interrupt the ritual actions which have their own structure, rhythm and movement. Since art is revelatory, a gift from God, a truly beautiful object stretches “beyond what the senses perceive and, reaching beneath reality’s surface, strives to interpret its hidden mystery.” Nonetheless, there is always the chasm between “the work of [the artist's] hands” and the “dazzling perfection” glimpsed in God’s creative moment.(Letter To Artists 6) Art that is used in worship must therefore evoke wonder at its beauty but lead beyond itself to the invisible God. Beautiful, compelling artworks draw the People of God into a deeper awareness of their lives and of their common goals as a Christian community as well as of their roles and responsibilities in the wider world.(Gaudium et Spes 62) Art that fulfills these qualities is art worthy of the Christian assembly.

… and the bishops draw in the notion of beauty.

“Wonder” seems to be the key word here, as the bishops, as John Paul II, and as Vatican II all teach it. It’s not beauty for beauty’s sake. But it’s a quality that leads people beyond the object of admiration. There is a hospitality of sorts, an experience that invites the believer to something more than just an admirable shape, form, or color. It begins with the senses, but leads the believer through a portal into a different place–an encounter with God. In their examination of the relationship between the Church and the modern world, the second point here is that the encounter with the beautiful, with God, should lead to an engagement in the world. In other words, we move from the experience of the Transfiguration, from the wonder-filled encounter with God, and find ourselves inspired to engage ourselves in Christ’s mission in the “wider world.” The suggestion is that the encounter with beauty is not enough. I would hope that art isn’t only about making Christians appreciators–passive spectators, if you will. Art should be something in which the essence of the encounter with God–and not just the preached message–spurs us on to the tasks of that wider world: evangelization, charity, justice, friendship, compassion, and love. My suspicion is that artists can also overthink the “call to action.” It’s going to be a bit more than words and images telling people what the artist thinks we should do. Art should be deep enough that people are inspired, through a discernment of their own gifts, into appropriate responses to the call of God.

All texts from Built of Living Stones are copyright © 2000, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

 

Built of Living Stones 147: Drawing the Beholder to the Creator

John Paul II’s Letter To Artists (we really need to spend time with that document) leads off with a thought that we are not surprised comes from an artist (a playwright) himself:

§ 147 § Quality art draws the beholder to the Creator, who stands behind the artist sharing his own creative power, for the “divine Artist passes on to the human artist a spark of his own surpassing wisdom.”(Letter To Artists 1) This is true of music, architecture, sculpture, painting, pottery making, textiles, and furniture making, as well as other art forms that serve the liturgical environment. The integrity and energy of a piece of art, produced individually by the labor of an artist, is always to be preferred above objects that are mass-produced. Similarly, in the construction of new church buildings, there is no standard pattern for church art nor should art and architectural styles from any particular time or culture be imposed arbitrarily upon another community. Nonetheless, the patrimony of sacred art and architecture provides a standard by which a parish can judge the worthiness of contemporary forms and styles.

Again, the bishops offer two sensible thoughts here. But are they absolute principles?

• Individual labor is preferred over mass-production.
• The history of art and architecture gives us an artistic standard, but not an arbitrary point of imposition.

One might find wide agreement among many Catholics in the first. But in the modern “recovery” of traditional architecture and its peripherals (reredos, etc.) are Catholics, especially traditional-leaning ones, so eager to lay aside the styles of history?

What do you think?

All texts from Built of Living Stones are copyright © 2000, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

 

Built of Living Stones 146: Quality

We begin a four-section examination of judging art for liturgy. The bishops cite Vatican II here, and also the corcular letter from the Congregation of the Clergy from 1971, in case you were wondering what Opera Artis is.

§ 146 § Authentic art is integral to the Church at prayer (SC 122) because these objects and actions are “signs and symbols of the supernatural world” (Opera Artis: On the Care of the Church’s Historical and Artistic Heritage 1) and expressions of the divine presence. While personal tastes will differ, parish committees should utilize the criteria of quality and appropriateness in evaluating art for worship. Quality is perceived only by contemplation, by standing back from things and really trying to see them, trying to let them speak to the beholder. Quality is evident in the honesty and genuineness of the materials that are used, the nobility of the form embodied in them, the love and care that goes into the creation of a work of art, and the personal stamp of the artist whose special gift produces a harmonious whole, a well crafted work.

It’s interesting that the first judgment mentioned, before beauty, is quality. Note that the bishops suggest something other than analysis (Of what is it made? How much did it cost?) and instead, lead us into a careful contemplation of a work of art. Clearly, we are not talking about reproductions. They don’t seem to avoid the employment of an artist to create works that invite a deeper reflection.

The rest of this section, as you see, isn’t footnoted, and is just the USCCB “opinion” in the mind of some. Is their reflection here appropriate and accurate? How would you change it, if you think it needs improvement. Look ahead to the next three sections, too, as the bishops will deal with the qualities of finding God, of appropriateness, and worthiness.

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Built of Living Stones 144-145: Ambiguity and Joy

Sacred art is more than just a representation of single realities. Good art is always multivalent, and in the cross, Christians have an image with a host of meanings.

§ 144 § The central image of Christianity is the cross, calling to mind the passion, resurrection, and Christ’s final coming in glory. Every work of Christian art or architecture shares in this image and embraces the ambiguities of suffering and death, healing and resurrection, recognizing that “by his wounds we are healed.” Such art draws from the mystery of redemption a unique power to provoke and invite the world more deeply into the mysteries of our faith.

§ 145 § Likewise, Christian art is also a product of “spontaneous spiritual joy” that challenges believers to complete the reign of God for which they hope.(Cf. CCC 2500-2503, 2513) Born from an ecstatic love of God, Christian beauty proclaims something new and original, manifesting itself as an echo of God’s own creative act.

Sacred art is not an end to itself. It should move believers to join in the mission of Christ, and to proclaim the reality of God.

All texts from Built of Living Stones are copyright © 2000, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

 

Built of Living Stones 143: Beauty Not Enough

Not only is beauty itself not enough, but the bishops stress that the church is not a storehouse for treasures:

§ 143 § Art chosen for the place of worship is not simply something pretty or well made, an addition to make the ordinary more pleasant. Nor is the place of worship a museum to house artistic masterpieces or artistic models. Rather, artworks truly belong in the church when they are worthy of the place of worship and when they enhance the liturgical, devotional, and contemplative prayer they are inspired to serve.

The standard for visual art would seem to apply in principle to liturgical music. Does art appeal to liturgy, devotion, or contemplation? If so, then it would seem to belong in a special way.

All texts from Built of Living Stones are copyright © 2000, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

 

Built of Living Stones 142: The Role of Religious Art

The Catechism, the Constitution on the Liturgy, and Pope Paul VI lead off this initial reflection on the role of religious art:

§ 142 § In the Christian community’s place of prayer, art evokes and glorifies “the transcendent mystery of God—the surpassing invisible beauty of truth and love visible in Christ.”(CCC 2502; cf. CCC 1156-1162; SC 122) Therefore the “Church entrusts art with a mediating role, analogous, we might say, to the role of the priest or, perhaps better, to that of Jacob’s ladder descending and ascending. Art is meant to bring the divine to the human world, to the level of the senses, then, from the spiritual insight gained through the senses and the stirring of the emotions, to raise the human world to God, to his inexpressible kingdom of mystery, beauty, and life.”(Pope Paul VI, Address to the Pontifical Commission for Sacred Art in Italy (December 17, 1969) (DOL 540, no. 4324).

Here is the citation references from Sacrosanctum Concilium: “The fine arts are considered to rank among the noblest expressions of human genius. This judgment applies especially to religious art and to its highest achievement, which is sacred art. By their very nature, both of the latter are oriented to God’s boundless beauty, for this is the reality which these human efforts are trying to express in some way. To the extent that these works aim exclusively at turning (our) thoughts to God persuasively and devoutly, they are dedicated to the cause of His greater honor and glory.”

What do you think of artist as priest? I know the reference of Jacob’s ladder, but I feel at a loss as to the connection attempted here. What do you think?

All texts from Built of Living Stones are copyright © 2000, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

 

Built of Living Stones 140-141: The Work of Our Hands: Art and Artists Assisting the Church at Prayer

Chapter Three leads off with a thoughtful meditation on the incarnational genius of the Roman Rite. We experience extraordinary things in very ordinary signs. And it is a sensual thing: we experience God through our eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and skin. How else could it be? It is through these openings into us that our hearts, minds, and guts are engaged by God, and we are urged to change our lives because of the experience of grace, of the Word made sense (or sensible).

§ 140 § When God’s people gather for prayer, the most intimate and all-embracing aspect of their life together occurs: the moment when they touch, taste, smell, hear, see, and share those hidden realities that would otherwise remain imperceptible. Together they adore the holiness of God and give expression to the unceasing life God has given them. God nourishes them as a community and makes them holy through the use of ordinary perceptible signs of water, oil, bread, and wine, transformed by extraordinary grace. The place where God gathers this people powerfully draws them more deeply into communion and expresses in beauty God’s profound holiness. This is the place that prompts them to recognize the divine image in which they have been created, now restored in Christ. “For from the greatness and the beauty of created things their original author, by analogy, is seen.”(Wis 13:5; cf. 13:3)

§ 141 § Throughout the history of the Church, a dynamic tension has existed between the continuity of traditional artistic expression and the need to articulate the faith in ways proper to each age and to diverse cultures. In every age the Church has attempted to engage the best contemporary artists and architects to design places of worship that have sheltered the assembly and disclosed the presence of the living God. In the past, dialogue between the Church and the artist has yielded a marriage of faith and art, producing sublime places of prayer, buildings of awe-inspiring, transcendent beauty, and humble places of worship that, in their simplicity, inspire a sense of the sacred.

“Dynamic tension” probably describes the best of times. That Church-artist dialogue has the potential to be profoundly fruitful. But many on both sides fear it, and often, alas, avoid it.

All texts from Built of Living Stones are copyright © 2000, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

 

Built of Living Stones 139: Concluding Chapter Two

A transition from a chapter heavily backed by Church teaching, as we move into thirty numbered sections in which we will examine the role of art, and the people who create it.

§ 139 § In this chapter, the liturgical actions of the Church provide the guidelines for the building of a church. There must be space for the variety of the community’s prayer, which extends from the primary worship of the Eucharist to popular devotions. The complex balance of all these factors and of the people who participate in them is the most important dimension for the education, planning, and execution of a building plan for a community. The following chapter will reflect upon the use of the arts and the importance of planning for their proper placement early in the design process.

Balancing various concerns can be complex, especially when the budget is limited and a community chooses not to do some things it wishes it could.

All texts from Built of Living Stones are copyright © 2000, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

 

Built of Living Stones 137-138: Multiple Images

Let’s wrap up the discussion of sacred images.

§ 137 § The placement of images can be a challenge, especially when a number of cultural traditions are part of a single parish community and each has its own devotional life and practices. Restraint in the number and prominence of sacred images (SC 125) is encouraged to help people focus on the liturgical action that is celebrated in the church. Separate alcoves for statues or icons can display a variety of images through the year. Some parishes designate an area as the shrine for an image that is being venerated on a given day or for a period of time, such as the image of a saint on his or her feast day.

§ 138 § It is important that the images in the church depict saints for whom devotion currently exists in the parish. It is particularly desirable that a significant image of the patron of the church be fittingly displayed, as well as an image of Mary, the Mother of God, as a fitting tribute to her unique role in the plan of salvation. As time passes and demographics change, saints who were once the object of veneration by many parishioners may at another time be venerated by only a few. When this happens, these images could be removed, provided sensitivity is shown with regard to the piety of the faithful and the impact on the building.

The citation of SC 125 in its entirety:

The practice of placing sacred images in churches so that they may be venerated by the faithful is to be firmly maintained. Nevertheless their number should be moderate and their relative locations should reflect right order. Otherwise they may create confusion among the Christian people and promote a faulty sense of devotion.

Commentary:

Underused is the good option of rotating images in one location. Our sister parish in town displays a saint’s image in its narthex, depending on the feast or season.

Developing new devotions can be slow. In one parish in which I served, two alcoves for devotion existed–in addition to the ledges for statues in the main worship space. One houses the Holy Family. The other was fitted with doors and is now a closet for wedding supplies. I had not thought of rotating images at the time of renovation–that would have been my suggestion today.

All texts from Built of Living Stones are copyright © 2000, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

 

Built of Living Stones 136: Choice of Images

The choice of an image goes beyond a mere artistic choice, or even the surface of a devotion involved. Can an image bear the weight of mystery, that mystery that leads people to a “deeper reality” where we find the most profound experience of God?

§ 136 § In choosing images and devotional art, parishes should be respectful of traditional iconography when it comes to the way sacred images are recognized and venerated by the faithful. However, they also should be mindful that the tradition is not limited to literal images. While Mary is the mother of Jesus, she is also an icon of the Church, a disciple of the Lord, a liberated and liberating woman. She is the Immaculate Conception, patroness of the United States, and Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of all America. Other symbols such as the crucifix, icons, or images of patron saints depicted in various ways can also draw us into the deeper realities of faith and hope as they connect us to the stories behind the image.*

Cf. Book of Blessings, no. 1258, quoting the Second Council of Nicea, Act. 7, as cited in Mansi 13, 378 and Denzinger-Schoenmetzer, no. 601: “For the faithful such images recall our Lord and the saints whom they depict, but they also in some way lead the faithful back to the Lord and the saints themselves. ‘The more often we gaze on these images, the quicker we who behold them are led back to their prototypes in memory and in hope.’”

All texts from Built of Living Stones are copyright © 2000, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

 

Built of Living Stones 135: Sacred Images

Statues and colored windows seemed to be everywhere in the Catholic West. Iconography in the East. Roman Catholicism has been open to more possibilities in the past two generations, and this has enriched the life of the Church.

§ 135 § Reflecting the awareness of the Communion of Saints, the practice of incorporating symbols of the Trinity, images of Christ, the Blessed Mother, the angels, and the saints into the design of a church creates a source of devotion and prayer for a parish community and should be part of the design of the church.(Book of Blessings 1258) Images can be found in stained glass windows, on wall frescos and murals, and as statues and icons. Often these images depict scenes from the bible or from the lives of the saints and can be a source of instruction and catechesis as well as devotion. Since the Eucharist unites the Body of Christ, including those who are not physically present, the use of images in the church reminds us that we are joined to all who have gone before us, as well as to those who now surround us.

An Orthodox priest once gave a moving presentation on the view of images in churches. He spoke of the iconostasis as well as the windows in his cathedral, and explained the sense his parishioners received of being surrounded by the saints in their worship. And that “enclosure” had many meanings: protection, formation in the faith, and most of all a reminder of the timelessness of liturgy and that Christians join across the ages in praise of the eternal God. I remember few details, but for me it was a change in my own perspective about the images of saints.

My own boyhood parish church had windows that were impressive, statues less so. (Though the Infant of Prague informed me of the liturgical season before each Mass–it was carefully vested in colors that matched the clergy vestments.) The Lourdes grotto was reproduced in a fifteen-foot wide tableau. Aside from flowers to Mary, I never had a sense the artwork was much more than a comforting decoration, a badge of Catholicism, and not-Protestantism. It seems that sacred images should be “engaged” spiritually. What do you think?

All texts from Built of Living Stones are copyright © 2000, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

 

Built of Living Stones 132-134: Stations of the Cross

Three sections devoted to a time-honored tradition picked up from Jerusalem in ancient times, and thanks to the Franciscans, we have as a part of nearly every Catholic church yet today:

§ 132 § The Stations of the Cross originated early in the history of the Church. It was the custom of the faithful to follow the way walked by Christ from Pilate’s house in Jerusalem to Calvary. As time went on, pilgrims to the holy city desired to continue this devotion when they returned home. In the fourteenth century when the Franciscans were entrusted with the care of the holy places in Jerusalem they promoted the use of images depicting the Lord’s Way of the Cross.

§ 133 § Whether celebrated by a community or by individuals, the Stations of the Cross offer a way for the faithful to enter more fully into the passion and death of the Lord and to serve as another manifestation of the pilgrim Church on its homeward journey. Traditionally the stations have been arranged around the walls of the nave of the church, or, in some instances, around the gathering space or even the exterior of the church, marking the devotion as a true journey.*

* Often churches have images as well as the crosses that mark the fourteen or fifteen stations. While the depictions of the passion are desirable, only the crosses are needed. The images that accompany the crosses are optional.

This is the note from the US bishops, unreferenced. Almost every place I’ve seen has images. I suppose the advantage to having just the crosses is that one can do alternate meditations, like this Scriptural one attributed to Pope John Paul II, and used by him publicly in Rome from 1991.

§ 134 § The Stations enjoy a long tradition. In recent times some parishes have clustered the stations in one place. While such an arrangement may be expedient, it is not desirable because it eliminates space for movement, which characterizes this devotion as a “way” of the cross.

Movement is a definite challenge. My parish has a prayer pathway from one entrance into the church. It’s great for individual movement or small groups. More than twenty, not so good. I like less the layout I’ve seen inside many churches along the perimeter of the nave, especially where people sit in pews and let the leaders walk the way. Not everyone likes outside, so I suppose we live with stations less then optimal for those numbers of devotees from one to several hundred.

All texts from Built of Living Stones are copyright © 2000, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

 

Built of Living Stones 130-131: The Church Building and Popular Devotions

From medieval times at least, the laity have expressed devotion to God and to the saints outside of liturgy, both within church buildings and elsewhere. Two brief sections in BLS recognize this, and suggest that church buildings provide for this spirituality:

§ 130 § Throughout history and among widely differing cultures, a rich heritage of popular devotions honoring Christ, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the saints has developed in the Church. Popular devotions “express and nourish the spirit of prayer”(Directory on the Pastoral Ministry of Bishops 91) and are to be encouraged when they are in conformity with the norms of the Church and are derived from and lead to the liturgy.(SC 13) Like the liturgy, devotions are rituals. They can involve singing, intercession, thanksgiving, and common postures.

And of course, these social rituals will make similar demands on the seating, leadership, music, decorations, and other aspects of the church building as the Eucharist does.

§ 131 § Devotional prayer is another way for people to bring the very personal concerns of life to God and to ask the intercession of the saints and of other members of the Christian community. Sacred images are important not only in liturgical prayer but also in devotional prayer because they are sacramentals that help the faithful to focus their attention and their prayer. The design of the church building can do much to foster devotions and to insure that they enhance and reinforce rather than compete with the liturgical life of the community.

We’ll get to sacred images in a few days. But as we reach the final ten sections of Chapter Two, the window on commentary on all this might be closing. Any thoughts?

All texts from Built of Living Stones are copyright © 2000, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

 

Built of Living Stones 122-129: Seasonal Decorations For The Liturgical Year

This section is a basic primer for parish art/environment groups. First, an overview of the basic thrust of the liturgical year:

§ 122 § During the liturgical year the Church unfolds the whole mystery of Christ, from his incarnation and birth through his passion, death, and resurrection to his ascension, the day of Pentecost, and the expectation of his coming in glory. In its celebration of these mysteries, the Church makes these sacred events present to the people of every age.(SC 102)

Decorations set the mood and appeal to the senses:

§ 123 § The tradition of decorating or not decorating the church for liturgical seasons and feasts heightens the awareness of the festive, solemn, or penitential nature of these seasons. Human minds and hearts are stimulated by the sounds, sights, and fragrances of liturgical seasons, which combine to create powerful, lasting impressions of the rich and abundant graces unique to each of the seasons.

Those “powerful, lasting” impressions are often well-communicated by local traditions of decorating. Each liturgical has its own definitive introduction (Wake up! Ashes or Jesus in the desert) from the Church’s texts and music. Decorations point the way, they are not the object of worship:

§ 124 § Plans for seasonal decorations should include other areas besides the sanctuary. Decorations are intended to draw people to the true nature of the mystery being celebrated rather than being ends in themselves. Natural flowers, plants, wreaths and fabric hangings, and other seasonal objects can be arranged to enhance the primary liturgical points of focus. The altar should remain clear and free-standing, not walled in by massive floral displays or the Christmas crib, and pathways in the narthex, nave, and sanctuary should remain clear.

Decorate for seasons, not just the feasts:

§ 125 § These seasonal decorations are maintained throughout the entire liturgical season. Since the Christmas season begins with the Vigil Mass on Christmas Eve and ends with the baptism of the Lord, the placement and removal of Christmas decorations should coincide with these times. Since the Easter season lasts fifty days, planning will encompass ways to sustain the decor until the fiftieth day of Pentecost.

Don’t forget the images of the saints as they are recognized during the liturgical year:

§ 126 § In the course of the liturgical year, the feasts and memorials of Our Lady and of saints with special significance for the parish afford opportunities to show devotion by adorning their images with tasteful floral arrangements or plants.

Images rather than words.  It should go without saying, but it is said here anyway:

§ 127 § Fabric art in the form of processional banners and hangings can be an effective way to convey the spirit of liturgical seasons, especially through the use of color, shape, texture, and symbolic form. The use of images rather than words is more in keeping with this medium.

Objects which straddle the lines between decoration and devotion:

§ 128 § Objects such as the Advent wreath,(Book of Blessings 1512) the Christmas crib,(Book of Blessings 1544) and other traditional seasonal appointments proportioned to the size of the space and to the other furnishings can enhance the prayer and understanding of the parish community.

If objects of devotion, they should be of greater quality than the decorations. I remember one parish in which the Christmas “scene” was a miniature, but it included a reproduction of a modern church on one level and the Christmas scene on the other. It was rather artfully designed, not at all popsicle sticks and crayons. It was a parish tradition that worked. It seemed to represent two pieces of salvation history. The artistry drew people in, and the piece was deep enough to inspire reflection.

§ 129 § The use of living flowers and plants, rather than artificial greens, serves as a reminder of the gift of life God has given to the human community. Planning for plants and flowers should include not only the procurement and placement but also the continuing care needed to sustain living things.

Living plants evoke strong feelings. I’ve also worked with people who did wonders with artificial pieces. In one parish, living and artificial pieces were intermixed. Church decoration is not my personal forte. I’m pleased to serve in parishes where, for other people, it is. If I can communicate the basic thrust of what we try to accomplish with seasonal decorations, I try to place my trust in good people who have an eye for the beautiful, the decorative, and the appropriate.

All texts from Built of Living Stones are copyright © 2000, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

 

Built of Living Stones 118-121: The Rite of Dedication of a Church and an Altar

The bishops devote four sections to the considerations of the dedication rites. We reviewed those rites in depth earlier this year here. We are reminded that a faith community does well to develop or renew its familiarity with these rituals and the texts, especiallythe Scriptures, that accompany them.

§ 118 § In addition to containing the rituals of dedication, the Rite of Dedication of a Church and an Altar contains liturgies for laying the cornerstone, for commencing work on the building of a church, for dedication of a church already in use, and for the blessing of a church and an altar.(RDCA, ch. 5, no. 1) These rituals serve as a foundational resource for those engaged in designing and building churches. Just as the initiation of a person into the Christian community occurs in stages, so the construction of church building unfolds over a period of time. Rites are celebrated at the beginning of the building process “to ask God’s blessing for the success of the work and to remind the people that the structure built of stone will be a visible sign of the living Church, God’s building which is formed of the people themselves.”(RDCA, ch. 1, no. 1) At the conclusion of the construction, the church is dedicated to God with a solemn rite.(RDCA, ch. 2 no. 2) Familiarity with this rite and the context of prayer that it offers will help to prevent the building project from degenerating into a purely pragmatic or functional enterprise.

At minimum, the planning committees should engage this material in prayer. The parish at large, too. The physical experience of a building project generates excitement: we see a change in landscape, and progress is easy to track. What makes it different from a new building elsewhere in the community? That should be evident, and attended to by the pastoral leadership and committees.

Regarding the premature use of a new altar, BLS cautions against reducing the dedication to empty symbolism:

§ 119 § Since the celebration of the Eucharist on the new altar after it has been solemnly anointed, incensed, covered and lighted, is at the heart of the dedication ritual,(RDCA, ch. 2, no. 15) a new or renovated church is, as far as possible, not used for the celebration of the sacraments until after the Rite of Dedication has taken place. To celebrate the rite after the altar has been in use is anti-climactic and can reduce the rite to empty symbolism.(RDCA, ch. 3, no. 1; Cf. RDCA, ch. 4, no. 13) Use of a temporary altar in the period before the dedication is a viable alternative that can help to heighten anticipation of the day of dedication when the new altar will receive the ritual initiation that solemnly prepares it for the celebration of the central mystery of our faith.

This can be a difficult temptation. Worshiping in gyms, basements, and auditoriums can be tedious. The most difficult aspect is coordinating a busy bishop’s schedule with a construction project that may encounter delays. Most contractors and pastors leave leeway in case unforeseen delays clog and extend a timeline. If the parish is patient and declines anticipating the use of a new building, one would hope the bishop is reasonably flexible as well. That connection to the bishop is important:

§ 120 § When the people of the parish community gather to dedicate their new church building or to celebrate its renovation, they will have made many decisions, balanced a variety of needs, and overcome a multitude of challenges. As the diocesan bishop celebrates the Rite of Dedication and receives the church from his people,(RDCA, ch. 2, no. 33) the connection between the diocesan Church and the parish community is particularly evident.

Don’t neglect the points of anointing:

§ 121 § The Rite of Dedication provides that the walls of the church may be anointed with sacred chrism in four or twelve places depending on the size and design of the structure. These points can be marked by crosses made from stone, brass, or another appropriate material or carved into the walls themselves. A bracket for a small candle should be affixed to the wall beneath each of these crosses.(RDCA, ch. 2, no. 22) The candles in these brackets are then lighted during the ritual lighting at the dedication, on anniversaries of the dedication, and on other solemn occasions.

I confess I’ve forgotten the lighting of these candles on some of those solemn occasions. Aside from the dedication anniversary, what might they be? The patronal feast, certainly. Easter and Christmas? The Lateran Dedication feast? Any other possibilities?

All texts from Built of Living Stones are copyright © 2000, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission.