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Sacred ArchitectureIssue 18 2010ISSN# 1535-9387Journal of the Institute for Sacred Architecture

D E U S F U N D AV I T C I V I T A T E M I N A E T E R N U M“Dear friends, today’s feast celebrates a mystery that is always relevant: God’s desire to build a spiritual temple in the world, a communitythat worships him in spirit and truth. But this observance also reminds us of the importance of the material buildings in whichthe community gathers to celebrate the praises of God. Every community therefore has the duty to take special care of its own sacredbuildings, which are a precious religious and historical patrimony. For this we call upon the intercession of Mary Most Holy, that shehelp us to become, like her, the ‘house of God,’ living temple of his love.”—Pope Benedict XVI on the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica, 9 November 2008.It is well known that the conventionalwisdom on building churchesis in disrepute. Even the unwashedmasses are revolting against the dictatesand iconoclasm of the past fiftyyears. Yet, there is still some bathwaterthat needs to be emptied. Not onlydid the modernist project break withtwo thousand years of sacred architecture,it also rejected the traditionalcity amongst which the temple stooda witness. The resulting churches turntheir back on the street or sit like adoctor’s office in the middle of a seaof asphalt. One of the most insidiousstrictures of the conventional wisdommandates that any new churchneeds twenty acres. This twenty acrerule reminds me of the sixty-five footrule that necessitates building theatrechurches according to some liturgists.Where to find twenty acres at an economicalprice? Why, the cornfield, ofcourse. The reasons given for the necessityof a large tract of land are playingfields, convenient parking, and futuregrowth. Yet these factors should not beseen as the primary goals in building ahouse of God, but should be balancedwith the rich history of churches builtin the midst of our towns and cities.To put the twenty acre rule into context,consider that a traditional parishchurch in a small town with 800 seats,a grade-school, a playground, a rectory,and on and off street parking typicallytakes up three to six acres. Surprisingly,one of the most well knownand largest of American cathedrals,Saint Patrick’s, sits on a block in Manhattanof only two acres. The reality isthat twenty acres is the equivalent ofa small college campus – for instance,“God Quad” at Notre Dame includesthe Basilica of the Sacred Heart, theGolden Dome, and seven other buildings.In fact, the greatest church in allof Christendom, Saint Peter’s Basilicain Rome, sits on only nine acres whileits piazza takes up an additional nineacres. Twenty acres are huge, but whatare the reasons for not building in thecornfield?First, by placing the church out inthe cornfield the parish gives up itsrole in the public square. In historiccities and towns, a church is a beaconof hope and a place of conversion. Inlocating outside of town the churchinadvertently becomes a privatized institutionlike a country club. This is thearchitectural equivalent of hiding itslight under a bushel. The parish alsogives up its physical role as leaven ina neighborhood. The awareness of theneedy and the ability to serve the poorand the unchurched on a daily basisdissipates in proportion to the distancefrom the center of town. Alternatively,the presence of a church improves thesafety and the harmony of its neighborhood.Second, if an existing parish decidesto move out of town it abandons holyground. Our churches are the sacredplaces in which generations of thefaithful have been baptized, married,and buried. This schism between pastand present is often accompanied bya physical splitting up of the parish.For instance, often times the schoolremains in the village while worshipmoves to the fringe. This is particularlydisruptive to the interaction betweenchurch and school that makes for a vibrantparish. After all, the school maynot move out to the new land for decades.Third, building out in a cornfieldnormally costs more than building intown. Start with the cost of the land.Then add the cost of providing water,sewer, storm-water retention, streets,and parking. The additional expense ofbuilding on virgin farmland can quicklycost as much as a million dollars(plus the cost of the land) more thanbuilding in town where utilities anddrainage already exist—not to mentionthe sustainability issues inherent inpaving local agriculture.So, if you have an existing parishand the experts tell you that you needto buy a cornfield, buck the conventionalwisdom and consider the benefits– communal, spiritual, and monetary– of staying in town. Alternatively,if you are founding a new parish,consider being part of a village, evenlocating in a new urbanist community(which often have favorable land andparking costs), or at least try to createa spiritual place within suburbia bybeing integrated with the community.More than parking and playing fields,your parish should be a light to the nationsand a city on a hill.Duncan StroikOctober 2010WCover: Interior of Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary, Denton, Nebraska. Photo by Thomas D. Stroka

Sacred ArchitectureIssue 18 2010C o n t e n t s2 WE d i t o r i a lEditorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Duncan StroikN e w s & L e t t e r s3 WWWWRaphael's tapestries on display W Entire church to be moved from Buffalo to Atlanta WRome to build 51 more churches W Church of Saint Malachy restored WDiocese of Orange hires architect for new cathedral W World's oldest monastery restored WSymposium on sacred architecture W Cathedral of Charleston receives a new spire W814192426WWWWWA r t i c l e sLost Between Sea and Sky: Review of the Padre Pio Shrine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Matthew AldermanAuthentic Urbanism and The Neighborhood Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Craig LewisLively Mental Energy: Review of the Seminary of Our Lady of Guadalupe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Denis McNamaraArchitectural Violence in Umbria: Review of "The Fuksas Church" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Andrea PaccianiLiturgical Exegesis According to Hugh of St. Victor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jordan WalesD o c u m e n t a t i o n31 WKeynote Adress to the Sacred Architecture Conference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . His Eminence Justin Cardinal Rigali3738394041WWWWWB o o k sBeauty of Faith by Jem Sullivan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . reviewed by Chris BurgwaldThe Future of the Past by Steven W. Semes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . reviewed by John H. CluverLiturgical Space: Christian Worship and Church Planning by Nigel Yates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . reviewed by Timothy HookThe Politics of the Piazza by Eamonn Canniffe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . reviewed by Thomas M. DietzSacred Spaces: Religious Architecture in the Ancient World by G.J. Wightmann . . . . . . . . . reviewed by John Stamper42 WFrom the Publishing Houses: a Selection of Recent Books . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . compiled by Sacred Architecturew w w . s a c r e d a r c h i t e c t u r e . o r gJ o u r n a l o f t h e I n s t i t u t e f o r S a c r e d A r c h i t e c t u r eThe Institute for Sacred Architecture is a non-profit organization made up of architects, clergy, educators and others interested in the discussionof significant issues related to contemporary Catholic architecture. Sacred Architecture is published biannually for $9.95.©2010 The Institute for Sacred Architecture.Address manuscripts andletters to the Editor:EDITORDuncan StroikP.O. Box 556Notre Dame, IN 46556voice: (574) 232-1783email: editor@sacredarchitecture.orgADVISORY BOARDJohn Burgee, FAIAMost Rev. Charles J. Chaput, OFM, Cap.Rev. Cassian Folsom, OSBDr. Ralph McInerny +Thomas Gordon Smith, AIAPRODUCTIONPhilip NielsenThomas StrokaMelinda NielsenJamie LaCourtForest WaltonSacred Architecture Issue 18 20103

N e w sSacred Architecture NewsSt. Paul Preaching at Athens is one of theRaphael Tapestries that went on display.On July 14, for one night, four tapestriesdesigned by Raphael in 1519 returned totheir original home in Michelangelo’sSistine Chapel—a sight not seen since1983, the 500 th anniversary of Raphael’sbirth. These tapestries from the VaticanMuseums were also displayed atthe Victoria and Albert Museum inLondon alongside the original drawingsby Raphael. The exhibit opened onSeptember 8 during Pope BenedictXVI’s visit to Great Britain to celebratethe beatification of John Henry CardinalNewman, and closed October 17.Commissioned by Pope Leo X Mediciin 1515, Raphael illustrated the lives ofSaints Peter and Paul on paper as largeas the finished product—eleven byseventeen feet—and Peter van Aelst, thegreatest weaver of the age, executed thetapestries in Belgium.WThe Parish of Saint Gerard of Buffalo, NYMary Our Queen Parish of Norcross,GA, plans to buy Saint Gerard’s ofBuffalo, NY. The plan has been endorsedby the Catholic archdiocese of Atlanta,the diocese of Buffalo and Saint Gerard’sformer parishioners. According to theproposed scheme, the church will betaken apart, stone by stone, cataloged,trucked south, and rebuilt. The majorityof Saint Gerard’s will be reused: theexterior limestone, oak pews, stainedglass, stations of the cross, confessionals,and the granite columns. The newchurch will look almost exactly like SaintGerard’s but have a steel skeleton, a newfoundation, floor, roof, HVAC systems,and a bigger choir loft. The plasterceiling, including a beautiful Coronationof Mary fresco, will be destroyed inthe demolition. The project will taketwo years once it begins. The cost isestimated at $15 million, including apayment to the diocese. The parish has$3 million and plans to raise and borrowthe rest.Photo: Victoria and Albert Museum,Photo: Wikimedia CommonsSaint Margaret Mary Alacoque, PA.WSaint Margaret Mary Alacoque RomanCatholic Parish celebrated the Riteof Dedication of their new churchin Harrisburg, PA designed by SGSArchitects. The church seats 844. The$5.2 million dollar “Romanesque” stylechurch sits on almost twenty acres ofland. Total project cost, including land,is approximately $7.1 million.WMadrid Youth Day will feature the 500year old, nine feet tall, Arfe Monstrance,designed by Enrique de Arfe from1517-1524. The gold and silver coveredmonstrance is used annually in theCorpus Christi procession through thestreets of Toledo. Francisco Portela,professor of art history at Madrid’sComplutense University, describesit as “the best example of SpanishThe Arfe Monstrance of Toledo will beused in the during World Youth Day inMadrid.silversmith craft of all times.” Themonstrance will be used in Eucharisticadoration during the World Youth Dayvigil on Saturday night, Aug. 20, 2011.The Youth Day organizers hope thatthis time of Eucharistic adoration will“allow multitudes of young people tocontemplate and to admire a uniquework of art in the world, used accordingto the purpose of its creators, and thus torediscover the value of art in the liturgy.”Holy Trinity Catholic Church ofWestminster, CO completed an additiondesigned by Integration Design Group4 Sacred Architecture Issue 18 2010Photo: stmmparish.orgPhoto: Wikimedia CommonsPhoto: integrationdesigngroup.com

The medieval glaziers who createdgold-painted stained glass windowsinadvertently developed a solarpowerednanotech air-purificationsystem. According to Dr. Zhu HuaiYong of the Queensland Universityof Technology in Australia, the goldpaint employed in Gothic stained glasswindows purified the air when heatedby sunlight. “For centuries peopleappreciated only the beautiful works ofart, and long life of the colors, but littledid they realize that these works of art arealso, in modern language, photocatalyticair purifier with nanostructured goldcatalyst,” said Zhu in a statement. Zhusaid that tiny gold particles found inmedieval gold paint react with sunlightto destroy air-borne pollutants likevolatile organic chemicals/compounds(VOCs).The "Blue Virgin" window of Chartes,one of the surviving windows from theRomanesque structure, is an exampleof a medieval window that acts as aphotocatalytic air purifier.Photo: Wikimedia CommonsGianni Alemanno, the mayor of Rome hasannounced the plan to build fifty one newCatholic parishes to serve the suburbs ofthe city.Tor Vergata, have been waiting almosteight years to find a permanent home.Now its parishioners will finally haveone. These churches would “not only becenters of worship, but also social andcultural centers for the city’s suburbs.”As Mayor Alemanno said, “We arewell aware that parishes are oftenplaces of meeting and identity in cityneighborhoods.” Alemanno has beenone of modern Rome’s most pro-Churchmayors. A reformed fascist, he has beenconsistent in his support for the Church,not only in practical matters but also inher battles with radical secularism.WOne of Belfast’s oldest and mostbeautiful churches has won a covetedprize following a fifteen monthrenovation project. Saint Malachy’sCatholic Church has been declaredNorthern Ireland Project of the Year. Thenineteenth century church beat severalPhoto: torrinonews.blogspot.comN e w smulti-million pound commercial andgovernment schemes. Following themajor renovations, many of the church’sold features were recovered. Theseincluded the altarpieces, the sanctuary,the ornately plastered ceiling, andstained glass. Belfast architecture firmConsarc Design Group led the project.WOn July 5, His Holiness Pope BenedictXVI inaugurated the Saint JosephFountain, the 100 th fountain in theVatican gardens. In his speech he saidthat, “it is a motive of great joy to me toinaugurate this fountain in the VaticanGardens, in a natural context of singularbeauty. It is a work that is going toenhance the artistic patrimony of thisenchanting green space of Vatican City,rich in historic-artistic testimonies ofvarious periods.” The fountain exhibitssix bronze panels that display importantmoments in the life of St. Joseph.Photo: Ray O'Connor PhotographyWGianni Alemanno, the mayor of Romeannounced plans to build fifty-one newparishes in the Eternal City, fundedthrough collaboration with the Vicariateof Rome, other dioceses, and landdonations from the city council. It is hardfor many to imagine Rome needing morechurches, but some parishes, such asSaint Mary Queen of Peace in the suburbSacred Architecture Issue 18 2010Pope Benedict XVI recently innagurated the 100th fountain in the Vatican Gardens.5Photo: ecojoekits.com

N e w smore quickly. “It will be very easyfor this church to be built because thegovernment follows the line that inevery new urban area there should bea church,” explained Bishop AntoniosAziz Mina of Guizeh.a month after Egypt’s worst incident ofanti-Christian violence in over a decade,when a bloody shooting at a church onChristmas Eve killed seven peopleWThe Diocese of Orange has hired thearchitect who designed Oakland's"Cathedral of Light" (above), CraigHartman of S.O.M.The architect who designed Oakland’sinfamously modernistic $190 millionChrist the Light Cathedral has beenselected to come up with plans for acathedral complex in Santa Ana, asthe Diocese of Orange hired Craig W.Hartman, FAIA, of Skidmore, Owings &Merrill LLP (SOM) as lead designer forthe initial phase of this project.Hartman designed the Oaklandcathedral that was consecrated in 2008.The Oakland cathedral breaks with thetradition of Catholic sacred architecture;a break with tradition appears to bewhat Bishop Brown hopes for in thehiring of Hartman. The diocesan pressrelease says that the bishop has: “nointerest in copying the past and willmake every effort to develop a structurethat respects the environment as muchas it will its people.”In May, Bishop Brown reportedlyasked the Vatican to allow him toserve five years beyond the mandatorycanonical retirement age of seventyfive.Bishop Brown turns seventy-fiveon Nov. 11, 2011, but reportedly wantsto stay on in order to see the cathedralcomplex completed.WNormally it can take as many as thirtyyears and a signature from the presidentto get a new church built in Egypt. That’swhy Coptic Catholics are happy to bebenefiting from a new developmentpolicy that will bring them a churchPhoto: Wikimedia CommonsWOn June 19, 2010 the great Englishrecusant Chapel of All Saints ofWardour Castle opened for the day.The exhibition included the display ofhistoric vestments and a concert of theeighteenth century organ.WWardour Castle's recusant chapelEgypt’s antiquities chief announcedthe completion of an almost decadelong,$14.5 million restoration of theworld’s oldest Christian monastery—Saint Anthony’s Monastery at thefoot of the desert mountains nearEgypt’s Red Sea coast. Touting it as asign of Christian-Muslim coexistence,the director made the announcementregarding the fifth century monasteryRestoration was recently completed on the Monastery of Saint Anthony, Egypt, theworld's oldest Christian monastery.6 Sacred Architecture Issue 18 2010Photo: wardourchapelexhibition.co.ukWSaint Joseph High School of Trumbull,Connecticut has recently renovated theirchapel.The responsibilities of a bishopregarding the opening or closing of aparish are covered in Canon 515, whichwas cited in a recent series of decreesissued by a panel of the Supreme Courtof the Apostolic Signature, the church’shighest court, in deciding the appeals of10 closed parishes in the Archdioceseof Boston. The Court’s ad hoc Panel ismade up five cardinals and archbishopsserving on the bench. This recent rulingdecided that Cardinal O’Malley of Bostonfollowed correct procedure and that in thefuture a bishop need only to consult thepresbyteral council before he acts.WPhoto: Wikimedia CommonsPhoto: Donna Corless

N e w sWOn April 30 through May 1 theUniversity of Notre Dame’s and TheCatholic University of America’sSchools of Architecture cosponsoreda Symposium on the Campus of CUAentitled, “A Living Presence: Extendingand Transforming the Tradition ofCatholic Sacred Architecture.” JustinCardinal Rigali delivered the KeynoteAddress. The other principal speakersincluded:Duncan Stroik, Notre DameSchool of Architecture, Craig Hartman,Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, DenisMcNamara, The Liturgical Institute,LeoNestor, The Institute of Sacred Musicandthe CUA school of Music, AnthonyVisco, Atelier for the Sacred Arts.Debate centered on several recurringquestions: Is there an appropriatearchitectural language for liturgy?Does the modernistic abstraction andlimitation of art in churches focus oremaciate the liturgy? Can traditionalchurch architecture adapt to modernliturgical needs and contemporarybuilding practices? Are modern andpost-modern architecture based on anti-Catholic world-views? These questions,as addressed in lectures and discussions,helped to highlight the fundamentaldifferences between modernist andtraditional sacred architecture.WThe "greenest" building in the U.S. is aschismatic "benedictine" chapel designedby the WI firm Hoffman LLC.The greenest building in the UnitedStates is a monastery, according to theU.S. Green Building Council. Theyrecently awarded the BenedictineWomen of Madison’s Holy WisdomMonastery (no longer affiliated withthe Catholic Church) a Platinum LEEDrating with sixty-three out sixty-ninepossible points–the most points ofany certified building in the country;“almost 100 percent of the 60,000-squarefootold Benedictine House was alsorecycled or reused in the buildingprocess.” The sisters do carbon fastingfor Lent, saying, “When the scripturewriters described fasting, they neverenvisioned carbon fasting actions. In2010, however, given our awarenessof reducing our production of climatechange pollution…Photo: benedictinewomen.orgstreet. The 8.8-magnitude quake affectedtwo million people in eight of Chile’stwenty-seven dioceses. Over 800 peoplewere killed in the disaster and some500,000 more were displaced. Aid tothe Church in Need reported today thatit is sending thirty-nine tent chapels tothat region to house the church servicesthat are still being held on the streets.Some 80 percent of the churches in thequake-stricken areas were devastated tothe point of being unusable. The tents,which were designed for easy assembly,cover an area of over 1,990 square feet,with a capacity to seat one hundred.WThe Parish of Saint Anne in Sherman TX,designed by Fisher and Heck of Dallas wasrecently completed. The church seats 750.WThere is continued progress in theconstruction of the Abbey of NewClairvaux in Vina, CA as the masons arebeginning the cross-vaulted stone ceilingof the chapter house this year.WPhoto: Wikimedia CommonsWAs Chile continues to rebuild after aFeb. 27 earthquake, tents have been sentto be used as chapels for the parishes thathad been forced to hold services on theTent chapels are being employed in Chileafter the earthquake destroyed manychurches.Photo: Church in NeedCharleston's Cathedral of Saint John theBaptist finally recieved a spire after a 103years.The Most Reverend Robert E.Guglielmone, Bishop of Charleston,blessed the new spire for the Cathedralof Saint John the Baptist on March8, 2010. The present Cathedral wascompleted in 1907, but without a spirefor lack of funds. The spire and gildedcross bring the height of St. John's to167 feet.WPhoto: Wikimedia CommonsSacred Architecture Issue 18 20107

A r t i c l e sLost Between Sea and SkyLooking for Padre Pio in Renzo Piano’s Pilgrimage ChurchMatthew AldermanPhoto:Antonio FragassiThe entrance of the shrine.It is a perilous thing to ask the saintsfor design advice. The apostleThomas earned his patronage ofthe architectural profession by givingaway most of his construction budgetto the poor and was nearly martyred forhis trouble. And while legend says theformer doubter was hired by the Indianking Gundoferus on account of hisknowledge of ornate Roman classicism,St. Bernard, that great micro-manager ofmonasteries, had very little time for thefancies of Romanesque ornamentation,railing against its distractingly frivolouscapitals and grotesques. 1 Ultimately,each church building is not about theearthly taste of its titular but a reflectionof the glorious entirety of the heavenlyJerusalem. Yet the gulf between St. Pioof Pietrelcina, thaumaturge, stigmatist,and occasional flying friar, and the newshrine recently raised over his tombby his countryman, world-famousItalian architect Renzo Piano, is achasm difficult to cross, even by a saintoccasionally known to levitate.The Capuchin friar St. Pio of Pietrelcina(1887-1968), better known to hisfilial devotees as Padre Pio, lived a lifemarked by mystical phenomena: ecstasies,diabolical persecutions, bilocation,prophesies, the ability to read men’shearts, and most extraordinarily, theimpression of the stigmata, the woundsof Christ’s passion. In spite of all thesewild spiritual gifts—and the thousandswho came to pray or just to watch—thesaint remained humble and level-headed,devoted to the simple ministries ofa parish priest, the public celebrationof the Mass and the constant hearingof confessions. In the end his sanctitylay not just in miracles but in his lifeof prayer and sacrifice. He was canonizedin 2002 by John Paul II, who manyyears earlier had asked the friar to hearhis confession.Piano describes the new pilgrimagechurch in Padre Pio’s Puglian hometownof San Giovanni Rotondo as a“portrait” of the saint. His conceptionof the saint’s simplicity led him toreject the traditional basilican model ofchurch-planning as smacking too muchof “power” and “grandiloquence,”opting for a centralized plan executedin simple wood and local stone. 2 Architecturalcritic Edwin Heathcote, ina glowing Financial Times article on thenew building, describes the shrine’sThe front doorsinterior as an “embracing shell like aslightly squashed armadillo.” 3 Untilrecently, Padre Pio’s mortal remainsrested in the church of Santa Mariadelle Grazie, a large but plain basilicanstylechurch in a lightly-modernizedRomanesque style, sparingly ornamentedwith touches of marble andmosaic. This more conventional structurewas built during the saint’s lifetimeto accommodate pilgrims visitingthe famous wonderworker.The Padre Pio Pilgrimage Shrineseats 8,000, with room for 30,000 standingon the parvis outside. It has beendescribed as the second-largest in theworld after St. Peter’s. 4 Dedicated in2004 after more than a decade of planningand with a budget of $51 million,the shrine returned to the media spotlightafter Pope Benedict XVI officiallyopened the church’s crypt, a goldenwalledunderground chamber housingthe saint’s silver sarcophagus. 5 The ArchitecturalRecord describes the shrine8 Sacred Architecture Issue 18 2010Photo:Antonio FragassiPhoto:Francesco Tagliomonte

as “an attempt to rationalise anddignify this public urge to venerate aremarkable individual.” 6 While referringprimarily to the medieval zoo ofsouvenir-hawkers and pilgrim hotelsthat now rings San Giovanni Rotondo,journalistic coverage hints at a dissonanceat the heart of the project. Mostcommentators seem more interested indiscussing the building’s relationshipwith the landscape than its status as areligious shrine. Piano has remarked,“I have tried to arrange the vast spacesand surfaces in such a way that thegaze of visitors can be lost between thesky, the sea and the earth.” 7Piano expresses his own religiousopinions less dramatically than hissweeping design proclivities. In an interviewwith the Catholic news serviceZenit, he describes himself as a “Catholicby formation and conviction,”though he adds, somewhat cryptically,“not bigoted.” 8 Piano sought to enterdeeply into Padre Pio’s own religiousexperience. “I […] became a bit of aCapuchin,” 9 he comments, also studyingthe history of liturgy and religion inthe process. Piano’s tutor in the ways ofliturgy was Crispino Valenziano, a professorof liturgical anthropology andspirituality at the St. Anselm PontificalThe low arches give one a crowded and earthbound feeling.The nataloid plan of the shrine and siteA r t i c l e sLiturgical Institute in Rome, and sometimedeputy of former papal master ofceremonies Piero Marini.The building reflects the low,scrubby, rolling terrain all around it,but it does not appear to be nestled inthe landscape so much as lie flaccidlyupon it. Rather than primitively edenic,the effect is ramshackle and faintly industrial.The shrine’s most obviousfeature is its broad, nearly flat roof, anirregular and jagged armor of immensepre-patinated copper plates. Beneaththe low, bowed roofline, the structureseems not so much built as assembled,a sagging bricolage of precariouslybalancedstone, wood, glass, metal, andstucco. The self-conscious geometrictwists feel, at some level, farmore ostentatious and alienthan the triumphalist ornamentsPiano took great painsto avoid. Indeed, lacking thesense of scale brought by ornamentand detail, the long,low structure has a lumpen,looming quality.There are few obvioussymbols, save a very largefreestanding cross placedoff to one side of the churchinterior. The main entranceconsists of two squat bronzedoors covered with spare,pseudo-primitive modernisticsculpture set into a façadeof green metal slats. The lowcampanile, built into one ofthe piazza’s retaining walls,is handsome in a strippedclassicalway, although ultimatelyperipheral to theoverall design.The interior is a greatlyenlargedvariation on thesame semi-circular plan thathas become ubiquitous insuburban parishes every-Photo:Antonio FragassiPhoto: Contemporary Church ArchictureSacred Architecture Issue 18 20109

A r t i c l e swhere. Piano’s version is generated bya roughly spiral geometry reminiscentof a nautilus or snail shell. For a shrinededicated to a priest who lived his vocationof alter Christus in the stimata,this departure from a cruciform planis idiosyncratic in the least. The architectwas deeply concerned that theenormous interior retain a focus on thealtar while creating within it the smallnessand intimacy necessary for prayerand recollection. Piano’s solution wasto divide the interior into a collectionof smaller spaces, each like a separatechurch seating around 400, openingonto the altar at the nexus of the nautiloidcurve, creating a sense of prayerfulprivacy in the midst of a low, openspace. This is an interesting responseto the contemporary trend towardsecclesial giganticism that has led tosuch buildings as the Los Angeles Cathedraland the new church at Fatima.While intriguing in the abstract,the reality of the plan presents seriousphysical and metaphysical difficulties.The building’s skeleton of twenty-onespoke-like stone arches radiates, intwo roughly concentric rings, from afunnel-like central hub placed abovethe saint’s crypt-level tomb. The altar,set atop a lofty, if narrow, open sanctuary,stands directly in front of thisnexus. Piano explains the arches werean attempt to create “the modernequivalent of a Gothic [sic] cathedral,but to make the arches fly within thespace.” 10 However, the effect is impersonaland uncomfortably vast, whilebetween the arches it feels more than alittle claustrophobic. The predominantnote is earthbound, linked not with theupward movement of man towardsGod, or God towards man, but towardthe unseen body of the holy man inthe basement, who is treated more likeMerlin than a Christian saint.There is little ornament and lesssacred art. A fabric screen depictingscenes from the Apocalypse by RobertRauschenberg covers the interior of thefront façade’s broad parabolic window.Faintly cartoonish, it is loosely traditionalin its composition and adds a bitof welcome color to the interior, as doesa gradated splash of faded blue on thevault over the altar. 11 For all Piano’sconscientious pursuit of the Franciscanspirit, one is glad that Giotto did notrespond to the same impulse at Assisiwhen St. Francis was still within thereach of living memory. Despite Piano’sconcerns about Franciscan simplicity,his conception of humility might seemmyopic to Padre Pio himself, who worethe simple robes of a Capuchin in dailylife but at the altar obediently clothedhimself in the colorful silk vestments ofa priest of Jesus Christ. It is not a coincidencethat the first notable act ofSt. Francis after his conversion was torestore a little church, San Damiano,to its former glory. Just as splendordoes not automatically entail waste,conversely—as any architect knows—plainness can be surprisingly expensiveand may suggest not humility butelite faddishness.Reinforcing this impression, thesmall sanctuary platform is almostcrushed by the low curve of the vaultoverhead. On the other hand, the altarcross by Arnaldo Pomodoro is certainlyfuturistic, a chunky block of metalhanging perilously over the altar andresembling a mass of burnished, halfmeltedmachine parts. It also lacks thefigure of Christ.Nestled cleverly in one of the outercurves of the nautiloid, the Blessed SacramentChapel is one of the more intriguingand truly intimate portions ofthe interior. Unlike the centralized arrangementof the main church, it is orientedlongitudinally on a trapezoidalplan. The chapel walls narrow subtly,moving the eye towards the tabernacleshrine, set atop a low octagonal plinthof three steps. The overall effect is minimalistic,but the warmth and texture ofthe mottled beige walls breathe somelife back into the space.Piano commissioned the late Roy Lichtenstein—famousfor the deliberatelycartoonish painting entitled Whaam!The nearly flat roof is formed by an irregular shell of giant pre-patinated copper plates.Photo: wikimedia commons10 Sacred Architecture Issue 18 2010

The tomb of Saint Pio is behind the curved wall.among many other things—to decoratethe shrine’s Eucharistic chapel. Lichtensteinwas working on an image ofthe Last Supper before his death; Pianoelected not to have another hand completeor replace the painting.The tabernacle is an imposing andeven startling object: a pillar of volcanicMount Etna stone standing aloneat the far end of the chapel beneath around skylight high above. 3.5 metersin height, it rises smoothly from asquare base to a faceted octagonal top.Two rows of silver plates representingOld Testament types of the Eucharist orincidents from the life of Christ flankthe sides of the pillar to form a roughlycruciform shape, with the central doorin the form of a silver pelican. Whenopened, the tabernacle doors reveal apair of beautiful, faintly Asiatic representationsof the ichthys sculpted intothe interior. The reliefs, while exaggeratedlypseudo-archaic in some details,are for the most part well-executed andcompare with some of the more interestingArt Deco work of the LiturgicalMovement period. The use of Biblicalparallelism and typology also adds anunexpected dose of sophistication tothe sequence.Yet the overall effect is strangelyuncommunicative. The faceless blackstela of the tabernacle hints at someSacred Architecture Issue 18 2010powerful Presence within,but fails to reveal it. Theshiny stone the color ofdeath seems a peculiarlyinapt color for a tabernacle.There are no other furnishingssave the squat, geometricpews in light-coloredwood. Unrelieved by thegleam of hammered silverpresence lamps (or evena pop art Last Supper), itremains alien and even sinister.Admittedly, it is notwithout a sense of otherworldlypower, but at best itis an altar to the UnknownGod, incongruous with theGospels’ revelation. As St.Paul once said, “Whomtherefore ye ignorantlyworship, Him declare I untoyou.” 12Passing from theupper church into thecrypt—which holds, somewhatillogically, high-trafficareas like the shrine and theconfessionals—one entersa shiny, glittery realm of recognizableiconography and haloed saints. MarkoIvan Rupnik, the Jesuit artist responsiblefor the Redemptoris Mater Chapelin the Vatican, contributed 2,000 squaremeters of mosaics showing eighteenscenes from the life of Christ, eighteenfrom the life of St. Francis and a finaleighteen from Padre Pio’s life. ThePhoto:Antonio FragassiA r t i c l e scomprehensive quality and parallelismof such a cycle is worthy of much applause.Rupnik’s use of color is refreshing,with rich golds, reds, and intensechemical blues predominating. Afterthe beige upper church, this wealth ofgold, serpentine, jade, and rose quartzcomes as a distinct relief.The mosaics are not without theirown shortcomings. The recent openingof the church’s lower level has unleashedan outcry in some quarters,with accusations that the lavishlydecorated crypt is wasteful glitter. 13However, the real problem here lies notin the opulence of its materials—SaidJudas to Mary now what will you do/Withyour ointment so rich and so rare?—butthe content and shape of its ornamentationand iconography. One is remindedof the caviar-filled ice swan in BridesheadRevisited—the problem is not thecaviar, but the shape.While ultimately Byzantine in inspirationand straightforward in its use oftraditional symbolism, Rupnik’s signaturestyle lacks the sense of detail andscale necessary for such large compositions.The effect is somewhat superficialin its recollection of the traditionsof the East, and the figures are tooself-consciously abstracted. The mosaicistmight have made a good miniaturistwith his economical sense ofform, but here everything looks likequick studies inflated to poster-size.And while the glitter is somewhat of awelcome change from above, the massThe gilded crypt has garnered much criticism.11Photo: Charlie Brigante

The Tabernacleof gold in this low, over-lit space, canseem oppressively unvarying.The saint’s tomb itself is precious inits materials yet rather unprepossessingin shape and setting. The tomb isscarcely above eye-level, more an elaborateitem on display than an objectof veneration. If the mosaics are excessiveyet undeveloped, the tomb isopulent though underwhelming. Evenon the saint’s sarcophagus—so oftenan opportunity for a complex web ofpersonified virtues, patron saints, andscenes of Biblical parallelism—thereis nothing but a pattern of abstractforms of a mildly Romanesque nature.And while Padre Pio’s body has beenexposed to the faithful in the quiterecent past, all images of the shrinehave so far shown the sarcophagusclosed. While some may find this decorous,it seems a regrettable capitulationto squeamishness for a saint whohad Christ’s sacrifice written upon hishands and side.Overall, the fact of modernism’smuteness in the face of traditional religionis inescapable here. There is littlein the church’s structure and detailsto distinguish it from a high-profileconcert hall, while definite momentsbring to mind a cutting-edge airportterminal or a lavishly bleak spa; butPhoto:Antonio Fragassinothing overwhelms the soul with theblinding particularity of the Christianmessage. 14It is easy to decry the kitsch that fillsthe shops of San Giovanni Rotondolike the money-changers in the temple,or scoff at pilgrims who are more entrancedby Padre Pio than Christ. Yetfor all the desire to create a humblechurch for this people’s saint, thisvast new shrine has been shaped lessby folk piety than the by high-profiledictums of a design culture that is notentirely certain what to do with religion.At most the church can attempta sort of fashionable plainness, notwithout a degree of appeal from someangles, but which is often more costlyand momentarily modish than actualsymbolic ornament, and which, beingcontemporary, will swiftly grow old.This is not to say that, had it beendeemed necessary to forgo the timelessroute of the classical (or even thehumility of the Romanesque), the architectcould not have built a church ina simple but lofty manner. Freed fromengineering gimmicks and fashionablenature-worship, it could have beenclothed in noble materials and enlivenedwith dignified, if monasticallysevere, iconography. Piano’s instincts,moderated by the formative humilityof historic precedent, might have led tosomething truly new.Even if Piano found a cruciformtomb too much for the cruciform saintof Puglia, he could have raised a rectilinearhypostyle hall, broad but majestic.A fine model could have been thecathedral at Cordova, one of the fewfully horizontal buildings where stonearches soar. If it were necessary to keepit airy and transparent so the faithfuloutside might participate, he couldhave looked to the open-sided chapelsof early Spanish Mexico, with Franciscanroots of its own. 15 Even Rupnik’smosaics might have found a richmodern precedent in the decoration ofthe modernistic but dignified shrineof Our Lady of the Snows in Belleville,Missouri, and other works of the latepre-Conciliar era. Unfortunately, thePadre Pio shrine remains obliviousto both the recent, as well as the moredistant, past.One of the more extraordinary miraclesattributed to Padre Pio describesa squadron of Allied bombers sightingthe mystic floating high in the air,accompanied, in one account, by theVirgin and St. Michael. The flyboys re-turned to base, muddled and dazed,unable to drop their payload on thetown of San Giovanni Rotondo. 16Renzo Piano has said that he hopes thepilgrim’s gaze will be “lost betweenthe sky, the sea and the earth.” 17 In theshrine, it is perhaps Padre Pio’s veryphysical brand of holiness that is lost;the saint is too potent for an age thatprefers its spirituality safely disembodied.WMatthew Alderman is the founder ofMatthew Alderman Studios (matthewalderman.com),which specializes in liturgicalfurnishing design and design consulting.He writes and lectures on ecclesiasticalart and design.1 For the legend of St. Thomas, see Bl. Jacobus de Jacobus’s TheGolden Legend: Reading on the Saints, trans. William Granger Ryan(Princeton: Princeton UP, 1993), vol I, 27-35. Bernard’s views onarchitecture can be found in his Apology to William of St. Thierry.2 “Padre Pio’s Shrine as the Architect Sees It: Renzo Piano Talksof Monumental Church in San Giovanni Rotondo.” July 23, 2004.Accessed on April 25, 2010. Available online at: http://www.zenit.org/article-10700?l=english.3 Edwin Heathcote, “On the Fast Track to the Middle ofNowhere: Architect Renzo Piano Talks to Edwin Heathcote aboutHow and Why He is Building the Largest Modern Church inEurope,” Financial Times, June 16, 2001 [London Edition], 8.4 “Renzo Piano Building Workshop: Padre Pio PilgrimageChurch,” www.arcspace.com. No date. Available online at:http://www.arcspace.com/architects/piano/padre_pio/padre_pio.html.Accessed on April 25, 2010.A 2001 article says 7,500. See also Heathcote, 8.5 Jason Horowitz, “Awe (And Maybe Acolytes) from BoldArchitecture,” New York Times, August 19, 2004, Section E, 3.The Gold Coast Bulletin reports it as $51 million; see “Good Faith,Popular Padre,” The Gold Coast Bulletin, July 3, 2004, See alsoMichael Day, “Spinning in his Grave? Fury at Glitzy Tomb forRevered Saint,” The Independent, April 21, 2010. Accessed onApril 25, 2010. Available online at: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/spinning-in-his-grave-fury-at-glitzy-new-tomb-forrevered-saint-1949629.html.6 Catherine Slessor, “Divine Intervention: Renzo Piano’s HugeNew Basilica [sic] in Southern Italy Reconciles the Spiritual andPractical Needs of Pilgrims,” Architectural Record, September2004.7 Quoted in “Renzo Piano Building Workshop: Padre PioPilgrimage Church.” arcspace.com. No date. Available onlineat: http://www.arcspace.com/architects/piano/padre_pio/padre_pio.html. Accessed on April 25, 2010.8 “Padre Pio’s Shrine as the Architect Sees It.”9 Ibid.10 Heathcote, 8.11 Ibid, 8. Horowitz himself says it resembles acartoon.12 Acts 17:23.13 See “Worshippers Outraged at Glitzy New Tomb for ‘Miracle-Worker’ Padre Pio,” The Daily Mail, April 21, 2010. AccessedApril 29, 2010. Available online at: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1267679/Worshippers-outraged-glitzy-new-tomb-miracleworker-Saint-Padre-Pio.html.14 Horowitz, 3.15 See Jaime Lara, Christian Texts for Aztecs: Art and Liturgy inColonial Mexico (Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre DamePress, 2008); and City, Temple, Stage: Eschatological Architecture andLiturgical Theatrics in New Spain (Notre Dame, IN: University ofNotre Dame Press, 2004).16 There are several conflicting versions of this story, thoughPadre Pio biographer Bernard Ruffin thinks it likely there is ahistorical basis to it. See Padre Pio: The True Story (Huntington:Our Sunday Visitor, 1991), 253; 324-5.17 Quoted in “Renzo Piano Building Workshop: Padre PioPilgrimage Church.” arcspace.com. No date. Available online at:http://www.arcspace.com/architects/piano/padre_pio/padre_pio.html.Accessed on April 25, 2010.12 Sacred Architecture Issue 18 2010

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A r t i c l e s“Law 119. For the temple of the principalchurch, parish, or monastery, there shallbe assigned specific lots; the first after thestreets and plazas have been laid out, andthese shall be a complete block so as to avoidhaving other buildings nearby, unless it werefor practical or ornamental reasons.”—The Laws of the Indies, 1573,by order of King Philip II of SpainFrom our earliest beginnings as acountry, we have always reservedthe most important and prominentspaces for our civic buildings. The Laws ofthe Indies, as the first specific set of rulesgoverning the settlement of a new townin the new world by Spanish colonists,decreed that three things must happenbefore any other: the identificationof the highest and best location forthe main plaza, the establishment ofstreets that were to radiate out fromthe plaza in ordinal directions, andthe reservation of the first lots for theestablishment of churches (specifically,the Catholic church). Numerous townsin the southeast and southwest UnitedStates were established according tothese principles including Santa Fe andAlbuquerque, NM, Fernandina, FL, andTucson, AZ.This high regard for the primacy ofpublic spaces and civic buildings continuedthroughout much of the earlyyears in American urban development.The New England town square wasthe Puritan’s form of Spanish plazaand was often flanked by a Protestantchurch. Cathedrals continued to beconstructed in prime locations in viewsof the waterfronts to greet arrivingvisitors, or on hilltops so as to be seenby the entire village or city. In urbanneighborhoods throughout the country,churches were constructed to serve thevarious ethnic immigrant populationsthat would settle in a particular area,becoming a spiritual, social, and—through parochial schools—educationalanchor. Together with parks orplazas, churches formed the essentialpublic realm of many a neighborhoodthroughout the county.Authentic Urbanismand the Neighborhood ChurchCraig LewisThe church’s slidefrom architectural preeminencein neighborhoodsand in citiesoccurred over a longperiod. Rather than asingle cause, it is morelikely that a series ofgradual shifts—primarilydemographic and economic—slowlyamassedto conspire against whatwas once the norm.These shifts impactedthe construction of otherpublic buildings as well.The last considerationof the importanceof the public realmcame during the "CityBeautiful" movement ofthe late nineteenth andearly twentieth centuries(and the parallel"Garden City" movementoccurring in Great Britain). Advocatessought to clean up many ofthe country’s larger cities through theimposition of beautiful landscapesand monuments. While important as adesign philosophy, its moral and socialgoals lacked the spiritual dimension.As a result, few churches were incorporatedinto plans, finally ceding theirlong-standing role as important neighborhoodanchors to more humaniststructures such as museums, libraries,and government buildings.After the end of World War II, theexplosion of the suburban developmentpattern and its focus on efficiencyand privacy rang the final deathknell. Public space and public buildingswere no longer a component ofdevelopment patterns and competedfor land left over from private development.Because our suburbs, as thepredominate development patternacross the United States (and exportedworldwide) have sprawled in this lowdensity,auto-dependent landform, ourcivic facilities have been forced to buildfurther away and bigger as a means toattract more students, parishioners, orcongregants.The Chapel at Seaside, FLThe overall decline in church attendance,coupled with the massive suburbanmigration that nearly emptiedmany urban neighborhoods, has leftmany sacred buildings today with decliningor non-existent populations.Older urban areas like Buffalo, Detroit,Cleveland, and Saint Louis have seenurban churches closing down at analarming rate. Historically CatholicSaint Louis maintains a list of 111parishes closed in recent history, andBuffalo has closed 77 parish churchesand schools since 2005. 1Yet while churches are closing insome locations, they continue to growin others. But unlike their urban,in-town counterparts, these campusesmust accommodate exceptionallylarge facilities, classroom and officebuildings, and occasionally a school.Perhaps, most important, these largesites must accommodate the fact thatevery single person that attends Masswill arrive by automobile, a fact thatensures that a large percentage of everycapital dollar must be relegated to theconstruction of a parking lot ratherthan on the architecture of its buildingsor the ministries that they provide.14 Sacred Architecture Issue 18 2010Photo: Josh Martin

New Urbanism and the NeighborhoodChurchIn October, 1993, approximately170 designers and developers gatheredin Alexandria, VA to discuss thetravails of “the placelessness of themodern suburbs, the decline of centralcities, the growing separation in communitiesby race and income, thechallenges of raising children in aneconomy that requires two incomesfor every family, and the environmentaldamage brought on by developmentthat requires us to depend on theautomobile for all daily activities.” 2Under the leadership of Peter Calthorpe,Andres Duany, Elizabeth Moule,Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk, StefanosPolyzoides, and Daniel Solomon—allarchitects—the Congress for the NewUrbanism was formed and has quicklyrisen to the preeminent organizationfor addressing the “confluence of community,economics, and environmentin our cities.” 3At its heart, New Urbanism is amovement about reclaiming the publicrealm–our streets, our parks, and ourpublic buildings–and ordering the remainderof the land to complementthese critical amenities. However, it isimportant to note that New Urbanismrecognizes “that physical solutions bythemselves will not solve social andeconomic problems, but neither caneconomic vitality, community stability,and environmental health be sustainedwithout a coherent and supportiveThe New Town at Saint Charles, MOSacred Architecture Issue 18 2010framework.” 4New urbanists havelong asserted the needto reserve prominentlocations within newneighborhoods for theerection of variouscivic buildings—townhalls, fire stations,school, museums,and churches. Thechallenge until nowhas been for many tofigure out a meansby which the verticalinfrastructure of thecivic building can onceagain be integratedinto the neighborhoodafter more than a halfcenturyof movingaway from it. Will congregationssacrifice theexpansive greenfieldcampus with generous parking lots fora more urban location? And perhapsmore importantly, can the re-insertionof the neighborhood church be morethan a programmatic alternative to thecommunity clubhouse and truly fulfillthe spiritual needs of the neighborhood’sresidents?If You Build It, Will They Come?Seaside, FL, the traditional neighborhoodoften considered the epicenterfor the New Urbanist movement,reserved a location for a chapel in itsearliest plans. While the neighborhoodA r t i c l e sThe chapel in the New Town at Saint Charles, MOPhoto: www.newtownatstcharles.comgrew up around this site since 1981, itwasn’t until October 20, 2001 that theSeaside Interfaith Chapel was dedicated.Envisioned by developers Robertand Daryl Davis to be “a place for allfaiths to worship,” the 50 foot tall,traditionally-designed structure withits 68 foot tall bell tower anchors thenorthern terminus of Seaside’s centralgreen. The multi-function building hasbeen a home to a wide variety of activitiesincluding weddings, lectures,and faith-based services. For a numberof years it was used extensively by anevangelical Christian congregation, althoughthey have since moved on toanother slightly larger location abouta mile away. During the time that congregationwas in residence, “the chapelwas as alive as it has ever been,” accordingto Robert Davis. Since thattime, the chapel has been shared by afew feeder churches from Birmingham,Atlanta, and elsewhere during thesummer months to serve their congregantswho vacation in the resort community.The New Town at Saint Charles inSaint Charles, MO, a suburb of SaintLouis, similarly constructed a chapelto serve as their neighborhood’s centerpiece.Presently, the highly prominentclassical structure is the missionof a nearby Lutheran congregation,and shares time with a heavily bookedwedding schedule. It is the weddingbusiness that funds the operations andmaintenance of the building. The restof the week, the building sits largely15Photo: Josh Martin

A r t i c l e svacant and devoid of life.As Eric Jacobson, a Presbyterianpastor and the author of Sidewalks inthe Kingdom: New Urbanism and theChristian Faith, noted in an article inNew Urban News in April/May 2005,“When economies of scale allow andthe developer is interested in includinga religious building as an amenity,a multi-faith structure is often less thanoptimal. A generic religious buildingdoesn’t enliven the space nearlyas much as one in which a flesh-andbloodcongregation makes a significantinvestment.” 5 The experiences of theNew Town Chapel and Saint CharlesChristian Church certainly bear out hisstatement.Since early experiments in multipurposechapels underperformed theoriginal intentions to help authenticate“community,” a number of developershave now begun to reserve spaces forthe purpose-built church by a specificfaith community.Forging a New CongregationIn the I’On neighborhood of MountPleasant, SC, developer Vince Grahamlong hoped to find a congregation tobuild within the celebrated new urbanistvillage. After an article in the localpaper that noted that the neighborhoodhad a civic site reserved, members ofthe Orthodox Church in America approachedVince with a proposal tobuild a new home for their parish.Enamored with the rich architecturalheritage that the Orthodox faith carrieswith it through each of their buildings,the proposal was quickly accepted.The land was donated to Holy AscensionOrthodox Church and in May,2008, the 3,500 square foot, Byzantinestructure was dedicated. Interestingly,the parish took up residence in theneighborhood long before the church’sdedication by maintaining a Christianbookstore, Ascension Books, in an adjacentstorefront. It was through thisearly presence in the neighborhoodthat the parish built a connection withmany of the neighbors and merchants.Those “friends of the parish” helpedto build the church literally throughsuch tasks as driving the nails into thefloor. And the neighborhood continuesto support the church through itsattendance at various social and culturalgatherings held at the church.Father John Parker, the parish’s firstand current pastor, believes that theirunique and formal liturgy is as immediatelyattractive to the general populationas a non-denominational formatwould be. “But,” he adds, “we feel thatwe are able to evangelize every daythrough the art and iconography of thebuilding as they walk, bike, and driveby. In this manner we are able to servetheir specific needs of an Orthodoxfaith if they are so inclined but we viewour mission simply to invite people tobe in the orbit of the church.”Designed by Andrew Gould, the$1.3 million Holy Ascension Churchhas become a true neighborhood landmarkreplete with the onion-domes inthe orthodox tradition and, accordingto Father John Parker, “a perfect orientationof the structure to the east.” Thelatter of these is a designer’s challengewhen given a lot not much larger thana postage stamp in an urban neighborhood.In addition, the size of the lotprecluded many of the suburban amenitiesthat are commonplace with mostchurches, including large parking lots.On-street parking and parking in thenearby town center lots accommodateparishioners’ cars.Today, everyone who comes intothe church, whether as a guest, a patronof the many events that are hostedthere, or for The Divine Liturgy, hastwo reactions upon entering the smallbuilding–“wow” and “wow.” Whilethey are not a fast growing parish,Father John rests his faith in God inmore subtle ways: “We hope that ourbuilding will be a beacon to those whomight not otherwise come in for theliturgy… I believe that beauty will savethe world.”Finding a New HomeSaint Alban’s Episcopal Churchin Davidson, NC and the Church ofthe Good Shepherd in Covington, GAfound new life amidst the front porchesand tree-lined streets of their traditionalneighborhoods.In Covington, the local Episcopalchurch was already looking to relocatefrom their current in-town location toa new site that could better accommodatetheir long-term needs. When theylearned that a site had been reservedby the developers of Clark’s Grove approximatelyone mile from the church’sHoly Ascension Orthodox Church in Mount Pleasant, SCPhoto: Josh MartinPhoto: Josh Martin16 Sacred Architecture Issue 18 2010

present location, they knew that it wastheir destiny. Interestingly, there wasno civic site available in the secondphase of the neighborhood, but becausethey were still early in the process, thedevelopers tweaked the lots to createa site that accommodated the needs ofthe church. Today the $2.6 million, 240seat church and separate administrationbuilding sit prominently on thethird tallest hill in town.Unlike Holy Ascension, they havea small parking lot, but they still relyheavily on on-street parking to satisfytheir needs. It’s a bit ironic since theprimary reason for their initial decisionto relocate was the absence of parking.“It’s a different mindset than the suburbanmegachurch,” observes its rector,Father Tim Graham. “We are muchmore connected because we are righthere in the neighborhood.” A numberof parishioners walk to the churchtoday—in fact more than when theywere located downtown—and theyhope that as the 300 home neighborhoodbuilds out over its over 90 acresthat many more will be attracted to thechurch. Father Tim believes that manypeople across the country “are longingto know their neighbors. The neighborhoodchurch can offer not only a placeto worship but also a social network aswell.”Also unlike the very high-pricedhomes in I’On, which is relativelyisolated from its neighbors, Clark’sGrove is a piece of the larger neighborhood.Frank Turner, who leads thedevelopment team, is quick to pointout that “not too far from the uppermiddle class homes of Clark’s Groveare some of the poorest people in theentire country.” Accordingly to FatherTim, “the location in the middle ofthis diverse neighborhood affords thechurch the responsibility to reach outto everyone.”And finally in Davidson, NC aninfill neighborhood is home to SaintAlban’s Church, within walking distanceof the downtown and DavidsonCollege. What started as a land swapto better orient an entrance became afabulous partnership between the localchurch and the developer to createa very prominent landmark. WhenDoug Boone began planning his “newneighborhood in old Davidson” (heintentionally didn’t name the neighborhood),he and his design team wereable to negotiate a mutually beneficialland swap that would increase theSacred Architecture Issue 18 2010St Alban's Episcopal Church in Davidson, NCchurch’s property from two acres toseven, and place them at the terminationof the main entrance to the neighborhood.From this point on, as thethen-rector of the parish, Gary Stebernotes, “it was all providential.”The then-150 person congregationwas able to construct the 300 seat, $1.8million church and bell tower and dedicateit on October 21, 2001; coincidentallya day after the dedication of theSeaside Interfaith Chapel. “Since thattime,” says current rector Father DavidBuck, “the parish has grown to morethan 500 regular attendees over twoservices and more than 1,000 peopleconnected to the church.” Its currentlocation is a fulfillment of the originalmembers’ desire to be seen throughoutthe community. Formerly worshippingin a house located deep in a neighborhoodnot too far from their presentlocation, Saint Alban’s is very much acenter of activity for the entire community.Today they host a robust scheduleof music that is open to the community,which included a recent concertby noted pianist, George Winston.They are also beginning a communitygarden as a way to further reachout to the surrounding neighborhoodand host the neighborhood associationmeetings. And finally, in a measurethat harkens back to the multi-faithchapels noted earlier, they provide useof their facility to Temple Beth Shalomof Lake Norman on a regular basisuntil its congregation can build a permanenthome of their own.The Canary in the CoalmineEfforts to restore the neighborhoodchurch are still more the exception thanthe norm. New churches in traditional,walkable neighborhoods are few innumber compared to the total numberof new church buildings. But in somevery important ways, these early experimentsare the canaries in the coalmine,indicating that the trend may be successfuland sustainable. While housing,jobs, and shopping have long since returned,churches have heretofore beenmuch more cautious.What New Urbanism presents to thechurch is an opportunity. Very simply,it is an opportunity to override thepattern of auto-dependent, sprawlingcampuses in the greenfields in favorof returning to the neighborhoods,and once again become importantsocial and spiritual anchors. In doingso, the neighborhood church providesvisual beauty, physical prominence,and the restoration of authentic urbanismalongside a physical return of thesacred and the spiritual to our dailylives. Most importantly, the neighborhoodchurch can begin to once againfulfill its role in proclaiming the wordof God within walking distance of ourfront porch.WCraig S. Lewis is the Principal of LawrenceGroup Town Planners and Architects inDavidson, NC. www.thelawrencegroup.com1 For Saint Louis, see: http://www.archstl.org/archives/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=79&Itemid=1For Buffalo, see: http://www.cleveland.com/religion/index.ssf/2010/02/buffalo_catholic_diocese_finds.html2 Congress for the New Urbanism, Charter of the New Urbanism(New York: McGraw-Hill, 2000), 1.3 Ibid., 2.4 Ibid., v.5 Eric Jacobson, “The Return of the Neighborhood Church,” NewUrban News (April/May 2005): www.newurbannews.com/churchinsideapr05.html.17Photo: Josh Martin

A r t i c l e s“Lively Mental Energy”Thomas Gordon Smith and the Our Lady of Guadalupe SeminaryDenis McNamaraThe seminary is located in the countryside near Lincoln, NE.Though broadcast live on Catholictelevision, the March 2010consecration of the Chapel ofSaints Peter and Paul at the PriestlyFraternity of St. Peter’s Our Lady ofGuadalupe Seminary in Denton, NEpassed rather quietly in the architecturaland ecclesiastical news. Liturgicallyorientedblogs covered its four-hourconsecration ceremony and Churchwatchers noted the many illustriousprelates in attendance. While a joyousday for the Fraternity, the chapel alsoserves as an important signpost markingthe coming of age of today’s use of theclassical tradition. While neither thefirst nor the largest of the New Classicalchurches to be completed in recent years,it proves a significant milestone for itsarchitect, Thomas Gordon Smith, anintellectual powerhouse and pioneeringforce in the return of classicism to thearchitectural profession. Smith hasdrawn from the classical tradition asinspiration for his artistic talent, goingbeyond the laudable goal of merecompetence in the classical language,and rising to what author Richard Johnhas described as “the excitement of theclassical canon.” 1An accomplished painter, furnituredesigner, historian, and author, Smithis widely known for refounding theSchool of Architecture at the Universityof Notre Dame in 1989, makingthe school an incubator for a renewalof classical architecture. Notre Damehas since turned out a new generationof young designers who have realistichopes of building classical buildings.This happy situation comes in starkcontrast to that of many of their teachers,who, like Smith, had to run againstthe grain of the modernist architecturalestablishment and learn classicalarchitecture largely on their own.Smith, born in 1948, is simultaneouslypioneer, elder statesman, and a leadingpractitioner in the burgeoning fieldof New Classicism. The Our Lady ofGuadalupe Seminary chapel displaysthe compelling fruit of many hardwonand carefully argued discussionsbegun decades ago.Rediscovering the Heritage ofClassicismWhile it may seem to have snuckup on those interested in traditionalchurch design, a burst of traditionalchurches has been completed or is onthe boards from architects like EthanAnthony, James McCrery, DavidMeleca, and Duncan Stroik amongmany others. Almost unthinkableeven as little as ten years ago, buildingslike Stroik’s Thomas AquinasCollege Chapel or Meleca’s Church ofSaint Michael the Archangel in Kansas(both completed 2009), seem to haveglided rather easily into today’s architecturaldiscussion and even some ofthe mainstream architectural press. Buttoday’s successes in traditional ecclesiasticaldesign did not come withoutdiligent attention and hard-foughtbattles. Thomas Gordon Smith has notonly been treating classicism as a livingdiscourse for over thirty years, butunlike many other classical architectswho tend to focus on secular society’sclients and commissions, has broughthis knowledge to both academia and tothe Church.Richard John’s 2001 monograph,Thomas Gordon Smith: The Rebirth ofClassical Architecture, aptly portraysSmith’s early years as both a postmodernistand later a true pioneer inthe move to serious engagement withclassical design. It is easy to forget, especiallyfor today’s under-forty (andperhaps even under-fifty) generationof classical architects and clients, thattoday’s New Classicism emerged notonly from the anti-historical trendsof modernism, but was further siftedfrom postmodernism’s tentative andironic use of classical forms. Smith’s18 Sacred Architecture Issue 18 2010Photo: Alan SmithPhoto: www.fssp.org/en/photos.htm

invitation to participate in the nowfamous 1980 Venice Bienniale, an internationalarchitectural exhibitionentitled “The Presence of the Past,”not only publicized his abilities, buthighlighted his departure from thepost-modern tendency to see classicalforms as witty oddities inserted intonew buildings in uncanonical ways.At the exhibition, “Smith was almostalone in adopting a literate treatment”of classical forms, earning the ire ofsome, but also the praise of architecturaltheorist Charles Jencks, who wrote:“Smith is the only architect here totreat the classical tradition as a livingdiscourse.” 2 Smith’s proposed design,for instance, required the fabricationof spiraled Solomonic columns whichthe exhibition contractor lacked theknowledge to construct. Rather thanchange his design, Smith returned toold sources: books on the subject byVignola, Guarini, and Andrea Pozzo.“Using the same treatises as architectshad three centuries earlier,” gaveSmith “insight into how the classicaltradition had been continually developedin the light of contemporary circumstancesand then handed on fromgeneration to generation.” 3 Almosttwenty years later, the Fraternity ofSt. Peter found in Smith a man who,like the Fraternity itself, had made aspecialty of “quietly battling trends,”and could build a seminary “withthe irony-free rigor of an ancient.” 4Our Lady of Guadalupe SeminaryAlthough the Our Lady ofGuadalupe Seminary’s chapel was onlycompleted this year, its roots extendback to the late 1990’s, a time whendesigning a large, classically-inspiredbuilding complex seemed by many tobe almost as trend-defying as the promotionof what was then called the TridentineMass. Though Smith had beenusing classical design for homes fornearly two decades, the mainstreamecclesiastical culture of the time wasfar from accepting traditional architecture.The inherent respect for traditionevident in the mission of the PriestlyA r t i c l e sFraternity of St. Peter made classical architecturea natural match for their lifeand liturgical practice. But the bustle oftoday’s classical revival was just beginningto simmer at the time. The architecturalinstructions of the new GeneralInstruction of the Roman Missal, whichwould be released in 2002, had not yetarrived. Several of today’s middle generationof young classical architecturalpractitioners, many centered at NotreDame, were just beginning to coalescean alliance with a similarly pioneeringgroup of liturgical scholars. Mostimportantly, the profoundly anti-traditional1978 document on liturgical architecturepublished by the AmericanBishops’ Committee on the Liturgy,Environment and Art in Catholic Worship(EACW), was still dominating the liturgicalestablishment. Along with someothers, Smith wrote and spoke publiclycritiquing the document, rightly characterizingit as “outdated in its promotionof bland modernist structures andiconoclastic liturgical settings.” 5 Justas he was beginning the design for theThe seminary and newly completed chapelPhoto: Tom StrokaSacred Architecture Issue 18 201019

A r t i c l e sThe seminary entranceseminary in the late 1990’s, Smith publisheda telling article which summarizedhis design method. Turning thelong-established modernist critique onits head, he wrote:"We need not passively accept whatour recent ancestors have dictated. Ifwe apply what the Roman architectVitruvius called “lively mentalenergy,” we can innovativelycontradict the prevailing orthodoxyof abstraction and revive over twomillennia of tradition. The thesisthat has defined the life work ofmany architects, including mine,is this: to make traditional formsof architecture vitally expressivetoday. Since I began to studyarchitecture formally in 1972, andin my professional and academiclife since, my objective has been tobreak through the barriers that havebeen set up by modernists to makeour forebears seem inaccessible." 6With a client ready and willing to“foster buildings that fully honor thevision and legacy of the Church,” planningfor the new seminary began.The 1998 ground-breaking initiatedthe first stage in Smith’s plansfor the seminary. The Fraternity askedfor a building complex based onRomanesque precedent, which gaveSmith a wide array of design optionsdrawing from the late antiqueto the early Middle Ages.In 1998, as today, a basilican-plannedchurch madea strong statement aboutcommitment to traditionalworship practice and loyaltyto Rome, both importantpoints for the Fraternity ofSt. Peter, then only ten yearsseparated from the schismaticSociety of St. Pius X. Becauseof its expanses of unadornedwalls and restrained use ofornament, Romanesque architecturehad been longnoted for conveying strengthand grandeur with a relativelymodest expenditure.Smith noted the advantagesof the Romanesque mode,which he said lent “durabilityand economy” and “straightforwardsimplicity of form”to new buildings. 7 Smithnoted that for his clients, “theRomanesque represents solidity,simplicity, and religious vitality”which is “similar to the way in whichCounter-Reformation patrons and architectssought to reconnect with earlyChristian models.” With a limitedbudget, the Romanesque could givethe Fraternity “discrete, well-proportionedbuildings without striving forexcesses.” 8Smith’s evocative watercolors of thecomplex received wide publication, hispainterly style demonstrating not onlyhis skill as an artist who holds a degreein painting, but whose approach totraditional architecture depends onthe excitement of expressive color andline. Smith chose to show one view ofthe building in a winterscene, where the shadesof purple and blue insnowy shadows harmonizedwith the multipleshades of yellow andorange found in the brickof the building itself.Here again Smith showedthe creative reworking ofthe classical inheritance:the gold and orange tonesso typical of sunny Italynonetheless work simultaneouslywith Nebraska’ssnowy winter landscapeand the dry grassyplains of its late summer.Photo: Tom StrokaSmith’s attention to locale furthershows that a careful practitioner ofNew Classicism designs a new buildingfor its time and place. The complexwas carefully sited in the landscape,“situated on the spur of a hill withwings nestled into adjacent ravines.”Smith’s goals, he wrote, were “to createa building complex that appears tohave always existed in this location,”where the prominent site would bevisible from a great distance, and tomake the chapel readily identifiable. 9Smith’s descriptions of his own workindicate that he values clarity of partsand legibility of use. Calling the seminarycomplex a “microcosmic city for areligious community,” he designed thearchitecture to convey symbolically thecommunity’s spiritual objectives.To that end, even a quick overviewof the design makes clear the hierarchicalpriorities of the community. Thecruciform basilican chapel, nearly freestandingexcept for a small connectingcorridor, steps forward as the immediatepublic face of the complex, indicatingthe public nature of the chapel andthe importance of the worship within.The primary entrance to the seminaryproper is located in the westernwing, delineated by a gabled portalthat Smith calls a “frontispiece.” Themedieval-inspired Romanesque entrywith receding arches on colonnettessits below a thermal window drawnfrom ancient Rome, all within a Renaissance-inspiredtemple front motif indicatedby strip pilasters of contrastingcolor. Here a somewhat reserved andeconomically built facade draws fromseveral different centuries for inspiration,yet maintains a tranquil unity ofdesign that gives no hint of self-con-The refectory20 Sacred Architecture Issue 18 2010Photo: Tom Stroka

A r t i c l e sAn altar at the end of the side aisleSacred Architecture Issue 18 2010Photo: Alan Smithscious eclecticism. By contrast, othersections of the western facade are calmand repetitive, indicating the line ofadministrative offices and classroomsbehind.In a continued revelation of useand purpose, this quiet linearity ofthe facade is suddenly broken as atower-like section anchors the northwestcorner. Its high roofline and largearched windows indicate a room ofsignificant proportions, notably theAula Magna, or Great Hall, with theseminary library beneath. Functionalwings of the complex put on no airs,being indicated simply by rows of repeatingwindows in blocks of varyingbrick and different levels of detail.Together the wings form a cloisteredcourtyard and provide a place of contemplation.Breaking the cloister’ssilhouette, however, is the refectory,a barrel-vaulted room of austere simplicity,enriched and organized by twopairs of Doric columns and a carefullycomposed southern wall with views tothe western landscape. Like the building’sentrance, the refectory’s southwall shows Smith’s synthetic creativity,where extremely simple elements forma heroic motif blending the Serlianamotif with an extra set of piers to forma thermal window above.The newly completed Chapel ofSaints Peter and Paul predictably receivessignificant treatment indicatingits primary place in the seminary’s hierarchy.One major challenge in buildingthe chapel was an extremely tightbudget, so tight in fact that it led tothe removal of the proposed campanile.But one of the strengths of classicaldesign in the hands of a master isits ability to be reduced, or “diluted,”without loss of dignity or ontologicalconfusion. Working from the basicPalladian double temple front motif,the facade reveals the chapel’s doubleheight interior and inherent dignity ofuse. The triple arched entry to a deepporch includes oculus windows thatsignify the great height of the porchinterior, reinforcing the scale and importanceof the building. The openingsfurther reveal the thickness of thewall, giving the building a sense of heftwhich reads as convincingly traditionaland adeptly avoids the modernisttendency to make tight-looking wallswith the depth of only a single brick.The use of stone was reduced toan almost absolute minimum on thefacade, rightly concentrated instead inthe lower entablature. The entablatureitself, containing the Latin inscription“Come after me and I will make youfishers of men,” receives a sophisticatedtreatment which maintains theprimacy of the facade while reducingThe chapel interiorcost. Only a portion of the entablaturesteps forward, receiving dentils andthe articulation of fascia on the architrave,while quieting at the edges. Thesecond story’s three-part blind arcadeis further reduced, returning to all brickbut maintaining clear articulation ofstructural units, as in the large archescomposed of three rows of bricks whichland on implied brick impost blocks. Ina subtle move, the bricks take a herringbonepattern within the windowsthemselves, fictively signifying theirnature as implied openings and differentiatingthem from the wall and archas primary structural units. Above, asmall strip of stone marks the upperarchitrave, while extremely simplifiedstone blocks designate the modillions,the figurative ends of horizontal beamsextending out beyond the plane of thewall. As economical as it is compellinglysophisticated, the facade proclaimsto the world that refined, intellectuallyrigorous classical design need not belavish or disproportionately expensive.Passing through the mahoganydoors, the interior continues the building’saustere masculine sophistication.Most of the chapel is composedof unadorned planar surfaces, andall windows appear above eye level,giving the church plentiful light andwhile maintaining a sense of enclo-21Photo:Tom Stroka

A r t i c l e sThe distinctive column basePhoto:Tom Strokasure from the fallen world. Arcadesof structural, steel-reinforced Doriccolumns define the interior. Locallymade of cast stone for reason of cost,the columns received significant architecturalelaboration, including classicalmotifs of leaves, egg and dart, flowers,and beads. A historian’s knowledgeappears in the unusual column bases,a Smith hallmark, drawing from thetreasury of variants of classicism foundin antiquity. Warmth and richness isfound largely in the wood of the choirstalls, carefully designed with high rearpanels to enclose the choir. Concentratedcolor is also found in the stoneused in the sanctuary and central aisle,using intersecting patterns of greenand red tones associated recallingthe miraculous image of Our Lady ofGuadalupe. At the ceiling level anotherburst of color appears in the form of repeatingstencils of vine and flower patterns(painted in part by the seminary’sstudents) amid richly veined cedarplanks.The marble altar and baldachino,reclaimed from a closed church inQuebec, were previously acquired bythe Fraternity, and Smith subsequentlydesigned the east wall’s apse to receivethem. While the altar and baldachinouse fine materials, significant symbolism,and take clear command of theroom, it is hard to steer clear of theconclusion that the chapel would havebeen better served by an altar designedby Smith himself, avoiding the resultingarchitectural discontinuity betweenthe somewhat dated altar and thedynamic New Classicism of Smith’schapel architecture.Despite the chapel’s initial appearanceof austerity, however, Smith’sattention to detail abounds. Simplebut graceful brackets ease the transitionof beams to walls. A carefully designedwrought ironrailing, which includesa Greek key pattern,graces a transeptbalcony. Worked ironstrap hinges signifythe importance of thefront door. Even emptypicture frames weredesigned and put inplace for the futurewhen funds allowlarge paintings to beadded to the chapel.ConclusionNearly fifteen yearsin the making, the OurLady of GuadalupeSeminary signifiesmore than a traditionalbuilding corresponding to theneeds of a traditional community.It marks a climactic moment in therenewal of Catholic liturgical architecture.Smith’s intellectual energy andlaborious struggles which began inthe 1970’s now offer the riches of theChurch’s architectural patrimony toarchitectural professionals and ecclesiasticaldecision makers. As Smithhas duly noted, the “creation of greatbuildings requires the cooperativeeffort of many people, from architectsto builders and artisans, but it dependsmost on the courage, dedication, andprotection of patrons.” 10 In the Fraternityof St. Peter, Smith found a patronasking for fully-developed classicalarchitecture – not unheard of todayin Catholic work – but truly groundbreakingin the late 1990’s. The priestsand seminarians of the Seminary ofOur Lady of Guadalupe received anarchitectural complex at once vital, creative,and new, yet as ancient as it ismodern. Skillful combinations of brickof differing shapes, sizes, and colorcreate a confidently rendered exteriorwith structural clarity expressed insubtle and creative ways. Every corneris filled with lessons learned fromSmith’s life experience and developedtalent. The floors of the seminary’sentry foyer use red and teal terra cottaflooring, while its walls are paneledin travertine marble, combining thehigh architectural traditions of Romewith the earthy hues of the Patronessof the Americas. Cedar columns in theThe nave column capitol design introduces a refinedclassicism to balance the austerity of the Romanesque.cloister combine fiscal discipline andclassical principles of structural clarity,yet draw from the wooden homes designedby architect Bernard Maybeckthat Smith studied as a young man. Inits concurrent austerity and richness,the entire project teaches the disciplineof both fasting and feasting withthe eyes. In sum, it gives the viewersomething rare in architecture, somethingwhich echoes healthy religiouslife itself: apostolic simplicity enrichedwith communal, ecclesial, and celebratorytouches in all the right places.22 Sacred Architecture Issue 18 2010WDenis R. McNamara, Ph.D. is an architecturalhistorian specializing in Americanchurch architecture. He is the assistant directorand faculty member at the LiturgicalInstitute of the University of Saint Maryof the Lake / Mundelein Seminary, andserves as a liturgical design consultant.Dr. McNamara published Heavenly City:the Architectural Tradition of CatholicChicago (2005) and Sacred Architectueand the Spirit of the Liturgy (2009).email: denismcnamara@yahoo.com1 Richard John, Thomas Gordon Smith: The Rebirth of ClassicalArchitecture (London: Andreas Papadakis, 2001), 45.2 Ibid., 45.3 Ibid., 45.4 Deborah Baldwin, “Giving New-Classical A Little More Neo.”New York Times. March 1, 2004, E5.5 Thomas Gordon Smith, “Fearful of Our ArchitecturalPatrimony,” Sacred Architecture (Winter 2000).6 Thomas Gordon Smith, “Reconnecting With Tradition,” SursumCorda, Fall 1998.7 Thomas Gordon Smith, “Our Lady of Guadalupe SeminaryDenton, Nebraska,” press release issued by Thomas GordonSmith, Inc., undated. Smith, who authored the book Vitruvius onArchitecture (New York: Monacelli Press, 2003), here uses familiarVitruvian terms such as durability and economy.8 Thomas Gordon Smith, “Church Architecture and ‘Full andActive Participation,’” Adoremus Bulletin 10 (April-May, 2004).9 Website of Thomas Gordon Smith, Architects, 2010,thomasgordonsmitharchitects.com.10 Thomas Gordon Smith, “An Architecture to Honor theChurch’s Vision,” Adoremus Bulletin 3 (November 1997).Photo:Tom Stroka

LOGOSA Journal of Catholic Thought and CultureCall for PapersLogos seeks a readership that extendsbeyond the academy and is especiallyinterested in receiving submissions inart, photography, architecture andmusic. Articles should demonstrate aclear exploration of themes related tothe intersection of these subjects andCatholic thought and culture.L I T E R A T U R E ✧ A R T ✧ T H E O L O G Y ✧ M U S I C ✧ H I S T O R Y ✧ A R C H I T E C T U R Ewww.stthomas.edu/cathstudies/logosSacred Architecture Issue 18 201023

A r t i c l e sArchitectural Violence in Umbria“The Fuksas Church”Andrea PaccianiIn some modern churches, not onlydo the faithful struggle to find thephysical entrance, but seeminglyeven Jesus Christ struggles to find ameans of entering. Among this numberis the church in Foligno, Italy that hasgarnered international renown forthe boldness with which this concretecube fits into Umbria, one of the mostbeautiful regions of Italy. It is the landof St. Francis and St. Clare. Not far fromhere the most figurative expression ofthe Catholic faith in antiquity, the creche,was invented. But Fuksas did not takethis heritage into account as a meansof guiding and informing his design.Although his reasons are unclear—whether out of ignorance, hostility, orthe belief that tradition is outdated—thechurch as built is an act of violence. Onthe one hand the church demonstratesan act of architectural violence againstPhoto: wikimedia commons Photo: wikimedia commons24 Sacred Architecture Issue 18 2010

A r t i c l e sthe Umbrian countryside, on the otheran act of spiritual violence against someof the most beautiful pages in the historyand tradition of Catholicism.Indeed, the church does not identifyitself as a church except by the monumentalaspect of the facade. While thismonumental character is typical ofUmbrian churches, it is here distortedinto a giant that only expresses inadequacyand arrogance. With exposed,raw-looking concrete, it evokes thefleeting structural solidity of hundredsof Italian churches built in the last halfcentury whose now-crumbling facadesexhibit the bleeding stains of rustingrebar.From an architectural point of viewthe church is criminal, an affront to thescenic area in which it is inserted. Butthe architect portrays the church—boththe building and the institution—as asocial crime as well: the crime of faithin a secularized society amid a contemporaryrelativism that denies thespiritual in favor of a chronic materialism.It almost seems that the architectintends to disparage the church for itsawkward presence in the neighborhoodfabric so that the parishionerswould feel singled out by the rest of thecommunity.Looking at the structure both fromthe outside and inside one can imaginehow it was conceived as an emptyspace impossible to fill, with smoothand regular walls, so that no seed ofChristian devotion could take root inthat building.The sense of shock in such a strangeThe parish "piazza" is a slab in front of the looming presence of the churchspace masks a spiritual uneasiness; thepractice of affection for the neighborhoodchurch and the living presenceinside are difficult to develop hereduring daily devotions: Eucharistic adoration,prayer vigils, and reciting therosary all need places we can frequentevery day with growing affection, andnot with a sense of alienation, or worse,of guilt.In the end it is a place createdmerely for its oddness, not for a dailyconfessional life that sustains the needsof faith, within a place where it can beexpressed and strengthened. I cannotimagine celebrations enriched by theassembly’s spiritual fervor taking placePhoto: Ettore Guerrieroin that church, nor solemn feast daysbroken by the cry of a newborn or alittle child running around—but I don’tthink the designer could imagine themeither.No one knows the real name of thischurch, or to whom it has been dedicated,but everyone calls it the Fuksaschurch, as if it was a deconsecratedplace or perhaps simply not worthy tobe linked to something holy.WAndrea Pacciani practices architecture andurban design in Parma, Italy.andreapacciani.comPhoto: wikimedia commons Photo: Ettore GuerrieroSacred Architecture Issue 18 201025

A r t i c l e sA house to be dedicated is a soul to besanctified”Sacred Architecture according to Hugh of Saint VictorAreflection on sacred architecturemust at some point regard thechurch edifice precisely as it is“sacred”—set apart and consecratedfor divine worship. Worship joinshuman beings to the life of God byknowledge and by love. Yet, in thishigh affair, what significance should weattribute to the building itself beyond itspsychological effect on worshippers?The twelfth century commentary byHugh of Saint Victor on the rite for theDedication of a church answers clearly:second to the Incarnation, the churchbuilding is theologically fundamentalbecause it represents and interpretsa new sacramental cosmos whereinhuman beings, as members of Christ,are to return to God. 1 Hugh’s theologycombines three themes: his uniquedivision of sacred history into God’sworks of foundation and restoration; hisliturgical notion of the soul’s journey tothe divine likeness and participation inthe divine life; and his use of the ancientascetical theme of the coordination of thecreated and uncreated temples.The work of foundation—The templeliturgies of cosmos, history, and soulHugh divides history into two greatworks of God: the “work of foundation”is the world and all its creatures;the “work of restoration,” beginning athumanity’s fall, is the Incarnation andits sacraments that precede in the OldLaw and follow in the New to heal,illuminate, and glorify a humanitymarred by sin. Humanity was createdto know and to love God, ascending inworship to an intimate life with himin his divine likeness. 2 Therefore, Godrevealed himself by the created workof foundation: “Like a book written bythe finger of God,” the world’s naturalresemblances, or simulacra, express theunwritten book who is the Father’seternally-begotten Son. 3 They do soby imitating the harmonious order ofa soul conformed to his likeness. Thatis, the sanctified soul is creation’s exemplar,a microcosmic blueprint of themacrocosm.Jordan WalesThe Royal Abbey of Saint Victor before it was destroyed in the French RevolutionTo read his “book,” God gave to humankindthree “eyes:” the eye of contemplationlooked directly on God;the eye of reason beheld his image andlikeness in the well-ordered soul; andthe eye of the flesh apprehended thecorporeal signs for interpretation bythe reason. God also gave to humans acomprehensive knowledge of creaturesby a “simple and direct [interior] illumination,”along with outward miraclesand revelations. 4 This foundationtaught humanity to live according towisdom: soul was to be ordered underGod in love, body under soul; lastly,humanity was to order the world that itmight manifest God’s beauty.Hugh writes “historia fundamentumest”—history is the foundation—because from “the beginning,” the narrativeof cosmic history has taught howto become like God. Rational creaturesare made at first “unformed in a certainmode…, afterwards to be formedthrough conversion to its Creator.” 5 Accordingly,God created the cosmos initiallyin a “form of confusion” and thenset in full order. 6This conversion is liturgical; onegrows in the divine likeness byknowing and loving God most especiallyin a divine worship that isguided by and prompted by gratitudefor his creation. Hugh construes thisliturgical life as an initiation into themystery that Lord disclosed to Isaiahwhen he revealed himself seated uponhis throne with his glory filling theheavenly temple amidst the thunderoustriple-cry of sanctus! 7 For Hugh,the cosmos is like a corporeal templereplete with God’s glory; the angelsand saints are his throne. History is as atemporal temple filled with his works,with eternity his throne. Inasmuch asthey manifest God, Hugh likens thesetemples to the Lord’s body.By knowledge and love, the soulmoves through the corporeal to thespiritual and finally to the very face ofGod, fashioning an inner temple thatjoins the angelic worship of heaven. 8Throughout history, soul and cosmoshave manifested the uncreated Wordso that humanity might coordinate theinternal and the cosmic with the heavenlyliturgy. Perfected after his likeness,the temples of soul, cosmos, andhistory were to have been made sacred.However, turning toward sensual gratification,humanity’s first parents abandonedthe work of God.26 Sacred Architecture Issue 18 2010Photo: Wikimedia Commons

A r t i c l e sThe Fall and the work of restoration—The liturgy of sacrament and scriptureThis fall wrought severe injury. Thestabilizing illumination was lost andreason’s eye clouded so that it could notread accurately the inner image or theouter sign. The eye of contemplationwas closed. The eye of the flesh, aloneunharmed, was left to rove the sensoryrealm, which now overwhelmed ratherthan informed the reason.Immediately, God initiated his workof restoration so that human beings canjourney back to God albeit “through aglass” and “darkly.” What humankindonce saw directly by contemplationis now possessed indirectly by faith’sbelief. This sanctifying foretaste, writesHugh, is the “sacrament of future contemplation.”We journey “darkly”because, bereft of Adam’s illumination,we misread the signs for selfish satisfaction.Yet, fulfilling Isaiah’s vision,wisdom is manifest in time by the Incarnation,and continues in the sacraments.To those who are members ofhis body, the Church, all sacramentsrepresent wisdom without and fashionwisdom within, re-forming the microcosmicsoul-temple after the likeness ofChrist.Scripture and the sacraments bothre-explain the simulacra, but the sacramentsalso replace them. Unlike thesimulacra’s passive “image of nature,”Christ’s sacraments are an “image ofCreation as an expression of the LogosSacred Architecture Issue 18 2010grace,” actively dispelling the soul’sdarkness. 9 The seven sacramentsproper visibly represent invisiblethings by a natural aptitude; are appointedto a salvific function by divineinstitution; and are sanctified by benedictionto contain and communicatedivine grace. 10 However, the “sacramentsof exercise”—today called the“sacramentals”—do not contain gracebut instead restore the microcosmictemple to Christiform beauty by exercisingits baptismal faith and charity. 11All sacraments—whether by theirown grace or by the operation of faithand love—humble the pride, re-formthe intellect’s understanding of faith,and enflame the will to a devotionconformed to that understanding.So doing, the sacraments form andevoke worship in place of the naturalsigns of old. For in foundation, “thatthe praise of God might be perfect, theworks of God were shown” so that “therational creature…might understand[and] might rise to render thanks” forwhat she admired both without andwithin, rising through the “affectionof love” to be perfected in praise. 12 Sotoo in restoration: “Certain places wereconsecrated, churches built, and…times appointed at which the faithfulshould assemble together in order asa group to be urged to render thanks,offer prayers, fulfill vows. …so that inturn the hearts of the faithful are nowcomposed for rest, nowexcited to devotion.” 13 TheChristian amidst the sacramentsmust do what Adamdid not do amidst the simulacra:probe the significationof divine-things-bycreated-thingsso that, by awell-formed praise of God,the microcosmic temple ofthe soul may recover wisdom’slikeness and attaincontemplation.Photo: wga.hu/frames-e.html?/html/zgothic/miniatur/1251-300/index.htmlCREATION_LRGThe sanctification of a newcosmosNow we can connect thesacredness of ecclesiasticalarchitecture to that of thesoul. The New Testamentspeaks of the “temple of theHoly Spirit” (the soul) andof the eschatological templeof the “New Jerusalem”(Christ’s body, with thesaints its living stones). Themedieval church buildingAn illustration of the creationas an expression of the manifestation ofenthroned Wisdom. Note that Christis enthroned upon the eschatological Cityof God.served also as a new cosmos whereinthe sacramentals re-form humankindby perfected worship. As Umberto Ecowrote, the Gothic cathedral was “a surrogatefor nature, a veritable liber etpictura…[which] actualised a syntheticvision of man, of his history, of his relationto the universe.” 14 Specifically,Hugh aligned his exegeses of the creationnarrative and the rite of Dedicationfor a church—for both narrativesform the soul as a sacred temple.As a sacrament of “preparation,” therite of Dedication operates on its participants,to impress its meaning sacramentallyas an “invisible truth in thefaithful soul.” 15Hugh positions Dedication in his DeSacramentis according to its positionin Christian life. He discusses it in thecontext of Book II, concerning the “Incarnation…and the fulfillment of God’sgrace, from the sacraments of the NewTestament to the end and consummationof all.” 16 This “fulfillment” is theChurch, Head and members, unitedby grace. After describing holy orders,Hugh declares that Dedication must bedescribed before all else because in thededicated church “all other sacramentsare celebrated.” 17 Hugh implies ananalogy of church and sacraments tocosmos and signs: Foundation’s templewas the cosmos filled with the signs ofGod’s glory; the church building with27Photo: wga.hu/frames-e.html?/html/zgothic/miniatur/1251-300/index.htmlCREATION_LRG

A r t i c l e sBishop Aymond of Austin (now New Orleans) consecrates the new altar at Saint MaryCatholic Center in College Station, TX.its sacramentals declares visibly thenew cosmos and temple of restoration—Christ’sbody—wherein the newhistory of restoration is fulfilled by thecelebration of the other sacraments,bringing post-lapsarian humanity fromdisorder to harmony. 18What of the Dedication rite itself?As a “sacrament of preparation,” itpropaedeutically frames the other sacraments,just as creation and its narrativephysically and didactically frameAdam’s establishment and advancement.Dedication does not accomplishin the soul a baptismal illuminationor a nourishing eucharistic transformation;rather, these are properly receivedor lived-out by a soul-templeformed in accord with what Dedicationteaches; such a soul may pass throughthe sacraments to Christ. In this wayDedication “prepares” for, althoughit does not always precede the othersacraments. As Hugh writes, “a houseto be dedicated is a soul to be sanctified.”19The form of this sacrament and thesanctification of the templeThe narratives of creation and Dedicationbecome true worship whenactualized in the souls of those whoreceive it through the operation of faithand devotion. The rite thus has foursteps which parallel the journey of thesoul in faith. First, twelve candles arelit within the church and the bishopcircles its exterior walls thrice, sprinklingthem to signify “the threefold immersionof purifying through water;”he enters the church to pray because“those…not yet sanctified…shouldpray for themselves.” The abecedariumtheGreek and Latin alphabets writtenwith the crosier in a chi of ash upon thefloor—“is the simple teaching of faith”in “the form of the cross which is impressedupon the minds of the peopleby the faith of the evangelical preaching”in Scripture. This itinerary suggeststhe illumination and ordering ofthe intellect for discernment by piety’sbelief and discretion’s ability to judge,formed by faith’s teaching (the cross),advanced by preaching, Scripture, andcommunion with God through prayer.Since baptism was signified at the beginning,we take the future “sanctification”to be the contemplative restand praise of the microcosmic templein this life, which is a foretaste of eschatologicalrest in the beatific vision.Secondly, the pontiff “ascends to…the altar” where “he invokes God tohis assistance” without saying Alleluia.He signifies those who, with “aknowledge of faith, gird themselvesfor good works and for struggleagainst invisible enemies,” humbly“ask[ing]…divine assistance” withoutpresuming “on their own strength.”They struggle “amidst sighs,” withoutAlleluia. 20 We see faith’s second stage,when discretion makes firm its judgmentand approves faith’s truth,putting forth an effort of strength toorder the will and the desires accordingto the informed intellect.Thirdly, the pontiff blesses water,salt, and ashes, adding wine, signifyingthat “the people are sanctified byfaith’s teaching and by the memoryof Christ’s passion, united with theirhead, God and man.” The bishop“makes a cross over the four cornersof the altar” before sprinkling it andthe church thrice and pouring out theexcess water “as if committing to Godwhat is above his strength.” The altaris “Christ upon whom we offer to theFather the gift of our devotion.” 21 It is“wiped with linen cloths” to show “hisflesh, brought by the Passion’s beatingsto the whiteness of incorruption.” Thebishop “offers incense” upon the altar,showing “the prayers of the saints.” 22The oil that anoints crosses on the altarand the church’s walls “demonstratesthe grace of the Holy Spirit.” Hence wehave moved from initial illumination,through struggle, to the full conversionof devotion. Once the soul prayed onlyfor itself; now she can pray for others,having been conformed to Christ’spassion and sealed with the Holy Spirit’sgrace. Now all desires are turned tothe God known through devotion’s affection.The soul becomes both temple28 Sacred Architecture Issue 18 2010aggiecatholic.orgHugh of St Victor teaching three monksPhoto: The Bodelein Library Oxford

and offering when her praise unitesher fully to her “Head” as a member ofChrist’s body.Fourthly, the conclusion: “Finallywhen the consecration has been completedthe altar is covered by its whiteveils.” “The white covering…designatesthe glory of incorruption withwhich Jesus’ humanity was clothedafter the Passion, mortality havingbeen swallowed up.” The Dedicationdoes not signify arrival at the beatificvision because, as it began by signifyingbaptism into his body, it ends bysignifying the incorruptible glory ofChrist’s resurrected flesh, which Christiansreceive from the consecrated altarand through which they become anoffering of perfect praise. To becomesacred, we must seek Christ in a contemplationof love opened most fullyby the Mass celebrated in the dedicatedchurch building, when the saints crysanctus! and receive him.The theological significance of sacredarchitectureHugh discovers in the liturgical ritethe saving history of faith which, fromScripture, he knows to be the subject ofthe sacraments that replace the darkenedsimulacra. His orderly exegesissubserves the recovery of the likenesswithin the soul that devoutly praysthe liturgy with this narrative in mind.Like God’s deliberately temporallyextendedliturgical work of creationwhich taught Adam how to live inthe world, the Dedication rite is a preparativeinstrument that shows whatwe ought to pursue as members ofChrist. 23 When Hugh enumerates thethings that must be “excited to mind,”he wishes to make the soul sacred.The liturgy for sanctifying a churchbuilding charts and subserves the lifethat sanctifies the human being as atemple of God conformed to heavenlyworship. So much for liturgy and liturgicalexegesis. But what is the physicalsacred architecture; why a building;why a specific “place”? Historia fundamentumest; the church building is anew visible cosmos symbolizing bothChrist’s body and the Christian soul;within this building, the yearly liturgicalrepetition of salvation history isa new saving history interpreted bythe particularity of his Incarnation. 24Therefore, beyond the church building‘ssacred atmosphere, to enter thisparticular “place” asserts a theologicalclaim: There is one Christ, one body,Sacred Architecture Issue 18 2010An illustration from a manuscript for the dedication of a churchone temple built of his members, as ofliving stones. The temple of the soulis meaningless apart from the greatertemple of Christ’s mystical body. He isthe new cosmos with a new history; inhim we journey as members of a bodypurified by the Passion. This is whatDedication teaches and what the building,with its liturgies, declares.The church building is more thana human-fashioned aid that could bediscarded without loss; Hugh contendsthat it is a providentially-inspired andintegral element of a divine and sanctifyingpedagogy. Like the concretesigns and events of salvation history,sacred architecture and liturgy arenever merely supplemental. They aremore necessary than ever now thatChrist has come because they showus our way within him. The sacred architectureof the church building, signifyingboth the soul of the saint andthe new cosmos of the body of Christ,is the symbolic foundation of the newhistoria that proceeds, through God’swork of restoration, to a seraphicpraise that makes sacred the templesof soul, cosmos, and Church, unitingthem in Christ.WJordan Wales is a Ph.D. candidate atthe University of Notre Dame, studyingpatristic and medieval theology.His email is jwales@nd.eduA r t i c l e s1 Hugh was born ca. A.D. 1078 (or 1096) and died in 1141.. Forfurther information, see Boyd Taylor Coolman, The Theologyof Hugh of St. Victor: An Interpretation (Cambridge: CambridgeUniversity Press, 2010).2 Hugh of St. Victor, On the Sacraments of the Christian Faith (DeSacramentis Christianae Fidei), trans. Roy J. Deferrari (Cambridge,MA: The Medieval Academy of America, 1951), I:VI, ii; 95.(Numbers after the semicolon indicate page-number in theEnglish translation). The translation is often modified foraccuracy.3 De Sacramentis I:III, xx; 50; De Tribus Diebus 4 (PL 176 col. 814).4 Ibid., Sacramentis I:VI, xii; 102.5 De Sacramentis I:VI, v; 97.6 De Sacramentis I:I, iii; 9.7 See Grover A. Zinn Jr., “Hugh of St Victor, Isaiah’s Vision, andDe Arca Noe,” in The Church and the Arts, ed. Diana Wood, 99–116(Oxford: Blackwell, 1995), 99–116.8 Zinn, 112.9 Commentary on the Celestial Hierarchy of Dionysius I, 1, inAngelic Spirituality, trans. Steven Chase, Classics of WesternSpirituality (New York: Paulist Press, 2002), 194–5.10 De Sacramentis I:IX, ii; 155 and I:IX, vi; 164.11 Ibid., I:IX, vii; 164 and II:IX; 315–321.12 Ibid., I:VI, v; 97; I:I, iii; 9.13 Ibid., I:IX, iii; 158.14 Umberto Eco, Art and Beauty in the Middle Ages (New Haven:Yale University Press, 1986), 61.15 De Sacramentis II:V, I; 279.16 Ibid., II:I; 205.17 Ibid., II:V, i; 279.18 De Arca Noe Morali I, 2 (ET I, 2; 52–4).19 De Sacramentis II:V, I; 279. This discussion quotes extensivelyand without citation from Hugh’s exposition (De Sacra-mentisII:V, ii; 279–81) and exegesis of the rite (II:V, iii; 281–2).20 De Sacramentis II:V, iii; 281–2.21 De Sacramentis II:V, iii; 282.22 Ibid., II:V, iii; 282.23 De Sacramentis I:I, iii; 8–9.24 See Grover A. Zinn Jr., “Historia fundamentum est: The role ofhistory in the contemplative life according to Hugh of St. Victor,”in Contemporary reflections on the medieval Christian Tradition.Essays in honor of Ray C. Petry, ed. George H. Shriver (Durham:Duke University Press, 1974), 135–158.29Photo: www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk

D o c u m e n t a t i o nAddress to Conference on Sacred ArchitectureHis Eminence Justin Cardinal RigaliThe mystery which we gatherto reflect upon today is at oncetimely and timeless. Timely,because as Aimé-Georges Martimorthas noted, “In our day the faithfulhave greater difficulty in achievingprayerful recollection and a sense ofGod’s presence.” 1 The mystery which wegather to reflect upon today is at oncetimely and timeless. Timely because asAt the root of this difficulty is a crisis, acontemporary crisis that surrounds thesacred.Our topic is also timeless becauseGod never ceases to call man tohimself. As God intervenes in humanhistory, he both conceals and revealshimself. He veils and unveils the signsof his presence that we might respondand offer pure worship to his greaterglory. 2In the revelation of the divineeconomy of salvation, God never neglectstime and space. As the eternal,invisible, and infinite God, whosedwelling place is in Heaven, revealshimself, he allows and encouragesmortal, visible, and finite humanbeings to call upon his name. 3 As hemakes known the hidden purpose ofhis will, he summons us to a sacredspace in an acceptable time. 4There are three practical andgrounded guiding principles I wouldlike to reflect upon concerning the vocationand mission of the architect andartist in the life of the Church.First, from the very beginning,Sacred Scripture testifies that architectureand art are linked to the verynature of the plan of God. We cantherefore never reduce the service ofarchitects and artists to a mere function.Their important work is notsimply an added enhancement to ourrelationship with God, but it actuallyserves to express our response to God.From the opening pages of SacredScripture, the gift and skill of the architectand artist occupy a recurrent andclimactic place in the plan of God.Second, we are reminded by theSecond Vatican Council and the teachingof Pope Benedict XVI that the work ofarchitecture and art takes place in andthrough dialogue with the Church.Third, the mission of the architect andartist, which is based in Sacred Scriptureand conducted in dialogue with theChurch, authentically develops onlyalong the path of true beauty.First Principle.Sacred Scripture testifies that therole and mission of architects andartists arise from the very nature of theplan of God. From the very beginning,the talents of artists and architects havebeen formed and, we could even say,forged by a unique relation to the plan ofGod. As we know from Sacred Scripture,God is the divine architect. God’s firstact after creating man was to establish asuitable place for man to dwell. The bookof Genesis tells us, “Then the Lord Godplanted a garden in Eden, in the east, andhe placed there the man whom he hadformed.” 5 God creates the sacred placewhere the inner state of man, his originalinnocence, is signified by his externalsurroundings, the garden of Eden. St.Thomas Aquinas explains that the eastis the right hand of heaven. 6When man disobeyed and sinnedagainst God, man lost original innocenceand was driven from this beautiful place,this sacred location. God banishes manfrom the garden, and settles him in adifferent place, “east of the garden ofEden.” 7 God places man in a penitentialspace outside of the garden.The call of God always reflects hisloving design. Under the effects ofsin, in the penitential place outsideof paradise, the impulse for shelterarises from the human being’s basicinstinctive need for safety and refugefrom the elements. More wonderfullystill, however, the human person movesbeyond the mere impulse of instinct tothe light of intuition. And here we detectthe tremendous value of the work of theartists and architects for the Church:artists and architects open themselvesto the light of sacred intuition, and theydirect its beam upward to constructand refine the instincts of man so asto prepare a dwelling place that maybecome a fitting sanctuary.Classical theology has alwaysemphasized that reason makes thecontinuous and ongoing effort to graspwhat is held by faith so that we mightbe led to intellectual admiration ofthe mystery of God and thus be moreprepared to offer adoration to God. 8The light of faith inspires the intuition ofaffection for a sacred place. Thus, whilethe work of architects and artists is both ascience and an art, it is first and foremostan exalted mission. In the mysteryof God’s presence, man’s intuitionis always to claim a sacred space, asanctuary from which he worships Godfor the glory which God has revealed. 9As the Catechism of the CatholicChurch teaches, “Sacred art is true andbeautiful when its form correspondsto its particular vocation: evoking andglorifying, in faith and adoration, thetranscendent mystery of God—the surpassinginvisible beauty of truth andlove visible in Christ, who ‘reflects theglory of God and bears the very stampof his nature,’ in whom ‘the wholefullness of deity dwells bodily.’” 10 Thelearning, dedication, skill, and workof the architect and the artist serveto direct us deeper still to the One inwhom we find shelter, the One who isour refuge and who sanctifies us: theliving and eternal God.Throughout the Old Testament,God makes use of natural locationsand events to signify his presence:God appears on the mountain top, inthe cloud, and in the storm. 11 He alsosanctifies those places made by humanhands, the hands of architects: the tent,the ark of the covenant, the tabernacle,the temple, and the Holy of Holies. 12 Atthese sacred locations, on the occasionof specific feasts, time and place entera holy alliance to dispose the people ofGod to offer fitting worship and sacrifice.Noah plans and constructs the arkin faithful obedience to the design30 Sacred Architecture Issue 18 2010Photo: Ed Pfueller

D o c u m e n t a t i o nand measure given by God himself. 13Immediately on stepping forth from theark, Noah sets forth on another buildingproject: he constructs an altar. 14 In fact,throughout salvation history, the peopleof God mark the central places of theirrelationship with God by the buildingof an altar.Abraham builds an altar at Shechemand there he calls “the Lord by name.” 15After crossing the ford of the Jabbockand remaining there alone, Jacobwrestles with a messenger of the Lorduntil daybreak. Having persevered inthe struggle, Jacob purchases the groundand establishes a memorial stone onthe sight. 16 At Bethel, Jacob dreams ofa stairway which reaches from earthto heaven and encounters God whopromises to give him the land on whichhe sleeps. 17 Jacob awakens and exclaims,“Truly the Lord is in this spot although Idid not know it!” In solemn wonder hecries out: ‘How awesome is this shrine!This is nothing else but an abode of God,and that is the gateway to heaven!” 18Jacob then consecrates the stone he waslying on as a memorial stone and hemakes a vow of faithfulness to God. 19All that is foretold and foreshadowedin the Old Covenant is fulfilled in theLord Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Word,whose first dwelling among us was thewomb of the Virgin Mary. 20 He whohas no place to lay his head purified thetemple, declared that he would rebuildthe temple, and suffered, died, and roseagain for our salvation.The Acts of the Apostles says of theearly Christians in Jerusalem: “Everyday they devoted themselves to meetingtogether in the temple area and tobreaking bread in their homes.” 21 Theearly Christians gathered frequently inhouse-churches to break bread, receiveinstruction, and offer prayers. WhenSt. Peter was in prison, “many peoplegathered in prayer” at the “house ofMary, the mother of John who is calledMark.” 22 Upon their release from prison,we are told that St. Paul and Silas go tothe house of Lydia to “encourage thebrothers.” 23 In Troas, St. Paul gathers inan “upstairs room” with the brethren“on the first day of the week … to breakbread.” 24 Again, we hear in the FirstLetter to the Corinthians that St. Paulwrites of the church that is in the houseof Priscilla and Aquila. 25When God created man he placedhim in a sacred location. When Godsaves man, he again places man in asacred location and provides the designSacred Architecture Issue 18 2010by which salvation is accomplished andcelebrated.As we consider this first principle,we come upon a clear truth: the peoplewhom God called, the patriarchs andprophets, the apostles and disciples,were also architects and artists. Not inaddition to their call, but on account oftheir call. They established the placesand built the early altars from whichGod received worship.Second PrincipleThe Second Vatican Council andthe teaching of Pope Benedict XVIaffirm that the work of architectureand art takes place in and through dialoguewith the Church. As the DogmaticConstitution on Divine Revelation,Dei Verbum teaches, “After speakingin many and varied ways throughthe prophets, ‘now at last in these daysGod has spoken to us in his Son’” 26And his Son speaks to us through hisChurch. The Church has long engagedin dialogue and sought specialized andstrategic collaboration with artists andarchitects.As the Second Vatican Council emphasized,“Very rightly the fine artsare considered to rank among thenoblest activities of man’s genius, andthis applies especially to religious artand to its highest achievement, whichis sacred art.” 27 The Council Fatherscontinue, “the Church has thereforealways been the friend of the fine artsand has ever sought their noble help,with the special aim that all things setapart for use in divine worship shouldbe truly worthy, becoming, and beautiful,signs and symbols of the supernaturalworld, and for this purpose shehas trained artists.” 28The Holy Father points out that thisdialogue has taken place throughoutthe ages, and is found in the luminousbeauty of the great works of art. He emphasizesthat the Christian faith gave abeginning to masterpieces of theologicalliterature, thought, and faith, butalso to inspired artistic creations, themost elevated of a whole civilization:the cathedrals which were a renewal,a rebirth of religious architecture, anupward surge and an invitation toprayer. In Pope Benedict XVI’s words,the Christian faith “inspired one of theloftiest expressions of universal civilization:the cathedral, the true glory ofthe Christian Middle Ages.” 29 The HolyFather explains that, “All the greatworks of art, cathedrals — the Gothiccathedrals and the splendid Baroquechurches — they are all a luminoussign of God and therefore truly a manifestation,an epiphany of God.” 30 TheVenerable Servant of God Pope JohnPaul II also spoke of this when he said,“The cathedrals, the humble countrychurches, the religious music, architecture,sculpture, and painting all radiatethe mystery of the verum Corpus, natumde Maria Virgine, towards which everythingconverges in a moment ofwonder.” 31The architect develops, coordinates,and contours the natural elementsof the visible physical world so thatman may be directed to a fundamentalawareness of the grace-filled actionof God. The ultimate meaning andpurpose of sacred architecture is to"Jacob's Ladder" on the Bath Abbey facade31Photo: Wikimedia Commons

D o c u m e n t a t i o nconvey an experience of the mystery ofgrace and salvation in Jesus Christ.The revelation of God’s mysteriousand awe-inspiring presence alwaysevokes a response from man. This responsetakes place in and through theChurch. 32 The Second Vatican Councilteaches that “the sacred liturgy isabove all things the worship of thedivine Majesty.” 33 The Council makesclear that in considering anything todo with the sacred liturgy, we mustalways return to this foundation: thatwithin the sacred liturgy we offerworship to the divine Majesty. This isboth the premise and the objective ofthe rich dialogue which continues totake place between the Church andartists.Pope Benedict XVI emphasizesthe two central characteristics of theGothic architecture of the twelfthand thirteenth centuries: “a soaringupward movement and luminosity.” 34He refers to this as “a synthesis offaith and art harmoniously expressedin the fascinating universal languageof beauty which still elicits wondertoday.” 35 He continues, “By the introductionof vaults with pointed archessupported by robust pillars, it was possibleto increase their height considerably.The upward thrust was intendedas an invitation to prayer and at thesame time was itself a prayer. Thus theGothic cathedral intended to express inits architectural lines the soul’s longingfor God.” 36 The Holy Father is equallyThe Bavarian "Asamkirke" is an example of architecture as "an epiphany of God."attentive to the furnishings of the sanctuary:“Certainly an important elementof sacred art is church architecture,which should highlight the unity ofthe furnishings of the sanctuary, suchas the altar, the crucifix, the tabernacle,the ambo, and the celebrant’s chair.Here it is important to remember thatthe purpose of sacred architecture is tooffer the Church a fitting space for thecelebration of the mysteries of faith, especiallythe Eucharist.” 37The teaching of the Holy Fatherleads us to understand that the missionof the architect and the vocation ofthe artist bear a direct relationship toauthentic liturgical theology foundedupon the classical Trinitarian, Christological,pneumatological, ecclesial,and sacramental themes. Formation,education, and study for service in thearchitectural or artistic disciplines arisefrom and coalesce around a robust encounterwith the authentic teaching ofthe Church. The Council highlightedthe important role of bishops in thedialogue with artists and architects:“Bishops should have a special concernfor artists, so as to imbue them with thespirit of sacred art and of the sacredliturgy.” 38 The Second Vatican Councilcalled for every diocese, as far as possible,to have a commission for sacredart, and to have dialogue and appealto others who share this expertise. 39The Catechism of the Catholic Church reiterates,“For this reason bishops, personallyor through delegates, shouldsee to the promotion of sacred art, oldand new, in all its forms and, with thesame religious care, remove from theliturgy and from places of worshipeverything which is not in conformitywith the truth of faith and the authenticbeauty of sacred art.” 40 Priests, asprincipal collaborators with the bishop,likewise have a special responsibilityto have a vibrant awareness of the giftswhich artists and architects bring tothe Church. Pope Benedict XVI affirmsthat “it is essential that the educationof seminarians and priests include thestudy of art history, with special referenceto sacred buildings and the correspondingliturgical norms.” 41Beauty, in its inextricable connectionto the true and the good, is the centerof gravity of all the liturgical sciences.And this is because the liturgy is foremostthe work of the Most Holy Trinity,in which we participate. 42 Beautychanges us. It disposes us to the transformingaction of God and thus is one32 Sacred Architecture Issue 18 2010Photo: Carlo Bossi

D o c u m e n t a t i o nof the principal protagonists of advancingthe universal call to holiness. 43 Fascinationwith the sacred frees us fromfixation on the secular. Expressionsfounded upon purely secularist influencedo not refresh us. They exhaust usand fragment our perception. The staticand abstract expression of merely functionalfacades simply does not captureor articulate the brilliant and resplendentmystery of God. Architecturalform is never incidental or expendable.Utilitarian styles fail to inspire and sooften leave a space barren and bland.We simply cannot tolerate indifferenceto the healthy traditions. The separationof artists and architects from dialoguewith the Church leads to a fragmentationand subsequent breakdownof authentic liturgical renewal. Ourstarting point in advancing the liturgicalrenewal is always dialogue, not polemics.All effective dialogue in the Churchcontinues in the spirit of what PopeBenedict referred to in his ChristmasAddress to the Roman Curia in 2005as “the ‘hermeneutic of reform’, ofrenewal in the continuity of the onesubject-Church which the Lord hasgiven to us.” 44 The Holy Father continues,“[The Church] is a subject whichincreases in time and develops, yetalways remaining the same, the onesubject of the journeying People ofGod.” 45Two architectural experts recentlygave an example of fruitful and effectivedialogue with the Church. TheItalian architect Paolo Portoghesi, in anarticle which appeared in L’OsservatoreRomano, emphasized that “legitimateprogress” must always flow from andnot be indifferent to the “sound tradition”of the Church. 46 Professor Portoghesimaintains correctly that wemust assess the design and model ofchurch buildings so as to preserve andrestore architecture which is based onthe authentic tradition of the Church,so that the sacred liturgy is celebratedin a fitting manner. The authentic traditionis our guide when we are facedwith diverse interpretations of legitimateprogress associated with liturgicalrenewal.Professor Portoghesi emphasizes,“In recent years the fashion of so-calledminimalism has revived a kind of iconoclasm,to exclude the cross and sacredimages and to strip the image, outsideof any residual analogy with the traditionalchurches.” 47 A style that lacksSacred Architecture Issue 18 2010consistency with the central mysteriesof the faith necessarily puzzles us anddrains us of our expectancy.Maria Antonietta Crippa, Professorof History of Architecture at thePolitecnico of Milan, has noted that,because of the significant culturalchanges in the years since the SecondVatican Council, society has seen fluctuationsbetween outcomes of radicalsecularism and the recovery of livelyreligious sense.” 48God the "divine architect" as depicted byWilliam Blake in "Ancient of Days"Third PrincipleThe mission of the architect andartist which is based in Sacred Scripture,and conducted in dialogue withthe Church authentically developsonly along the path of true beauty.Beauty is not simply one pathamong others. Pope Benedict XVIteaches, “Everything related to the Eucharistshould be marked by beauty.” 49The Holy Father spoke of a “via pulchritudinis,a path of beauty which is atthe same time an artistic and aestheticjourney, a journey of faith, of theologicalenquiry.” 50 During the celebrationof the 500 th Anniversary of the VaticanMuseums, Pope Benedict pointed outthat the artistic treasures of the Church“stand as a perennial witness to theChurch’s unchanging faith in the triuneGod who, in the memorable phrase ofSt. Augustine, is himself ‘Beauty everancient, ever new.’” 51In his Apostolic ExhortationSacramentum Caritatis, Pope BenedictXVI emphasized that “the profoundconnection between beauty and theliturgy should make us attentive toevery work of art placed at the serviceof the celebration.” 52 Those whosesenses are trained for the via pulchritudiniscan discern a stirring within thecontinuous sacred stream of history, anunceasing movement of sublime splendorarising from ancient foundationsand inherited in the detail of noblethemes down through the ages.In his Address to Artists last fall,the Holy Father stated, “Indeed, anessential function of genuine beauty,as emphasized by Plato, is that it givesman a healthy ‘shock’, it draws him outof himself, wrenches him away fromresignation and from being content withthe humdrum–it even makes him suffer,piercing him like a dart, but in so doingit ‘reawakens’ him, opening afresh theeyes of his heart and mind, giving himwings, carrying him aloft.” 53The Holy Father continued, “Authenticbeauty … unlocks the yearningof the human heart, the profounddesire to know, to love, to go towardsthe Other, to reach for the Beyond. Ifwe acknowledge that beauty touchesus intimately, that it wounds us, that itopens our eyes, then we rediscover thejoy of seeing, of being able to grasp theprofound meaning of our existence, theMystery of which we are part; from thisMystery we can draw fullness, happiness,the passion to engage with itevery day.” 54Contemporary society believes attimes that beauty can come from aproduct one buys in a store, or can bewon in a contest. Authentic beauty isimmune to age, it is always young, andit can never be contained by a mere title.Beauty attracts us as it charismaticallyaligns itself in symmetry and proportion,congruent with its primary characteristicsof authentic truth and goodness.The durability and permanence ofthe structures which mark our solemncelebrations draw the eye to hope andlead the heart to reflection. In 2004,then-Monsignor Bruno Forte, Professorof Systematic Theology at the PontificalTheological Faculty of Naples, Italy,and consultant to the Pontifical Councilfor Culture was called upon by PopeJohn Paul II to offer the annual retreatand spiritual exercises to him andmembers of the Curia. In the midst of33Photo: Wikimedia Commons

D o c u m e n t a t i o nThe Cathedral at Metz exemplifieswhat Pope Benedict XVI refers to as"the soaring upward movement andluminosity" of Gothic architecture.his reflections, Monsignor Forte noted,“the God of Jesus Christ … is anythingbut a God of total and tactless manifestation.”55 In his most recent publishedwork, now-Archbishop Bruno Fortenotes, “through beauty’s brightness… the splendor of the Whole burstsforth in the fragment, and lays holdof the believer.” 56 As great depictionsexpress the mysteries of the faith, theyinspire and sustain devotion within thedepths of our hearts. In such a setting,the believer is led to gather impressionsthrough a unity of perception andto grasp more fully an experience ofthe totality of the divine mysteries. AsPope Benedict noted less than one yearago in his homily for the reopening ofthe Pauline Chapel, “The paintings anddecorations adorning this chapel, particularlythe two large frescoes [whichdepict the conversion of St. Paul andthe crucifixion of St. Peter] by MichelangloBuonarotti, which were the lastworks of his long life, are especially effectivein encouraging meditation andprayer.” 57The revelation of the splendor ofGod is never ambiguous. It changeshearts and renews lives. The manystyles and forms from specific periodsPhoto: Wikimedia Commonsand regions are all part of the rich heritageof sacred art and architecture. AsDuncan Stroik has noted, “art from thepast is a window onto the faith andpractice of a specific time, but it canalso speak to all ages. To reject periods,other than our favorites, as eitherprimitive or decadent is to miss out onthe rich tapestry of art and architecturethat the Church has fostered.” 58 Beautyhas an immediate and direct relationto culture. As the Council explained,“The Church has not adopted any particularstyle of art as her very own; shehas admitted styles from every periodaccording to the natural talents and circumstancesof peoples, and the needsof the various rites. Thus, in the courseof the centuries, she has brought intobeing a treasury of art which must bevery carefully preserved.” 59The creative intelligence of artistscontinually seeks to draw forth vibrantforms from the material structureswhich surround us. Prayerful reflection,study of classical motifs, knowledgeof the various schools of design,meditative architectural planning,extensive and specific developmentof a systematic understanding of theimportance and role of architecturenourishes faith. The thoughtful designand strategic placement of sculpture,painting, decoration along structuralelements of the body of the interiorfacade and exterior face are meant toevoke prayerfulness, foster meditation,and aid reflection. The use ofnatural light, historic styles, and nobledesign are meant to point us deeperinto the mystery of Jesus so that wecontemplate the words of St. John withrenewed awareness: “And the Wordbecame flesh and made his dwellingamong us.” 60ConclusionIn preparation for the Great JubileeYear 2000, Pope John Paul II wrote aLetter to Artists. Ten years later, PopeBenedict XVI met with artists in thesolemn setting of the Sistine Chapel onNovember 21, 2009. The Holy Fathertook that opportunity “to express andrenew the Church’s friendship withthe world of art,” noting that “Christianityfrom its earliest days has recognizedthe value of the arts and hasmade wise use of their varied languageto express her unvarying message ofsalvation.” Today we fulfill in somemeasure the Holy Father’s invitationto “friendship, dialogue and cooperation”between the Church and artists.Our conversation today serves, in thewords of Pope Paul VI, to render “accessibleand comprehensible to theminds and hearts of our people thethings of the spirit, the invisible, theineffable, the things of God himself.And in this activity, you are masters.It is your task, your mission; and yourart consists in grasping treasures fromthe heavenly realm of the spirit andclothing them in words, colors, forms– making them accessible.” 61 Togetherwe seek to cultivate a sense of wonderand anticipation and to pursue a strategyof recovery and renewal.Artists and architects are composerswho play a unique and irreplaceablerole as the narrative of salvationhistory unfolds. Their talents usherthe senses into an experience of themystery of God. Through maximizingextraordinary gifts of their God-givengenius, artists and architects are calledto construct and restore an avenue intothe luminous depth of God’s revelationand convey the continuing presenceof the sacred in buildings meantfor worship. The Church values deeplyyour specialized education gained fromthe periods of apprenticeship and thelong years of professional service in theexpertise of your various disciplines.We come together today from ourvarious vocations and specialties ofskill for fruitful and effective dialogue:architects, theologians, faculty of thevarious schools, artists, liturgical consultants,engineers, students—clergy,religious and laity. As we gather to considerthe role and mission of those whoserve the formation of sacred architecture,we ask the same question thatSt. Peter and St. John asked the LordJesus in the Gospel of St. Luke, “Wheredo you want us to make the preparations?”And we gather to listen to theanswer of Jesus: “When you go intothe city, a man will meet you carrying ajar of water. Follow him into the housethat he enters and say to the master ofthe house, ‘The Teacher says to you,“Where is the guest room where I mayeat the Passover with my disciples?”’He will show you a large upper roomthat is furnished. Make the preparationsthere.” 62Jesus sends us in the same lifegivingdirection, to the place that isfurnished by the Holy Spirit and preparedby the Church to receive theWord made flesh who dwells amongus. Not only do the beautiful creations34 Sacred Architecture Issue 18 2010

of artists and architects lead us to contemplatethe mysteries of the faith, butthe very manner in which these menand women pursue their most practicaland sublime science of architecture andart casts a more distinctive radiance onour path—the path of the Church, andleads us to the One who has emptiedhimself for our salvation and has goneahead of us to prepare a place for us.St. Paul tells us in the First Letter tothe Corinthians, “Do you not knowthat you are the temple of God, andthat the Spirit of God dwells in you?If anyone destroys God’s temple, Godwill destroy that person; for the templeof God, which you are, is holy.” 63 St.Paul also tells us, “So then you are nolonger strangers and sojourners, butyou are fellow citizens with the holyones and members of the householdof God, built upon the foundation ofthe apostles and prophets, with ChristJesus himself as the capstone. Throughhim the whole structure is held togetherand grows into a temple sacred inthe Lord; in him you are being built togetherinto a dwelling place of God inthe Spirit.” 64As we await and prepare for thateternal moment in which the divine Architectwill invite us to meet Him, maywe, in the words of St. Peter, become“like living stones…[and] be built intoa spiritual house to offer spiritual sacrificesacceptable to God through JesusChrist.” 65WHis Eminence Justin Cardinal Rigaligave this keynote address April 30, 2010at the Symposium, “A Living Presence:Extending and Transforming the Traditionof Catholic Sacred Architecture"at the Catholic University of America.13 Cf. Gen 6:14-16.14 Cf. Gen 8:20.15 Gen 12:6-7; Gen 13:4.16 Cf. Gen 32:25-31; Gen 33:19-20.17 Cf. Gen 28:13.18 Gen 28:16-17.19 Cf. Gen 28:20.20 Cf. Jn 1:14; Col 2:9.21 Acts 2:46.22 Acts 12:12.23 Acts 16:40.24 Acts 20:8; 7.25 Cf. 1 Cor 16:19.26 Second Vatican Council, Dei Verbum, 4; Heb 1:1-2.27 Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium, 122.28 Ibid.29 Pope Benedict XVI, “The Cathedral from the Romanesque tothe Gothic Architecture: The Theological Background” GeneralAudience, November 18, 2009.30 Pope Benedict XVI, “All Great Works of Art are an Epiphanyof God,” Sacred Architecture: Journal of the Institute for SacredArchitecture 15 (2009): 41-42. ,” Originally presented in PopeBenedict’s Dialogue in Bressanone, August 6, 2008.31 Pope John Paul II, Discourse to the Plenary Assembly of thePontifical Council for Culture, March 18, 1994, 8.32 Cf. Col 1:18, 2:19, Eph 1:23, 4:12.33 Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium, 33.34 Pope Benedict XVI, “The Cathedral from the Romanesque tothe Gothic Architecture: The Theological Background,” GeneralAudience, November 18, 2009.35 Ibid.36 Ibid.37 Pope Benedict XVI, Sacramentum Caritatis, 41.38 Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium,127.39 Ibid, 46, 126.D o c u m e n t a t i o n40 CCC, no. 2503.41 Pope Benedict XVI, Sacramentum Caritatis, 41.42 CCC no. 1069, 1077 ff.43 Second Vatican Council, Lumen Gentium, 42.44 Pope Benedict XVI, Christmas Address to the Roman Curia, 2005.45 Ibid.46 Paolo Portoghesi, “Lo sforzo di rendere visible la fede,”L’Osservatore Romano, October 19-20, 2009, 5.47 Ibid.48 Maria Antonietta Crippa, “Costruire la fede” L’OsservatoreRomano, November 23-24, 2009.49 Pope Benedict XVI, Sacramentum Caritatis, 41.50 Pope Benedict XVI, Address to Artists, November 21, 2009.51 Pope Benedict XVI, 500th Anniversary of Vatican Museums,June 2006.52 Pope Benedict XVI, Sacramentum Caritatis, 41.53 Pope Benedict XVI, Address to Artists, November 21, 2009.54 Ibid.55 Bruno Forte, To Follow You, Light of Life: Spiritual ExercisesPreached Before John Paul II at the Vatican (Michigan: Eerdmans,2005), 84.56 Ibid., vii.57 Pope Benedict XVI, “Seeking the Light of True Faith” Homilyfrom the Reopening of the Pauline Chapel, July 4, 2009.58 D. Stroik, “Pulchritudo Tam Antiqua et Tam Nova,” SacredArchitecture: Journal of the Institute for Sacred Architecture Issue 16(2009), 16.59 Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium, 123.60 Jn 1:14.61 Pope Paul VI, Address to Artists, Sistine Chapel, May 7, 1964.62 Lk 22:9; Cf. Mk 14:12-15.63 1 Cor 3:16-17.64 Eph 2:19-22.65 1 Pt 2:5.1 A. G. Martimort, Principles of the Liturgy as in The Church atPrayer: An Introduction to the Liturgy (Collegeville, MN: LiturgicalPress, 1987), 1:206.2 Cf. Heb 6:19-20; Ex 33:12-23; 34:5-8, 33-35; Ps 29:1-2; 1 Chron16:23-25, 28-30.3 Cf. Ps 11:4; Gen 13:4, 8.4 Cf. Eph 1:9; 2 Cor 6:2; Is. 49:8.5 Gen 2:8.6 Summa Theologica Ia, 93, q. 6, a. 3.7 Gen 3:23a.8 Jean-Peirre Torrell, O.P. Saint Thomas Aquinas: Spiritual Master(Washington, D.C.: The Catholic University of America Press,2003), 2:27, esp., n.6.9 Cf. CCC, 846: “Sacred places are those which have beendesignated for divine worship or for the burial of the faithfulthrough a dedication or blessing which the liturgical booksprescribe for this purpose.”10 CCC, no. 2502.11 Cf. Ex 19:3; Ex 13:21; Ps 81:7.12 Cf. Ex 33:7; Ex 25:10-16.; Ex 36:8-40:38; Ex 26:33; 1 Kings6:1-38; 7-8; 1 Kings 8:6.www.StJudeLiturgicalArts.comSacred Architecture Issue 18 201035

E x c e l l e n c e i n D e s i g n , A r t i s t r y a n d C r a f t s m a n s h i pis a liturgical design team of international artists andmaster craftsmen with experience spanning four decades in the design of worshipenvironments: new construction, renovation and restoration.Our Services include Liturgical Design Consulting, Custom Design, Appointments,Removals, Consignments and Facsimiles. Specializing in marble, bronze and stone,we custom design altars, ambos, tabernacle thrones and baptismal fonts.We also offer Master Planning Services and Educational Programs for pastoral teamsand parish-wide Town Hall meetings.1.888.519.4599 703.519.9800312 Montgomery Street, Suite 100 Alexandria VA 2231436 www.SacredSpacesInc.com info@SacredSpacesInc.comArchitecture Issue 18 2010

B o o k R e v i e wSaved by BeautyThe Beauty of Faith, How Christian ArtReveals the Good News by Jem Sullivan.Huntington, IN: Our Sunday Visitor,2010. 133 pp. ISBN 9781592762132.Reviewed by Chris BurgwaldIn Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s novel theIdiot, protagonist Prince Myshkinstates, “I believe the world will besaved by beauty.” In the Beauty of Faith,Jem Sullivan makes a similar proposal,arguing that it is imperative that weemploy the beauty of Christian art tospread the good news of Jesus Christand his Church.Sullivan begins by reminding thereader of the true nature of Christianart: historically, it was not created tobe displayed in museums, but ratherto serve a concrete catechetical purposein a liturgical context. Christian art wascreated not merely to be admired, buteven more to evangelize and catechizeaccording to what Sullivan describes as“an intuitive and holistic pedagogy” inwhich the entire person is engaged.One would think that a culturelike ours—so heavily dominated bythe visual and the sensory—wouldembrace such an approach. As Sullivannotes in the first chapter, however,this is curiously not the case. While thelarger culture is saturated and inundatedby the sensory, Catholic modesof evangelization and catechesis aredeficient in their employment of Christianart to spread the Gospel. Sullivanaptly describes this as a “sensory dissonance”in which there is an inverserelationship between how popularculture employs the sensory and thevisual in contrast to how Catholicevangelization and catechesis employChristian art.Sullivan addresses this problem intwo ways: first, by proposing an adaptationof lectio divina to facilitatemore profound and prayerful encounterswith Christian art, and second bynoting the theological, anthropological,cultural and historical bases for employingChristian art as a visual Gospelto evangelize and catechize in our dayand age.To examine her points in reverseorder, Sullivan treats the evangelicalnature of beauty in chapters three, fourand five. She notes that the theologicalbasis for Christian art is groundedSacred Architecture Issue 18 2010in the central truths of our faith: theTrinity and the Incarnation. Sullivandemonstrates how the reality of theIncarnation—the invisible God madevisible—both allows for and in factdemands a visual and sensory portrayalof the truths of the faith. Particularlyfascinating is her discussion of Christianart as what John Paul II called a“pre-sacrament” that prepares andenables the faithful to participate morefully in the Church’s liturgies.Sullivan also explains how Christianart corresponds to the nature ofthe human person. Drawing upon adiverse company such as St. Augustine,Ecumenical Patriarch BartholomewI, poet Dana Goia, Pope Benedict andothers, Sullivan convincingly demonstratesthe degree to which Christianart and the contemplation thereofdeeply penetrates the human heart andcorresponds to its needs and desires.In the light of history, Sullivanmakes the point that, as Catholics, wehave a vast heritage to draw upon,and that in the past Christian art hasdemonstrated a profound ability toevangelize and catechize. With regardto culture, Sullivan develops her priorpoint on the degree to which ourculture is visual and sensory, arguingthat an effective evangelization andcatechesis demands that we employChristian art as a visual Gospel.The most compelling aspect of Sullivan’swork, however, is her proposalto adapt lectio divina for the purposesof Christian art. In the second chapterof the book she first explains whatlectio divina is: a prayerful engagementwith Sacred Scripture, characterizedby the four stages of reading, meditation,prayer and contemplation. Sullivan’sexplanation and summary oflectio divina is itself fascinating, butwhat is even more compelling is herproposal for adapting that methodto more deeply engage Christian art.Sullivan proposes that we appropriatethe method of lectio divina to morefruitfully engage Christian art in orderto achieve the end for which it wascreated: to lead us to greater unionwith God.In her adaptation, we begin by examininga piece of Christian art at thebasic level: what it depicts, what thestyle employed reveals, and so on; ineffect, we "read" the piece (lectio). Then,together with a reading of the relevantScripture passage, we move fromthe “what” of the piece to the “why,”pondering the deeper theological significanceof the work (meditatio). Thispondering then raises our minds toGod and worship of Him, particularlyin the theme of the piece (oratio), beforebringing us to a resting in the mysterieswhich the piece portrays (contemplatio).While the first step of this method—the reading of a piece of Christianart—will require significant work sincemost Catholics are illiterate about basicreligious symbolism, this method doeshave considerable potential for achievingthe important end which Sullivansets out to address in her book: to rediscoverChristian art as a visual Gospelin our time. May her book find a broadreading.WChris Burgwald PhD is the Director ofEvangelization and Catechesis for theCatholic Diocese of Sioux Falls in SouthDakota. He earned his doctorate in DogmaticTheology at the Pontifical Universityof St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome. Email:chris.burgwald@gmail.com37

B o o k R e v i e wThe Future of the Past: A ConservationEthic for Architecture, Urbanism andHistoric Preservation, by Steven W.Semes. New York: W.W. Norton & Co.,2009. 272 pp. ISBN 9780393732443.Reviewed by John H. CluverJust like our most revered religiouspractices, our best buildings areimbued with a deep sense of historyand tradition. Any historic building,however, needs to be periodicallyupdated in order to remain useful andrelevant, which leads to the fundamentalquestion of how to do so in a mannerthat is both meaningful today andrespectful of its past. Author StevenW. Semes, a practicing architect,educator, and former architect forthe National Park Service, addressesthis question in his thoughtful andthought-provoking treatise, The Futureof the Past. Organized loosely into threegeneral areas of consideration, each ofthe book’s twelve chapters builds uponeach other to champion the idea ofcontinuing traditional design principleswhen working within the context of ourhistoric buildings, and putting muchneeded emphasis on creating new workthat is “of its place,” instead of the morecommonly considered “of its time.”Semes introduces the book by exploringthe issues faced in the integrationof new and old architecture, suchThe Ethics of Preservationas our attitudes toward the past, thedefinition of progress, the meaning ofconservation / preservation, and therole that past and present building culturesplay in how we approach historicbuildings. He then explains the sevenprinciples that unite all classical andtraditional design, and how they worktogether to create elements, buildings,neighborhoods, and cities. These arecontrasted against modernist attitudestoward these principles, showing howthese approaches typically are diametricallyopposed to those of traditionalThe Church of Saint Bartholomew in New York, NYdesign.Having laid this groundwork, Semesmoves from design to preservation philosophy.He provides a concise primeron the history of the preservationmovement and how the standards thatare used today came to be. He offersa very sage and key observation thatwhereas the traditional architect viewsthe past as part of a living continuuminto the present and as a guide for thefuture, the preservationist and modernistarchitect tend to see a building ofthe past as a piece of historical recordwhich must be preserved as an artifactof an earlier time and contrastedagainst today’s designs. As Semes explains,it is this historicist attitude, thebelief that there is an “architecture ofour time,” that emphasizes differentiationand creates the underlying conflictwith the more traditional and time-testedapproach to design that is contextuallysensitive.How contemporary and past architectshave addressed this balanceof differentiation and compatibility isthe focus of the final third of the book.Semes explores four distinct approachesto this issue, which he identifies as:Literal Replication, Invention Withina Style, Abstract Reference, and IntentionalOpposition. He provides bothwell-known and more obscure examplesfor each of these, very consciouslypulling them from a wide sampling oferas. Religious architecture plays animportant role in these and other sectionsby using churches that have beenbuilt in campaigns that have lastedgenerations, had facades added centuriesafter the rest of the church wasbuilt, or been rebuilt for a variety ofreasons to illustrate his points. Forexample, the façade of Santa MariaNovella, completed by Leon BattistaAlberti three centuries after beingstarted, demonstrates how a designcan be innovative while being entirelycompatible with its historic context.The seamlessness with which this transitionbetween the two eras is maderuns counter to modern preservationpractice, and was made possiblebecause Alberti understood, respected,and upheld the intentions of the originaldesigner.Semes’ concluding chapter bringsall of these ideas, and others, together38 Sacred Architecture Issue 18 2010

with the goal of outlining a new conservationethic, namely, “to retainwhatever we deem valuable from thepast that does not obstruct necessarychange.” Alterations to our historicbuildings need to find the balancebetween preserving their ability toconvey their history and allowing themto fully participate in modern life. Recognizingtheir need to change in orderto continue to have meaning, theyshould neither be preserved in amber,nor casually altered without regard forthe intent behind their original design.In this way, Semes’ book takes a verymoderate tone, as it does not stronglyadvocate for a particular style ordesign methodology. Instead, his emphasisis on the primacy of context inguiding additions, whether the workis in the historic center of Rome or atthe modernist campus of the IllinoisInstitute of Technology.It is the rarity of this attitudetoday, however,that makes this book soradical and controversialwithin preservationcircles, and a must-readfor those who care forand care about our architecturalheritage.WJohn Cluver practicesarchicture and historicpreservation in Philadelphia,PA as a partner inthe firm Voith & MactavishArchitects LLP.B o o k R e v i e wThe Jerusalem Church, Bruge, BelgiumA Reexamination of Planning HistoryLiturgical Space: Christian Worship andChurch Buildings in Western Europe1500-2000, by Nigel Yates. Aldershot:Ashgate, 2008. 212 pp. 35 illustrations.ISBN: 978-0754657972.Reviewed by Timothy HookNigel Yates left both a considerablelegacy and a void in the fieldof ecclesiastical history whenhe died last year. In his final work, heresearched and catalogued the planninghistories and liturgical practices of manyhundreds of parish churches in theUnited Kingdom and western Europe.Yates’ aim was that, armed with hisobservations, those entrusted with bothplanning and liturgical care of churcheswould gain a bit of historical perspective.Clearly, this work is intended to improvethe quality of the architectural andliturgical debate through an injection ofhistoric validity.Yates chronologically arranges examplesof common planning trendswith parallel traditions and juxtaposesthese with current beliefs. Withoutoverturning conventional history, Yateshas highlighted where adjustments inthinking need to be made. Along theselines, he defends the Protestant ideathat the reformation was less a theologicalrebellion than an attempt toreturn to the early church and purifya corrupt hierarchy. Yates asserts thatSacred Architecture Issue 18 2010Protestant churches have increasinglyreturned to an instinctive desire for thesacramental, whether liturgical, hierarchical,or architectural. Further, Yatespoints to how the Roman Catholicand Protestant churches have increasinglyembraced ecumenism and nowshare more common ground than theyhave done since the sixteenth centuryschisms.Yates’ rendering of these historiesgives a positive note to the book,but leaves one to wonder about hismessage. He implies that by understandingthe history of a region, onemay critique new church work simplyas cultural artifacts. Yet some of Yates’conclusions may demand an additionallevel of scholarship that employs thesame rigor that Yates showed in hisprimary research.With respect to Yates’, one has theimpression that he was an admirer ofthe architectural writer Pevsner. Firstly,Yates shared Pevsner’s passion for documentingthe relative historical “significance”of particular buildings. Secondly,although Yates was not strictlyan historian of art, at certain momentshis criticism derives from zeitgeist determinism.Although one should not exaggerateany flaw in Yates’ information, byitself, his framework leaves one criticallyimpoverished and lacking in directiontoward issues such as validity,meaning, symbolism, and beauty. HadYates’ extensive reading list suggestedsome initial purpose, it is likely thathis recommendations would havebeen more compelling. Instead, Yates’moments of judgment in this bookmust be considered perfunctory andpotentially misleading.Considered simply as a book tobolster one’s historical appreciationof liturgical planning history, Yatesmust be commended for an invaluablecontribution. The difficulty begins,however, if it is considered to be muchmore.WTimothy Hook is a principal of the firmMoran Hook Architecture PLLC in NewYork, NY.39

B o o k R e v i e wThe Life of the CityThe Politics of the Piazza: The Historyand Meaning of the Italian Square, byEamonn Canniffe. Burlington, VT:Ashgate Publishing Company, 2009.288 pp. ISBN 9780754647164.Reviewed by Thomas M. DietzThis densely written and wellresearchedbook is unlikelyto adorn the shelves of mostpracticing professionals. This isunfortunate, as Politics of the Piazzaoffers a unique analysis of a subjectthat should be a matter of concern to allpractitioners—the purpose and originsof the piazza, a component of urbanismthat, although particularly significant inItaly, remains recognizable throughoutthe western urban tradition.Canniffe surveys the history of Italianurban space and public architectureprimarily as an intellectual historyframed through four epochs. He beginswith the collapse of the Roman Empireand the early middle-ages, moves to theRenaissance, then the Enlightenment,and concludes with our current periodof relative architectural confusion.Canniffe contends that the principlesof Roman urbanism prevail throughoutItaly due to the nation’s sharedremembrance of ancient Rome. TheRoman forum was designed for apolitical purpose and its form persistsin the piazza throughout Italian historyand in all iterations of political life.But for Canniffe, the piazza is not, andcannot be seen as independent from awider architectural program. Indeed,it is both the piazza as an adaptation ofthe Roman forum and the concurrent useof Roman imagery that have shaped thepiazza as an urban expression in Italianhistory.Canniffe’s account begins with ananalysis of the ancient forum, followedby an account of the rise of Christianity.The dominance of the church structurein piazzas signified the political powerof the Church, which representedthe sole source of sacred and secularstability in an otherwise politicallyfractured Europe. Aesthetic theories oforder derived from platonic idealismbegan to emerge in recognition of thepiazza’s role as a place of social stability.Notably, public art programs minglediconographic cycles with idealizedurban landscapes that controlled theperspective of the viewer.During the Renaissance, architectscame to understand that the urbanlandscape could be ordered in a similarmanner. Buildings began to be designedin relation to the piazza, simultaneouslycontrolling the perspective of thecitizenry through architecture andelevating the grandeur of these spaces.Later, piazzas became momentarynodes along the vast urban vistas ofthe Baroque period, shifting urbanexpression from isolated places towardthe larger city. This shift placed a greateremphasis on individual freedom andpublic movement over the singularexperience of the spaces themselves, amove that anticipated the Enlightenmentas a precursor to contemporary cityplanning.The transition to modernity provedparticularly tumultuous in Italy. Whilethe currents of industrialization andnationalism desired a pragmatic urbanexpression for a newly unified nation,Italians were also wrestling with arising global interest in monumentalarchaeological programs. These twocompeting views—one toward the futureof the new Italian state and the othertoward the achievements of the Romanpast—persisted through a succession ofrapidly changing governments. Despitethe ephemeral nature of the variousgovernments in the nascent Italiannation the piazza remained an enduringurban form.Canniffe finishes with appraisals ofrecent work by architects including AldoRossi and Carla Scarpa, before arrivingat a series of concluding remarks on thecontemporary Italian piazza. Thoughdelivered as passing remarks, theauthor shows little love for Cesar Pelli’sCitta della Moda proposal, skeweringa contemporary architect in a wayseldom seen in serious academic works.Canniffe also criticizes the remnants ofpostmodernism.In his conclusion, the author notesthat his studies were bookendedby two Achille Occhetto speechesdelivered in Italian piazzas. While eachspeech possessed the spontaneity andimmediacy of a traditional politicalrally, they were nonetheless wellchoreographedevents irrevocably tied toour contemporary multimedia culture.So, having endured another shift inhuman history, piazzas remained thestaging ground. Canniffe ends witha few brief musings on the state ofthe piazza in a world of technologicalgadgetry and virtual landscapes that areincreasingly personalized and transient;and with that, Canniffe asks us toconsider whether the human experiencemay finally move in a direction thatoutstrips the need for the piazza. Giventhe trajectory of Canniffe’s book, oneexpects him to answer these questionsin the negative.This book, the first of the AshgateStudies in Architecture series,successfully merges architecture withurbanism into a serious and refreshingacademic reflection worthy of review byall professionals engaged in the creationof public space.Thomas M. Dietz studied the history, theoryand criticism of architecture and art at MIT.He is currently a practicing architect inChicago. Email: tdietz@hbra-arch.com40 Sacred Architecture Issue 18 2010W

B o o k R e v i e wA Grand SurveySacred Spaces: Religious Architecture inthe Ancient World, Ancient Near EasternStudies Supplement by G. J. Wightman.Louvain, Paris, Dudley, MA: Peeters,2007, 1156 pp. ISBN 9789042918030.Reviewed by John W. StamperBooks on ancient architecture aretypically focused on a specificregion or culture, whether it isMesopotamian, Egyptian, Greek, Romanor pre-Columbian. They are writtenby specialists in a particular field andpublished for specific audiences. G. J.Wightman’s Sacred Spaces, in contrast,covers virtually every geographicregion, time period and culture from theancient world. In each case, Wightmaneffectively identifies the qualities thatmade religious buildings sacred to theirrespective cultures and communitieswhile outlining the particular societaland religious qualities that made thempossible. To do so he takes 1155 pages,with 318 figures and 184 plates; the totalweighing an impressive eight poundsThe book is divided into five parts:1. the early civilizations of Europeand western Asia; 2. the Greco-Romanworld; 3. central and east Asia; 4. theAmericas; 5. a concluding section onthemes and issues. It is perhaps bestto begin with this final section, as it ishere that he describes the types of societiesthat built the temple structuresthat remain as archaeological recordsfor us today. Specifically, he identifiessocieties that were ruled by a small,centralized elite in which religion washierarchical, with numerous deities,demons and spirits with specializedfunctions, who were envisioned inmore or less anthropomorphic terms.Most were ruled over by a supremedeity with whom the worldly ruleroften had a special relationship.As Wightman states, temples werethe primary loci of interaction betweenhumankind and the gods, and many ofthese served as a place involving sacrificialceremonies, processions and celebratorybanquets. Most ancient templestructures had elements or objectsrelated to rituals: benches, altars, basinsand wells, eating and drinking vessels,and stands for light and incense.The principal interior spaces wereoften the private domain of priestsSacred Architecture Issue 18 2010and rulers, although it was commonto think of a temple as a house ownedand occupied by a deity. The earliesttemples had a close resemblance tohouses; however, as time went on, theycame to be more and more set apartfrom the rest of the city. They were notnecessarily a god’s permanent home,rather, they were a space dedicated toa divine power who resided elsewhere.They were managed by humans but thedeity visited on prescribed occasions.There were other functions too.Temples could be a place where theliving could honor natural phenomenaand forces that affected their daily lives.They could be a place for asylum or aplace where the living could communewith their ancestors to honor and reaffirmlineage. They could be a sacredmountain, symbolizing strength, permanence,and protection, a place thatformed a bond between heaven andearth. In some cases the temple wasrelated to a primeval earth mound ordisk which emerged from the waters atcreation and provided the foundationfor earthly civilization.In many cultures, religious practiceinvested temples and sanctuaries witha sense of spatial and temporal unitythat was fundamental to the maintenanceof social and cosmic order. Thetemples of numerous cultures wereoriented on an east-west axis to reflectthe solar path, especially those of theEgyptians and the Greeks. Curiously,those of the Mesopotamians and theRomans did not. In many Sumeriantemple complexes, the principal organizingaxis was oriented at about 45degrees to the cardinal points; whereaslater temples, such as those at Babylonor Nimrud, were oriented to the cardinalaxes, which also correspondedto their surrounding urban fabrics.In Rome, the orientation of templesvaried according to topography or locationof principle streets and fora.Wightman analyzes in detail whethervisual or metaphysical relationshipsextended outwards from the templesor were focused towards them, that is,whether the divine power looked outalong the axis to experience a directvisual relation with a distant focalobject, or whether there was some typeof natural force flowing towards thetemple and the divine being inside.In most chapters, Wightman discussesbuildings in the conventionalway of describing their plan, exteriorappearance, and function. In somechapters, however, especially on thoseancient Roman temples, he analyzesthem first in plan—what he calls thehorizontal dimension—then he discussesthem in elevation, which includespodia, stairs, columns, walls,entablatures, roofing and iconography.Wightman addresses each of thesetopics while citing numerous examplesfrom Rome’s many temple structuresand drawing comparisons.In general, Sacred Spaces is an extremelyinformative, well-written andwell-illustrated book. Most remarkableis the evident depth of Wightman’sexpertise about every culture and every-out-of-the-waysite, whether it iswestern European, Buddhist, Hindhuor pre-Columbian. The book has aseemingly endless supply of information,as each temple complex is describedin great detail, always revealingsome new and interesting insightinto ancient building methods or conceptsof sacred space.WJohn Stamper Ph.D is an architect andarchitectural historian in the Universityof Notre Dame School of Architecture andthe author of several books including TheArchitecture of Roman Temples: TheRepublic to the Middle Empire andChicago's North Michigan Avenue:Planning and Development 1900-1930.41

B o o k R e v i e wFrom the Publishing HousesThe Portfolio of Villard de Honnecourt: ANew Critical Edition and Color Facsimile,by Carl F. Barnes, Jr. Burlington, VT:Ashgate Publishing Company, 2009.292 pp. ISBN 9780754651024. $130.00This new facsimile edition of thePortfolio of the 13th-century Picardartist Villard de Honnecourt is the firstever to be published in color. The thirty-threeleaves are reproduced at actualsize from high-quality color transparenciesto ensure the best possible colorreproduction of the drawings. One cannow see variations in inks and quillstrokes, traces of preliminary drawings,and corrections made by theartist. The author analyses the toolsand inks used, Villard's drawing techniqueand style, and evaluates Villardas an artist-draftsman. The body of thebook is devoted to detailed analyses ofthe leaves, one by one, and their drawingsand inscriptions. These analysesare of interest to those concerned withmedieval technology and theology aswell as to those interested in medievalart and architecture. Also included isa new biography of Villard that separatesobvious fiction from possible fact.An extensive bibliography of Villardstudies and a glossary of Villard's technicaland artistic terms complete thisimportant new study.WHenry Wilson: Practical Idealist, byCyndy Manton. Cambridge, UK: TheLutterworth Press, 2009. 284 pp. ISBN9780718830977. $105.00Henry Wilson (1864 - 1934) workedin a highly individual style, uniting influencesfrom the Arts & Crafts Movementand Art Nouveau with his owninterpretation of traditional forms,symbols and nature. Drawing on originalarchives, biographical details andinsights from family members, thisis the first published study devotedwholly to Wilson and his work. Thisbook discusses examples of his workthroughout the UK and in NorthAmerica, where he designed the bronzeentrance doors for a leading Boston teaimporter and the great West doors ofthe Cathedral of Saint John the Divine,New York. Of equal impact were hisexhibition designs, and his teaching atthe Royal College of Art, at the CentralSchool of Arts and Crafts, and at theVittoria Street School for Silversmithsand Jewellers in Birmingham.WThe Lion Companion to Church Architecture,by David Stancliffe. Oxford, UK:Lion Hudson, 2008. 280 pp. 500 illustrations.ISBN 9780825478581. $39.95David Stancliffe goes beyond thetechnical possibilities and liturgicalfunctions to explore how, in thewords of the eighth-century bishopGermanus, even the humblest chapelwas a bit of 'heaven on earth.' Beginningwith a discussion of sacred spaceand the influence of environment onhuman experience, he traces the evolutionof church architecture from biblicaltimes to the present day, covering earlyRoman house churches, through the developmentof the Eastern church, to thearchitectural shifts of the Romanesque,Gothic, Renaissance and beyond. Laterchapters focus on the radical changesthat resulted from the Reformation andthe invention of printing, and explorethe journey to contemporary understandingsof church architecture. Eachchapter addresses the shift in buildingstyles and the historical, and liturgicalcontexts that frame it. Stancliffe drawson his expertise in the fields of architecture,liturgy and worship and on hisextensive travels to churches aroundthe world to bring a unique perspectiveto this fascinating subject.WNothingness: Tadao Ando's ChristianSacred Space, by Jin Baek. NewYork: Routledge, 2009. 210 pp. ISBN9780415478540. $150.00This book explores the cultural significanceof contemporary architectTadao Ando's works in reference tothe Buddhist idea of nothingness, expoundedby Kitaro Nishida, the fatherof the Kyoto Philosophical School. Theinterview text with Ando elucidates hisconception and embodiment of sacredspace as it pertains to nothingness, therelationship between his residential architectureand Christian architecture,and his design approach.42 Sacred Architecture Issue 18 2010

SACRED ARCHITECTURESPECIAL OFFER:America’s First CathedralThe Basilica of the National Shrine of the Blessed Virgin Mary“A religious and architectural icon of national and international significance.”(John G. Waite)$35 DonationDonations of $35 or more to Sacred Architecture will receive the new monographon Benjamin Latrobe’s Baltimore Cathedral, America’s First Cathedral,a $30.00 value.Visit www.sacredarchitecture.org, or fill out the enclosed card to subscribe or make a donation.For more information, telephone (574) 232-1783, fax (574) 232-1792 or e-mail editor@sacredarchitecture.org.

09-17-10 Sacred Architecture Art.indd 1 9/16/10 12:11 PMSacred ArchitectureP.O. Box 556Notre Dame, IN 46556$6.00 Newsstand PricePresorted StandardU.S. PostagePaidPermit No. 6New Hope, KYISSN# 1535-9387spACe foRmAtIon, LItuRgICALfuRnItuRe, AppoIntments,sACReD ARt, stAtuARy, CARvIngs,mosAICs, gLAss ARt, muRALs.RestoRAtIons • neW ConstRuCtIonRohn & Associates Design, Inc. has served as Liturgical Designers, Artists and Artisans since 1952www.rohndesign.com • rolfrohn@rohndesign.com1(800) 245-1288Catholicliturgicalarts.blogspot.comConsuLtIng • sACReD ARt • RenovAtIonsCatholic LiturgicalArts Journalp I t t s b u Rg h • n e W y o R k • s A n A n to n I o • f L o R e n C e • Ro m e • k R A koW