I remember as a kid entering the Cathedral of the Holy Name in Chicago back in the 1980s and one word came to mind: hideous.
Meanwhile, the benignity of the Church's artistic footprint remains and is still often ignored. Okay for the outside, but no way on the inside.
Earlier this year was a fire in this same cathedral (flames shot through the 134-year-old landmark). Perhaps now we can pledge to get it right, but who knows?
The wiles of the Cody era remain. At the same time we know that tares will always be sown even with the good grain until the Lord returns in glory. Wheat, but always chaff, too.
Chaff? But through it all authentic church architecture reposes, still. It reposes on the wisdom and counsels of the Church through the centuries (God) Who has called us inwardly by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to get it right with the churches we and our forefathers pay and have paid to construct.
The time is now to get it right: "You are a chosen generation, a holy nation" (1 Peter 2:9). Why not now? We are chosen, let's make it holy. Restore this interior to a Catholic ethos (and please no carpet and the same odd windows!).
Ah, the windows. But today it is often about money, and feelings. The feelings of the last guy who headed the renovation project and he's still living today so nobody can hurt feelings and agree with a new plan. And the ever present lack of money? Ah, so wont is man in his terrestrial and transistory path!
But the laws of Catholic architecture are in such ample terms: we have a fine Gothic revival example here and let's keep it that way and why not? The outside shell is already present. So now let's make the interior match with the exterior, again. This rare colour photo is a model!
With pertinacity the establishement might ask to keep it all the way it is (or was in the 1970s). Typical, but laughable. Like big brother once said: "What was cool in Daytona Beach in 1994 isn't necessarily what is gonna be cool tomorrow."
And to the old score "Hey, let's make everything modern!" we can reply in 2009: "Thanks, but done that already" and to those that still conjecture, with certainty we can say: "Nice, but Gothic on Gothic is a sure win."
"The wiles of the Bernardin era remain"
ReplyDeleteI hestiate to use the word "diabolical" to describe this era and this person, because only the Lord can judge....but the fruits of the agenda his , and of the bishops he helped promote and the program of "reform" he fostered have practically destroyed the USA Catholic Church in almost every area of it's existance. Nothing was left untouched.
Beginning about 1964 (until his death in 1996), Bishop, Archbishop, and finally Cardinal Bernardin was a chief player and standard bearer for every kind of radical progressive dissenting initiative in the Church. Lunatic left-wing radical dissenting priests, Orders of nuns, and groups of laity such as "Call to Action" which fostered/fosters married priests,women priests, and homosexual rights in the Church among other things had first Cardinal Dearden, and then Cardinal Bernardin as their champions.
These two men (Dearden died in the late 1980's, but Bernardin carried on till his death in 1996), helped push thru an army of like minded radical bishops in over 150 dioceses in the USA together with like minded dissenting Apostolic Delegate to the USA Archbishop Jean Jadot (1973-80) who only died last year at nearly 100 years of age!
Most of these 150-200 bishops are now either dead, retired, or close to retirement. Archbishop Sheehan, and Archbishop Wilton Gregory( Gregory,62, was the very last of the "Bernardin Boys" to be promoted to Bishop), remain the few "Bernardin Bishops" who are still active.
Unfortunatly, it is the Pope, thru the Cong. for Bishops who is responsible for this disaster. Clean up that office, and remove the infamous dissenting Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re,75 (now in office 9 years) replacing him with a faithful Catholic, and most of the problem will be solved.
Joy! just in time with "Restore & Renew" fundraising campaign! The last major renovation took place in 1968.
ReplyDeleteAccording to the church's web site, a 2006 engineering study found "several critical items" in need of updates!
Why the flag in a church? Here in Italy we have not the tricolore in the church.
ReplyDeletePlease don't show us a picture of the way it looks now. If Mass had to be celebrated versus populum all they had to do was extend the altar platform (liturgically) westward, then separate the mensa from rerdos a few feet. Mass could then be celebrated either versus populum or ad orientem. But no, we had to have rupture, not continuity.
ReplyDeleteI checked out their fundraising website and they want to put a ramp up to the sanctuary and re-do the floors which sounds like they will not be marble. It's a shame. I figured since His Eminence, Cardinal George, is good friends with the Institute of Christ the King he would want a more traditional plan for the cathedral. The Institute of Christ the King should become Canons of the cathedral and help the Cardinal run the cathedral. Too bad I do not have any influence to push the idea. It would be sweet.
ReplyDeleteRenovation activities will not be directed aright under the presence of Bernardin establishment.
ReplyDeleteFortunatly, nearly all of the "Bernardin establishment", whether in Chicago, Cincinnati (where Bernardin was Bishop from the early 1970's to 1982 when he moved to Chicago), or across the USA (Bishops, priests, nuns, laypeople) who share the "Bernardin agenda", are all (with very few exception) either over 70, or close to it.
ReplyDeletejohn patrick cardinal cody was the one who renovated holy name cathedral long before cardinal bernadin came to chicago.
ReplyDeletebefore all of you get your knickers twisted you should know the facts. but the facts are not part of your adenda.
It needs to be said that the destruction of this beautiful Cathedral took place under the Episcopal leadership of Cardinal Cody, predecessor to Cardinal Bernardin.
ReplyDeleteGoogle John Cardinal Cody and Helen Dolan Wilson and see for yourself.
ReplyDelete