An interesting lesson in traditional Catholic church architecture – and the Bible

They don’t make them like this anymore

Long before most people could read, the Church was preaching the Gospel. And to do so, she used the very structure of her buildings to preach.

Many of our older builds are a sermon in stone and stained glass.

The Scriptures come alive in our art, statues, paintings, and majestic stained glass windows that soar along the walls of our Churches like jewels of light.

Even the height and shape of our older churches preach the word.

The height draws our sights up to heaven as if to say, Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, seek the things that are above where Christ is seated at God’s right hand (Col 3:1).

And the shape of most of our older churches is the shape of a cross. As if to say, May I never glory in anything, save the Cross of my Lord Jesus Christ(Gal 6:14).

My own Parish Church is a sermon in stone and wood and glass.

Read more from Msgr. Charles Pope

A lesson in traditional Catholic church architecture – and the Bible

They don’t make them like this anymore

Long before most people could read, the Church was preaching the Gospel. And to do so, she used the very structure of her buildings to preach. Many of our older builds are a sermon in stone and stained glass.

The Scriptures come alive in our art, statues, paintings, and majestic stained glass windowsthat soar along the walls of our Churches like jewels of light. Even the height and shape of our older churches preach the word. The height draws our sights up to heaven as if to say, Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, seek the things that are above where Christ is seated at God’s right hand (Col 3:1). And the shape of most of our older churches is the shape of a cross. As if to say, May I never glory in anything, save the Cross of my Lord Jesus Christ(Gal 6:14).

My own Parish Church is a sermon in stone and wood and glass.

Read more from Msgr. Charles Pope

In God We Trust: A few other things worth remembering this Memorial Day.

  Watch the 3-minute video

There’s an extraordinary amount of Judeo-Christian religious tradition incorporated into the design elements of the Nation’s Capitol – especially for a nation that is often portrayed today as “secular”.

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Submitted by John Z.

It’s an old Catholic tradition to visit 7 churches on Holy Thursday.

By Neal Heitz

My wife and I look forward to a special event we partake in every Holy Thursday.  It’s an old Catholic tradition to visit 7 churches on Holy Thursday. While neither of us partook in this tradition growing up, as adults we look forward to this special event every year.  Certainly the event is religious in nature but it also gives us a chance to explore our beloved Chicago a bit more intimately.  Have you ever gone past a beautiful, old church and said to yourself, “One day I will stop in and see it”? For many years we said we should check out some of this magnificent architecture and never did.

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Photo: St. Mary of Perpetual Help Catholic Church