Category: Art & Architecture

“Come, let us be farmers of veal!”

I can’t think of a better artistic representation of the Christ’s Church on Earth. The storm-tossed vessel with some tending to the oars and sails in perilous sea of the world and others huddled calmly around Our Lord. One thinks the Apostle at the rudder is Peter taking counsel from Jesus. So it is in our time.

This is a photo from the Cathedral of Corpus Christi in Cozumel. The Crucifix behind the altar is built into the window. Click on the thumbnail for a full-size image.

about the renovation at Blessed Sacrament Parish in Alexandria. Word on the street here in Arlington is that the Tabernacle was moved recently into the Sanctuary way ahead of the parish renovations because the roof of the adoration “closet” began to cave in when one of the priests was in there praying. Talk about a sign from God! “Rebuild my Church” indeed! Incredible!

Here’s a picture of what it used to look like pre-cataclysm:

Maybe I will do a little recon this week and get a picture of the new placement of the Tabernacle.

The renovation project has been a point of terrible contention for the parish. It has even spawned a website for those who oppose it, www.bsforum.org, that claims to be “an independent source of news and views about Blessed Sacrament Catholic Community in Alexandria, Virginia.” See the Washington Post article from March 2003 for some rather stilted reporting on the debacle.

May we all rise to Heaven with our Risen Lord Jesus Christ, who, according to the clip art on the my parish’s program this morning, has four digits on his hands and three on his feet, no wounds, and was accompanied by midget crab-angels with claws instead of hands. I think the anatomically incorrect illustration of Christ is standing on cloud, but that could be a puddle or a hairless bear skin rug.

I wish someone out there with some talent would produce better art for liturgical supplements. It doesn’t have to be complex or colorful, but make Jesus look like Jesus for goodness sake! This piece looks like Marty Haugen’s music sounds. I think they are both published by OCP.

Pardon me if you find the above representation uplifting, thought-provoking, spiritually fulfilling or otherwise excellent. I think it is meritless. Of all the challenges we have in the Church and in ministry today I know this is small beans, but man this stuff really fries my ham and the rest of my luncheon meat.
UPDATE: Gerard Serafin posted a wonderful icon on his site today that is much more appealing than the Catholic throw-away art I posted above.