A tribute to the treasure trove of ecclesiastical art and architecture in the Diocese of Toledo.
Thursday, April 5, 2007
Old St. Thomas Aquinas, East Toledo
Good porch. Interesting belfry. The window arrangement on the front is very unusual. I'd like to know what the story is behind that gridwork over the rose window.
Someone told me that this Church was always meant to be temporary until a new one was built (which was built in the late 50's/early 60's). It was somewhat of an experiment because all of the other churches on the East side of Toledo were ethnic (French, German, Irish, Slovak, and Hungarian).
Damn good work for something temporary. Too bad there weren't more experiments like that. Sorry, but I've always thought ethnic parishes were a mistake. We still pay for that mistake, every time one of them has to be closed and everyone blames the local bishop for not throwing money down the drain to keep them open. More posts on Monday.
Agreed. Ethnic parishes did eventually fizzle out of existence as American inculturation (whatever that is) took over. Unfortunately, we now have a new form of parish forming, where people attend a certain parish because their ideology (or just their taste) is espoused there. Trads feel compelled to travel miles to a parish that is not afraid to use Latin, and Libs likewise travel miles to a parish that is on the "cutting edge" of liturgical innovation (e.g., liturgical dance). I sometimes wonder what the fallout of this situation will be. Of course not every parish is like this. Rural parishes are more likely to remain geographical in membership. I imagine that sooner or later we will have priests that will follow the Rite of Mass faithfully. Such a priest recognizes that he is a steward of the liturgy. Just as a good wine steward recognizes that he does not own the wine, but is entrusted with it, priests and parishes need to realize that they are entrusted with the liturgy, they don't own it. No more monkey-business!
That, is the single best comment I've ever seen on any of my blogs. 1. Cutting edge, my foot. Tired old claptrap, is more like it. 2. With time, and the inevitable reform of the liturgy, the situation will stabilize. 3. I have absolutely no doubt that we're about to get a crop of young priests who will be completely faithful and usher in a renewal, the likes of which we've never seen before. It's already started. I'm very proud of the young priests and seminarians I've had the honor of dealing with. 4.That last part is too good to leave here. I'm going to post it at The Roving Medievalist.
As for the ethnic parishes, they served their purpose, anchoring the community which they served, grounding their parishioners in familiar surroundings reminiscent of their old homes and surrounding them with friends and family of like backgrounds and beliefs.
Perhaps the new Renaissance within the Church will being another round of ethnic churches, to bring us back to our roots again.
Good porch. Interesting belfry. The window arrangement on the front is very unusual. I'd like to know what the story is behind that gridwork over the rose window.
Someone told me that this Church was always meant to be temporary until a new one was built (which was built in the late 50's/early 60's). It was somewhat of an experiment because all of the other churches on the East side of Toledo were ethnic (French, German, Irish, Slovak, and Hungarian).
ReplyDeleteDamn good work for something temporary.
ReplyDeleteToo bad there weren't more experiments like that. Sorry, but I've always thought ethnic parishes were a mistake. We still pay for that mistake, every time one of them has to be closed and everyone blames the local bishop for not throwing money down the drain to keep them open.
More posts on Monday.
Agreed. Ethnic parishes did eventually fizzle out of existence as American inculturation (whatever that is) took over. Unfortunately, we now have a new form of parish forming, where people attend a certain parish because their ideology (or just their taste) is espoused there. Trads feel compelled to travel miles to a parish that is not afraid to use Latin, and Libs likewise travel miles to a parish that is on the "cutting edge" of liturgical innovation (e.g., liturgical dance). I sometimes wonder what the fallout of this situation will be.
ReplyDeleteOf course not every parish is like this. Rural parishes are more likely to remain geographical in membership.
I imagine that sooner or later we will have priests that will follow the Rite of Mass faithfully. Such a priest recognizes that he is a steward of the liturgy. Just as a good wine steward recognizes that he does not own the wine, but is entrusted with it, priests and parishes need to realize that they are entrusted with the liturgy, they don't own it. No more monkey-business!
That, is the single best comment I've ever seen on any of my blogs.
ReplyDelete1. Cutting edge, my foot. Tired old claptrap, is more like it.
2. With time, and the inevitable reform of the liturgy, the situation will stabilize.
3. I have absolutely no doubt that we're about to get a crop of young priests who will be completely faithful and usher in a renewal, the likes of which we've never seen before. It's already started. I'm very proud of the young priests and seminarians I've had the honor of dealing with.
4.That last part is too good to leave here. I'm going to post it at The Roving Medievalist.
All too true Jeffrey.
ReplyDeleteAs for the ethnic parishes, they served their purpose, anchoring the community which they served, grounding their parishioners in familiar surroundings reminiscent of their old homes and surrounding them with friends and family of like backgrounds and beliefs.
Perhaps the new Renaissance within the Church will being another round of ethnic churches, to bring us back to our roots again.