Friday, August 31, 2007
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Immaculate Conception, Old South End
The old baptistry. It's always been in the hall/chapel. Why? I've no idea. The font has been moved to the Sacred Heart Chapel.
The painting is a scene of early Christian preaching and baptism.
Immaculate Conception, Old South End
A very well done copy of Raphael's Sistine Madonna, in the rectory.St. Louis, East Toledo
A closed parish. Not ugly, but nothing to write home about.
A brick and stone facade was later added to the school building, at the left, which makes it much more beautiful than the church.Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Immaculate Conception, Old South End
The Parish Hall/Chapel. The altar was originally in the sanctuary, but was replaced by another from the closed St. James Parish.
Immaculate Conception, Old South End
Transoms over the doors from the vestibule.
It's quite possible that the woodwork, and perhaps the glass, survived the fire of 1920.
Immaculate Conception, Old South End
After rebuilding, from the 1920 fire, was completed, but before the new pews and altars were installed.
Immaculate Conception, Old South End
The first church, near the river, was used from 1866 to 1868. No photograph of the building has survived.Immaculate Conception, Old South End
St. Therese of Liseux, in the parish hall. This was originally in one of the transepts, but it was moved to make way for the war memorial.
Immaculate Conception, Old South End
Msgr. Arthur Sawkins, a son of the parish who returned to be pastor for more than forty years.
Saturday, August 25, 2007
St. Paul, Norwalk
I always try to find something good to say about a church interior. Since this morning's posting, I've recieved more pictures of St. Paul's. Good? Well, they didn't rip out the vaulting and put in a drop ceiling. They left the lighting fixtures in place instead of replacing them with plastic mushrooms. A few good statues were left in place, rather than being hauled off to the rubbish bin. That's about it.
I'm going to be nice and assume all these frou-frou draperies were there for a trailer park wedding. You'll notice a big empty choir loft. I suppose if you want to deny the crucifixion, which seems to be the point of placing that vintage 60's hippie, with arms outstretched, over the altar, the choir loft must seem like a good place to hide the crucifix.
They do have an organ. I simply fail to understand the reasoning behind putting it upfront and blocking windows. With all that bloody orange the place needs all the extra light it can get. I pray most of the congregation is color blind.
Oh, yes, they spared two of the original windows, in the sanctuary. The rest were replaced with something that rather reminds me of a harem. Actually, that, and the orange and the draperies and the hippy over the altar make me think of what this interior looks like. It looks exactly like a 60's hippy's wildest fantasy of a perfect place to smoke hash. Which leads to the inevitable question. WHAT THE HELL WERE THESE PEOPLE SMOKING?
Our Lady of Consolation, Carey
Has anyone heard whether there's been any damage?Photo by Alex Fries.
St. Paul, Norwalk
This is gone. Judging by the choir loft, which seems to be empty except for a crucifix, ( At least there's one in the place, even if it's at the wrong end. ) I'm not sure they even have an organ. Bongos and tambourines, perhaps, to match the old-fashioned "spirit of Vatican II" decor? Sorry for the sarcasm, but it makes my blood boil to see a beautiful church made into a butt-ugly mess just to satisfy someone's damn fool notions.
St. Anthony, Milan
The color doesn't fit with the rest of the building, but it's really a rather interesting design. I like the corbelling, and the parapet at the top.Photo by Alex Fries.
