Cross Tipped Churches

If you haven't visited Russ Martin's "Cross Tipped Churches" blog, be sure to check it out.  He's been photographing the many churches in Mercer County and the surrounding area in western Ohio for FIVE years.  Click HERE.

"The Glory of Catholic Architecture" Conference

October 25 and 26 in Mundelein, Illinois:  "The Glory of Catholic Architecture: Renewing Tradition, Re-engaging the Heavenly."  A conference filled with theological possibilities and practical solutions for churchbuilding.  Full details HERE.

Monsignor Edward Dunn

Monsignor Edward Dunn, a familiar face at parishes in Tiffin and Mansfield, has passed away at age 95. Full details are HERE.

A much younger Fr. Dunn in 1954.

St. Mary, Tiffin

Statue of Mary at the entrance.

St. Patrick stained glass.

Stained glass of St. Rita (I think).

All Dressed Up

First-time visitors to Our Lady of Consolation Shrine in Carey might be taken aback by the practice of clothing the statue of Mary and the Infant Jesus – it can be unsettling to 21^st century American eyes.  But the practice has a long history.  Last year, the Lyon Fabric Museum in France featured an exhibit of clothing from the 12^th to the 19^th centuries used to adorn statues of Mary and Jesus.  (Article HERE.)  Photo above, display cabinets in the basement of the basilica showing dresses made by pilgrims to honor Our Lady.

 The Carey shrine is collecting stories of those who have made dresses for a history project, click HERE for information..

Religion in the Renaissance Exhibit at Oberlin

A little to the east, Oberlin College's Allen Memorial Art Museum will host an exhibition, Religion, Ritual and Performance in the Renaissance, starting August 28, 2012 and lasting through June 2013.  More details can be found HERE.  More than 30 works from the Yale University Art Gallery will be displayed along with items from the AMAM permanent collection.

Above, Portable Altar and Carrying Case by Jacapo Ligozzi, 1608.

Our Lady of Consolation, Carey

There's a fine album of photos of the shrine in Carey by Franciscan Brother Bryan Hoban, from the Progressor-Times newspaper.  Take a look HERE.

Portiuncula at Lourdes University

How one sister worked to restore the Portiuncula Chapel at Lourdes University:  story HERE.

St. Anthony, Columbus Grove

"Offering of the Angels"

Sorry, not in Ohio, but several U.S. museums will have the exhibit "Offering of the Angels," paintings and tapestries from the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy.  Ends Aug. 10 near Philadelphia, then it moves on to Madison, WI, and Savannah, GA.  Details HERE.  Madison, Wisconsin info HERE.

Feast of the Assumption at OLC Shrine

For a schedule of events at Our Lady of Consolation Shrine in Carey during the Feast of the Assumption, click HERE.  A wonderful time to visit the shrine.

St. Joseph, Maumee

St. Peter, Canton, Ohio

 

Obviously a little east of the Toledo Diocesan boundaries, but too impressive not to share.  Just as beautiful inside, too.

Parish website is HERE.

Most Pure Heart of Mary, Shelby

A beautiful church, I wasn't able to get inside for photos.  

 St. Paul

St. Peter

St. Joseph, Plymouth

I wasn't able to visit inside the church, but hope to sometime. 

Statue of St. Joseph in front.

August Novena at OLC Shrine

2012 marks 100 years of ministry for the Franciscan Friars at Our Lady of Consolation Shrine in Carey.  The preacher for the August Assumption novena will be Fr. Timothy Kulbicki, who has a doctorate in Ecclesiastical History from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, and currently serves as Dean of the School of Theology at St. Mary's Seminary in Baltimore, MD.  More information HERE.

St. Peter, Mansfield

Post card, uncertain of date.

Stained Glass at Providence Hospital, Sandusky

 

For some time, I've wanted to see the stained glass windows at the former Providence Hospital in Sandusky, now the south campus of Firelands Medical Center.  They are the work of Cleveland artist Frank Marchione, and are some of the most beautiful modern stained glass I've seen.  They were designed in the early 1960s.  More about Marchione HERE.

St. Frances Cabrini.

 St. Francis of Assisi.

 St. Anthony of Padua

 St. Jude

St. Therese of Liseux

 

 St. Anne with Mary as a child.

Light passing through the St. Michael window illuminates the brick wall.  There is also a St. Raphael window (the chapel was named for him), but the photo did not turn out.

Here you can see the full size of the windows -- they are nearly two floors tall.  The room is now a conference / education center instead of a chapel.

Thoughts on Beautiful Churches

"In no other aspect of our lives do we demand a reason for beauty or question its purpose. We accept and appreciate beautiful art, music, or a sunset for what it is and allow it to uplift us. For some reason beauty is not suspect except when found in the Church. Then it becomes a waste of money, gaudy excess, and idolatry. Suddenly we are expected to ban beauty in His own house when He Himself made us with this desire to create and appreciate beauty? How odd."

Read more on the topic from Katrina Fernandez and Elizabeth Scalia HERE

(Photo, main altar of Our Lady of Consolation Shrine in Carey.).

Knights of St. John

An interesting post about the Knights of St. John convention in Sandusky in 1910, over at the Sandusky History blog -- click HERE.