So,... you want to build a(n Ordinariate) church, eh?

-
Our Lady of Walsingham Cathedral, Houston TX
photo by Gilbert

So, yours is a community in formation. You have grand aspirations to build a beautiful house of prayer dedicated to the worthy celebration of the sacraments according to Divine Worship: the Missal. What's next?

Feel free to add to the list.
  1. Start by praying; keep on praying. Never stop praying. “Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you."(St. Augustine)
  2. Ad maiorem Dei gloriam. Do all things for the greater glory of God. Give thanks to God always!
  3. Speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every joint with which it is supplied, when each part is working properly, makes bodily growth and upbuilds itself in love. (Ephesians 4:15-17) Build community by celebrating Mass with due reverence. Defer to God's greater wisdom and seek His will in all things.
  4. Jesus said, “‘Woman, here is your son.’ Then [turning to John,] he said to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home” (Jn 19:26–27) Seek the intercession of the saints, especially Mary, the Mother of God and our mother. Ask the help of the angels: to protect and guide the work of the community; to keep all eyes on God through to the completion of the project.
  5. Start a conversation: invite others to "Do something beautiful for God." (St. Teresa of Calcutta)
  6. Invite people to join in the adventure, to share their skills. Remember, an adventure is just that: "an exciting or remarkable experience". Adventure entails risk; be prepared to address the risks. A nuanced and decisive plan of action that accounts for the risks is absolutely necessary.
  7. You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today (Deuteronomy 8:17-18). Start a building development fund. Once begun, promote commitment to the project in a positive and engaging manner. Be real about the effort needed to build and sustain a parish church. Joyfully encourage generosity founded upon prayer and the desire to provide a lasting legacy of faith, hope, love, truth, goodness and beauty—all for the glory of God and the edification of His people.
  8. As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. (1 Peter 4:10) Be good stewards of the gifts—artistic and creative, financial and organizational, technological and practical—that God entrusts to your community.
  9. Seek the wisdom of those who have lived experience. Consult with those best able to help realize your plans.
  10. And, in good times and bad, give thanks to God and trust in His mercy. We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, who art, and who wast, and who art to come: because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and thou hast reigned. (Revelation 11:17)
(Nothing gets done without the leadership of your bishop!)

Admittedly, yours truly is a fan of the Gothic Revival. The following recommendations reflect that bias. A bias, it might be added, that is not without foundation.

 Architects


Bells
https://www.entrepriseetdecouverte.fr/property/cornille-havard-bell-foundry/?lang=en

Additional Resources

https://www.liturgicalartsjournal.com/ (click on various tabs)

- - -

Gothic Revival


- - -


The church was designed by the firm of Cram & Ferguson Architects to reflect our Anglican heritage. The exterior is faced with Texas limestone and inspired by 14th century churches in the Walsingham area of Norfolk, England.

The bells were cast in Normandy, France by the Cornille-Havard Bell Foundry. The beautiful stained glass windows were designed by Willet Studios in Philadelphia. The wooden pulpit, the altar rail and the wooden facade of the Holy House Chapel were carved in Colombia. The hand-carved reredos and the tabernacle were handcrafted in Spain by Grande Liturgical Arts.

The former church located adjacent to the present church building was originally designed and built by parishioners in 1992. It has since been remodelled at the time of the construction of the outdoor shrine to meet our growing needs for space.  This building, now known has St. Jude Hall, contains a large parish hall with kitchen for hospitality functions and programs, the Shrine Shoppe, as well as a complete suite of offices.

- - -

A Taste Of The Patrimony

Candace Iron, author

Henry Langley's Catholic Church Commissions: Adapting Charles Borromeo's lnstructianes to the Gothic Revival in Canada


- - -

Gothic Revival Architecture

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gothic_Revival_architecture

- - -

Anthony Symondson and Stephen Bucknall, authors

Sir Ninian Comper: An introduction to his life and work, with complete gazetteer.
Spire books & the Ecclesiological Society (2006)

 - - -

A.Welby Pugin, architect, author

 Contrasts: or a parallel between the noble edifices of the middle ages and corresponding buildings of the present day; shewing the present decay of taste.

https://archive.org/details/contrastsorparal00pugi

- - -

Rosemary Hill, author

God's Architect: Pugin and the Building of Romantic Britain. Penguin (2008)

- - -

Food For Thought

Anne J. Krush, Johns Hopkins Hospital, author

The Historical and Archaeological Significance of Medieval Bench End Carvings in Some Parish Churches in Suffolk, England.

+ + +

A Prayer for Assistance

O MARY, OUR LADY OF WALSINGHAM, who didst grant Richeldis a vision of thy house in Nazareth, and who didst entrust her with the mission to build thy shrine, we beseech thee to intercede before the throne of God for assistance to help us build a house of prayer wherein the true, good and beautiful celebration of the sacraments ordained for our salvation may be reverently conducted unto the glory of God. We humbly beseech thee, Most Holy Mother of God, to pray that God grant to us the wisdom to do His will at all times, the grace to diligently work to build a house of prayer, a home for all who thirst for truth and who hunger for righteousness and healing, a home for vocations to the priesthood, religious life and marriage, and the strength to persevere in our quest to honour God by constructing a church worthy of His Name. Pray that God will inspire labourers gifted with excellent craftsmanship and artistry to join this cause, and may God inspire generous hearts to contribute their prayers and resources to the achievement of this enterprise. O Most kind and loving Mother, pray for us that we may proceed in charity and unfailing commitment born of gratitude for salvation in Christ and in thanksgiving for every gift that flows from the hand of God. Amen.

Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory Be.

Saint Joseph: pray for us.
[Parish Patron]: pray for us.
All holy men and women: pray for us.

Comments

Post a Comment

Your comments will be appreciated and posted if 1) they are on topic and 2) preserve decorum.

Stand by your word. Do not be anonymous. Use a pseudonym.

Popular posts from this blog

Life At The Altar Rail: 22 Behaviours Categorized

-
Image
Cantius/NLM [ 4 min read ] Some communicants make things interesting (...tricky, delicate, awkward, awesome...) at The Communion. Now don't get the wrong idea. Spoofing one's brothers' and sisters' behaviour is not meant to be proof of one's own moral or spiritual superiority. There's always a need to keep in mind the heart of another when lampooning (or celebrating) the externals, as curious or as laudable as those externals might be. The Moving Target: either the head or the tongue is moving a mile a minute. A good patener knows how to tame the fidget. See also #18: The Rubberneck. The Obstacle Course: fingertips touching the chin or mouth making it difficult for the patener to place the paten beneath the chin. The Curtain: face is completely covered with a veil. The NOFB (Not Open For Business): closed eyes, closed mouth; despite the need for a gentle prompt, typically a deeply reverent person. The Taker: wants to steal the Host from the priest. Note to commu
Read more

You Know You're In A Progressive Catholic Parish When... .

-
Image
... you rarely (if ever) hear the following phrases. "Party like it's A.D. 1570!" "We should sing more plainchant at this parish." "I'd like to thank the choir for their sublime rendition of the Mass For Five Voices by William Byrd." "I just love the way the four torchbearers process in with such dignity." "People treat the Host like a snack. I think it's time we went back to communion on the tongue." "My entire family goes to Confession every week." "We need a central Tabernacle on the altar." "The altar servers' lace cottas are so beautiful." "I just love Father Steve's sermons about the Real Presence and living a Eucharistic life." "People are leaving in droves for Saint Pius X Parish and the reverent Mass there. Do you think we're doing something wrong here at Harvey Milk Parish?" "I'm thrilled that the design for the new church includes a choir loft.
Read more

You know you're a REAL altar server when... .

-
Image
In a movie theatre, you genuflect before entering the aisle to take a seat. Riding a bus, sitting in class or at the doctor's office, and/or when watching TV, you rest your hands palms down on your thighs, finger tips at your knees. You can identify each and every variety of incense used in the Mass simply by its scent. You habitually wear black socks and black dress shoes... even when wearing shorts for gym class or at the beach. You turn a perfect right angle when entering a building. You have nightmares about serving Mass at the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress. You hear a bicycle bell ring and you drop to your knees. You can't resist the urge to lift a curtain from the bottom. You have a copy of Ceremonies of the Roman Rite Described by Adrian Fortescue on your smartphone for recreational reading. You have a copy of Ritual Notes (11th Edition) on your smartphone for recreational reading. As a torchbearer, you can carry a processional candle without spilling one dr
Read more

Clash of the Titans: Strickland v. Martin

-
Image
Elijah versus the prophets of Baal [ 4 min read ] A prophet is not without honour except... . From the Catholic Herald an article by John Lavenburg . Bishop Joseph Strickland on the “basic truths” which include: Christ established only the Catholic Church. It is (a) sacrilege for anyone to unworthily receive communion. Marriage is between one man and one woman. Every human person is created in the image and likeness of God and shouldn’t be supported in attempts to reject their biological identity. Sexual activity outside of marriage is a grave sin. The belief that all men and women will be saved regardless of how they live their lives is false and dangerous. In order to follow Jesus Christ all must willingly choose to take up their cross. “We must hold fast to these truths and be wary of any attempts to present an alternative to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, or to push for a faith that speaks of dialogue and brotherhood, while attempting to remove the fatherhood of God. (...) When we see
Read more
The opinions expressed herein are largely those of the blog author. Every effort is made to conform to Church teaching. Comments are welcome.