April 6, 2018 at 1:53 p.m.

Church styles, though different, have common aim


By KATE BLAIN- | Comments: 0 | Leave a comment

"When we get to the pearly gates, we're not going to be asked if our churches `look like churches,'" says Rev. Richard Vosko.

That's why the award-winning designer and consultant for worship environments (and priest of the Albany Diocese) believes there is room for all kinds of church buildings in today's Church.

The Evangelist recently took a tour with Father Vosko of two very different churches in the Diocese. Along the way, he talked about the art and architecture of each, and discussed trends in worship spaces in the U.S. The two churches are St. Mary's in Albany and Our Lady of Grace in Ballston Lake.

Classical style

The exterior of St. Mary's, the second-oldest church in New York State, is an example of Italian Romanesque architecture. Inside, St. Mary's is somewhat eclectic, explained Father Vosko, who has designed churches throughout the U.S. While often referred to as Baroque, its second-floor gallery is actually more Victorian in style.

He characterizes worship spaces as either "mythic" or "parabolic" -- that is, focusing the worshipper either on looking toward heaven or on the community experience of prayer. St. Mary's is a mythic church, from the statues and paintings set into its oval ceiling to its stately rows of dark-varnished pews that face an altar set behind a polished rail.

The building depicts what the Baltimore Catechism once stated, said Father Vosko: that the best way to foster personal piety would be to go to Mass. Church buildings were therefore designed to focus attention on the altar, to "create a sense of the holy, mysterious, heavenly.

Serene space

"From an artistic perspective, it's a beautiful space," the priest continued. "A church like this puts people in touch with the more serene, peaceful. This building would say that God is more transcendent; the other [Our Lady of Grace], that God is more imminent."

Candles (see separate articles in this section) are one feature of a mythic church. At St. Mary's, a bank of votive candles glows red at the front of the church.

"Lighting a candle is a very important human activity," explained Father Vosko, using the secular example of the death of Grateful Dead musician Jerry Garcia. "People set up shrines. No one told them to do that. The lighting of a candle is a whole human ritual that helps you connect with someone [who is] not with you."

People also "love to look at the crucifix, to say, `He did this to save me from my sin,'" the priest said. St. Mary's crucifix tops its gold tabernacle, backed by a painting of Christ's empty tomb.

Different style

As is obvious from the date on its cornerstone, 1867, the current St. Mary's Church was built long before Vatican II, which gave a different angle to worship spaces. Our Lady of Grace Church in Ballston Lake, built more than a century after St. Mary's, is at the other end of the spectrum of worship spaces in the Diocese: a parabolic church built to foster community.

That effort begins even before one enters the church, which Father Vosko characterized as a "contemporary suburban style of architecture." He pointed out the cues to a "people-oriented church" in the doorway, from a crib full of items to be donated to Birthright to a box for food pantry donations.

Ample space in Our Lady of Grace's entryway allows parishioners to gather before Mass, he said; as they walk down the hallway, they pass a small altar, plants, a fountain and a podium holding the Bible.

Inside, the large baptismal font catches the eye. With three levels for water to flow across, the priest said, the font meets the Roman Missal's direction that "where there's a body of water in a church, it should be moving."

Orientation

The assembly space is a semi-circular collection of chairs oriented around the altar.

"The way seats are arranged can affect the behavior patterns of the people in that pattern," Father Vosko explained. "The theology of the Mass today is that it's the work of the entire assembly." The chairs also have arms to make older parishioners more comfortable.

"Why aren't there kneelers?" the priest asked, and then he answered his own question: so that the chairs can be moved, and to hearken back to the earliest prayer postures, which were standing. Our Lady of Grace is also barrier-free; those with disabilities even have access to the altar.

Touches of art

As for artwork, Father Vosko says there are three types: art required for worship, such as the font and altar; art not required for worship but important to Catholic sensitivity, such as Stations of the Cross and statues of the Blessed Mother; and art that is seasonal, such as Advent wreaths or Christmas trees. Our Lady of Grace contains little artwork, choosing instead a single statue of the risen Christ behind the altar.

Down the hall from the worship space, Father Vosko pointed out a small chapel that, he said, fosters private devotions through its image of Mary, Stations of the Cross and tabernacle.

Distinctive features

Each of the two churches contains features the other does not:

* At St. Mary's, Father Vosko remarked on the ornate wooden door, which gives the sense of "passing through into a sacred space. One believes something overwhelms you in a way that sickness can give way to health. In a sacred space, anything is possible."

* With its scores of statues and paintings, St. Mary's also follows the practice stated in the Constitution on Sacred Liturgy, which directs that religious art be maintained.

* Our Lady of Grace has a more central altar. Along with its chairs with arms, that creates what the priest termed a "spirit of hospitality."

* The church also has a visual reminder of Baptism in the font that stands in its doorway.

Equal standing

"Can Mass be said in both places? Yes. Can people receive grace in both places? Yes," Father Vosko stated. "One is not better than the other. They must live side-by-side."

However, the two styles can come together, he added, saying: "Newer churches in the suburbs need to be more beautiful, and older churches need to be updated to accommodate the changes in the liturgy."

From its earliest beginnings in the homes of worshippers, the Church has progressed through "Basilican" models and the dramatic architecture of the Middle Ages to contemporary, more simple buildings. Today, Father Vosko said, "We no longer understand church buildings to be merely containers for religious art or furnishings; rather, they are powerful symbols."

What's to come

The future holds even more changes for worship spaces, he said.

"What's going to shape our worship is going to be art, architecture and music," the priest explained, adding his own "M and M theory": "A Roman Catholic building is about movement...mingling...metaphor...'magination...memory...mystery. We try, as designers, to create spaces that are resonators of these very powerful images."

One factor is utmost, he said: "No matter what a church looks like, does it inspire people to do works of peace and justice? That's the bottom line."

(09-10-98) [[In-content Ad]]


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