Priest pens book on 'God's House'

In his new book, "God's House Is Our House: Re-imagining the Environment for Worship," Rev. Richard Vosko, a priest of the Albany Diocese, addresses many issues, including the theology of worship space and church architecture.

He has been a liturgical design consultant since 1970. In 2005, he was elected Honorary Member of the American Institute of Architects and received the Steffler Award in Design from Christians in the Visual Arts.

The Evangelist recently exchanged emails with Father Vosko to find out about his book.

Q. What is your book about?

A. I address many issues, including architectural style, the location of the tabernacle and the installation of sacred art, just to mention a few.

One major issue has to do with the difference between the "horizontal" and "vertical" notions of worship, and how this affects the place of worship.

The vertical notion says that our worship is directed toward God. In this context, a rectilinear (straight-line) church building could be more desirable so that all worshipers face the same direction, that is, where the priest presides at the altar at one end of the building.

The horizontal notion does not deny that worship is directed to God, but also says that all baptized members of the body of Christ are obligated to take their rightful roles or ministries during liturgies in an active and conscious manner. In this context, the altar table, a symbol of Jesus Christ, is placed more in the midst of the community.

In the book, I propose that the horizontal and vertical notions of worship are not necessarily polar opposites. However, if we desire to engage all members of the assembly in the liturgical rites, it makes good sense to arrange the assembly around the altar and ambo.

Q. Is the book a "how to" on renovating a church, or is it more than that?

A. My book is written for architects, artists, committees and pastoral leaders involved in building or renovating a place of worship. It is also written for religious educators.

The book has three sections. The first lays a theoretical foundation of history, Scripture, theology, architecture and liturgy, and answers the basic question, "Where did you get that idea from?"

The second part describes the facets of an environment for worship, including spaces, ritual furnishings, liturgical appointments and sacred art. It is a good checklist for any project.

The last section addresses issues of environmental concerns, stewardship and caring for older churches.

Q. How is worship space today different from the worship space of 50 years ago?

A. The first obvious difference is that our churches today are more user-friendly, thanks to building codes. All new and old churches must comply with essential regulations that assure us they are barrier-free, comfortable and safe.

Another difference has to do with light, which is a symbol of Christ. The darker interiors of yesteryear have given way to churches that are brighter, due to new designs in architectural art, glass and lighting technologies.

Perhaps the biggest difference is the location of the altar table, which today may be found in a more centralized location, similar to the earliest Christian places of worship. One good example of a very large 16th-century church where the altar is in the center is St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.

Q. Why do some people balk at modern-styled churches? Why is change so difficult for some and not for others?

A. We often hear that modern churches do not look like Catholic churches. Actually, the Church has never espoused one architectural style. Buildings are not Catholic. People are Catholic.

The attachment to older styles of church architecture is an emotional issue. No amount of logic can help here. The word "tradition" is often used as a euphemism for habit. We often forget that Jesus never instructed us to build churches.

The church building, regardless of how it looks architecturally or artistically, is meant to inspire worship. It is not the object of our worship.

Q. As part of the renovation team for the interior of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Albany, what are your thoughts about the worship space there?

A. The cathedral church in any diocese is, symbolically speaking, the most important place of worship. It is the bishop's church. He presides at worship there, teaches there, makes major announcements there.

There is no argument that our Cathedral is a remarkable architectural treasure. However, it is also a building that has suffered from major neighborhood changes and neglect. Nevertheless, the Cathedral parish has faithfully continued to serve the Diocese and community in South Albany.

Our diocesan Architecture and Building Commission has used creative approaches and a long-term master plan to address the structural, decorative and liturgical upgrades. The ongoing financial sustenance of our Cathedral needs to be developed as part of the diocesan pastoral planning process.

("God's House Is Our House: Re-imagining the Environment for Worship," can be purchased at The Book House in Stuyvesant Plaza in Albany or directly from the publisher at www.litpress.org. All royalties will be donated to Habitat for Humanity in Albany.)

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