BUILDING THE HOUSE OF GOD

By His Eminence
Cardinal LERCARO
ABISHOP is deeply interested in the problems of all kinds of sacred art and especially of architecture. It is not only a question of good taste and beauty.
But. even if it were, there would be sufficient reason for the interest of a bishop who, embodying the full priesthood of Christ, is placed in his Church by the Holy Spirit for the glory of God and the salvation of souls . .
Indeed, painting. sculpture and all figurative arts are essentially concerned with the worship of God, as they increase devotion and sometimes touch even the truths of doctrine and of the faith .
Functional
THE Church always venerates sacred images, but she also keeps watch lest their function as means to an end be frustrated, failing to convey the truths of doctrine to the understanding of the faithful, or failing to give the right connection between invisible reality and its outward expression.
The priest feels the problem of architecture with keen interest today. He realises how urgent and important it is to lead people more and more to participate in the sacred mysteries, to understand the rite and have an active share in the development of the liturgical action, insofar as the faithful are
allowed . .
All this, which until some years ago might not have aroused any interest at all, is today a real need for the Catholic soul, thinking according to the directives given by the Church through Papal pronouncements or diocesan rulings.
But it is evident that. the more functional is the architectural structure of the Church, the easier, the more real and effective will be the understanding and the participation of the congregation.
Opportunity
F UNCTIONAL arch], tecturc, from the point of view of the liturgy, tries to make possible the actual meeting of, a congregation with the priest, not only through an interior spiritual assent hut also by means of the active physical attendance of the community in the development of the liturgical action.
Modern technical resources make this easier, by providing a complete and satisfactory solution of several problems which. in previous times, presented difficulties which could not be overcome Such were, for instance, situating of the altar so as to be seen by the whole congregation, placing the ambo suitably for its purpose. providing adequate illumination and suitable acoustics.
Even though all this is not sufficient, by itself, to create an interior liturgical spirit, all the same, it offers a great opportunity to the artist who really understands his subject "the church" and is gifted with personal creative resources.
Community
rr HE architect, there
fore, who plans to give a church to a community — in a city or in a country village -must feel that he becomes the interpreter of the religious soul of that particular community; a Catholic soul. with its characteristic features, to be found in the tradition. in social environment, in geographical setting. in peculiar local circumstances...
It will be a chief concern of the architect to give to the church that character that may distinguish it from the usual dwellings, offices, shops. and any other kinds of public buildings, and may show it clearly as the holy house of God. without causing however a jarring contrast with its surroundings , . At the same time. however, men must feel it to be their own home, as the house of God in the midst of the houses of his children . . .
Looking at the Church, which he is to create, the architect must understand well the element of sacredness. This sacredness is primarily sincerity, expressed in the clear and thorough line of the design and in the adherence to it of all the structural and decorative elements,
Any tinselling, any over-structure, any deceitful or aritficial effects by means of extrinsic ekments, betray a lack of sincerity. Such is also the attempt to lay a veneer of modernity over old schemes, and even more so the pretence to conjure up ancient styles by new techniques, if, for instance, somebody should try to build a Romanesque or Gothic structure with reinforced concrete
Sacredness
" U 1 sincerity in de sign and building. though basic elements of a religious construction. are not enough to give the seal of sacredness . .
The artist who feels the high responsibility of his task and his unworthiness, prays; and his prayer is humble and confident; it is like a struggle to bring down a ray from heaven, which may give light to the new construction and reveal the presence of God, as did the white cloud that descended upon the Temple of Solomon on its dedication.
Somebody might object that in the past great architects were not always saints; and my answer is that in the golden age of sacred architecture, even if the architect did not wear the halo of a saint, there was such a climate of deep faith and spiritual awe in the soul of all people that, whatever might have been the personal moral qualities of the artist, the light and atmosphere of that world were reflected in his work But the architect who is a believer loves and prays anti meditates on the sacred liturgy. And, as soon as he gets his spark of inspiration, he finds, even in the most austere simplicity, the right combination of lines to render the greatest thing in a language that is mystery and light at the same time.
Translated
IHAVE seen in a modern church eschatological doctrine (waiting for the glorious return of Christ) translated in a few scant elements.
austere, almost harsh. . Only a simple word of initiation was needed to bring forth the sacredness of what, at first sight. seemed to be only a structural disorientation.
Called to be sincere and sacred. the structure is ideally to offer itself to the service of the sacred liturgy, keeping in mind the active participation of the faithful. as much as possible. because the church is the house of God and also the house of His children.
The criterion in the distribution of the interior space is related above all to the need of the sacred rites and to the authorized manner of participation of the congregation: the more the development of the lines (chiefly in the general plan) matches the spirit of liturgy and allows it to be lived in its beauty and perfection, the more will the church be an instrument of the glory of God and of the salvation of souls.
Separation
EAVING out too many details, I want
to say though that I cannot conceive a modern church without an ante-nave marking the separation of sacred from worldly things and bringing the children into
communion with God in His house.
I rather favour the idea of a portico that makes possible a solemn, processional entrance; or, at least, I would request the minimum to make possible a procession through the church.
Likewise, in order to he faithful to the spirit of the liturgy. I cannot accept the idea of a baptistry or a confessional near the altar, rather than at the entrance of the church; neither could I ima
gine them too small, especially the baptistery, so as not to have room for the community to share in the happy event of a new child of God coming to increase the family.
Moreover, I cannot hear looking at an altar choked in by bulky, decorative cornices, where it looks like a shelf attached to a monumental construction. I don't like an altar too far from the congregation, for it makes too difficult and too cold contact between the priest and the faithful; for the same reason I don't like a Communion rail which is not easily accessible for an orderly procession of the congregation towards the table of the Father.
Insincerity
Yhave understood, by what I have just told you, that no prejudice may remain today against a modern view of sacred architecture.
in my opinion, the question should not even be asked whether the Church should be built according to old tradition or to a more modern style, we must admit that, unfortunately, in countries of ancient civilization and in mission areas, it was accepted as a fixed rule that only traditional patterns, sometimes coinciding with one fossilized style and considered as the only genuine expression of a sacred Catholic building, can produce a church worthy of this name.
So, many absurd examples of the insincerity which we condemned earlier became more and more frequent; and, in mission areas, the local art was ostracised. while it might have made a rich contribution. just as Greek and Roman arts had made in the early days of early Christian basilicas.
Tradition
IN this marine! they choked. with no profit, indeed with great damage, the legitimate aspirations of people to express their faith in forms congenial with theit own taste and
tradition; and this, contrary to the practice of all former ages.
In the past. the history of sacred architecture, from Constantine to the early 19th century, is. we may say, the history of architecture itself, showing several styles in turn, as all were allowed to express the sacredness of the house of God.
If a tradition is to be found in sacred architecture, this tradition really consists in the acceptance of every expression of artistic taste to be used for God's glory. provided the holiness and liturgical functionalism be observed. We may apply even here what St. Paul stated for all walks of life: "All is yours, but you belong to Christ and Christ belongs to God.'