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Views from the Choir Loft

Sacred Architecture and Brexit

Fr. David Friel · February 17, 2019

Salisbury N EDITORIAL in the Christmas double-issue of the London weekly, The Tablet, observes that, between Great Britain and the European continent, there is a notable link to be found in sacred architecture.

First, a disclaimer: neither Corpus Christi Watershed nor I have a position on “Brexit,” the matter of whether (or in what fashion) Great Britain should remain a part of the European Union or withdraw therefrom.

That being said, the point made in the editorial is intriguing and worthy of consideration by anyone interested in church architecture or in culture, more generally.

The relevant section is quoted here:

If Sir Simon Jenkins is right and England’s medieval cathedrals remain supreme creations of the national genius, it is worth noting that they were a Catholic—that is to say Roman Catholic—accomplishment, and very much the fruit of European creativity. The Gothic architectural style links Britain’s ancient cathedrals to some of the greatest buildings in Europe. But that is only one of dozens of ways Britain has benefited from and contributed to European civilization. 1

What strikes me about this observation is that it uses an uncommon criterion for establishing cultural association. More common criteria include currency, cuisine, customs, spoken and written languages, etc. To speak of architecture—and, more narrowly, of sacred architecture—as a means of connecting cultures is fascinating.




NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1   The Tablet: The International Catholic Weekly, 22/29 December 2018, p. 2.

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Sacred Architecture Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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About Fr. David Friel

Ordained in 2011, Father Friel served as Parochial Vicar at Saint Anselm Church in Northeast Philly before earning a doctorate in liturgical theology at The Catholic University of America. He presently serves as Vocation Director for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and teaches liturgy at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary.—(Read full biography).

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    Introit • Candlemas (2 February)
    “Candlemas” • Our choir sang on February 2nd, and here's a live recording of the beautiful INTROIT: Suscépimus Deus. We had very little time to rehearse, but I think it has some very nice moments. I promise that by the 8th Sunday after Pentecost it will be perfect! (That Introit is repeated on the 8th Sunday after Pentecost.) We still need to improve, but we're definitely on the right track!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Simplified Antiphons • “Candlemas”
    Anyone who desires simplified antiphons (“psalm tone versions”) for 2 February, the Feast of the Purification—which is also known as “Candlemas” or the Feast of the Presentation—may freely download them. The texts of the antiphons are quite beautiful. From “Lumen Ad Revelatiónem Géntium” you can hear a live excerpt (Mp3). I'm not a fan of chant in octaves, but we had such limited time to rehearse, it seemed the best choice. After all, everyone should have an opportunity to learn “Lumen Ad Revelatiónem Géntium,” which summarizes Candlemas.
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    Once, after Mass, my pastor said he really loved the hymn we did. I said: “Father, that's Holy God, We Praise Thy Name—you never heard it before?” He replied: “But the way you did it was terrific. For once, it didn't sound like a funeral dirge!” Last Sunday, our volunteer choir sang that hymn. I think the tempo was just about right … but what do you think?
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