What's your church like?

Resa77 · May 2012

The Ugly Church thread has me curious: what are your churches like? What size is it? What kind of design does it have? Are you members at your geographically-designated parish, or do you belong to a parish outside your location? How old is your church? Tell me about it!

jenjlgsings · May 2012

My church is a little over 50 years old. It is "ugly" in terms of churches go, but it is beautiful to me because of my connection to the parish. I attend Mass there, have an adoration hour there, teach religion there and worked for two years there as the young adult ministry coordinator. They have actually made it more "beautiful" recently by remodeling the area with the statues and candles and adding a gorgeous stained glass window that came from the chapel where people from my Parish attended Mass before the building was built.

I first started attending the parish because it was one of the only ones in the diocese that had any young adult programming and the parish I had grown up in closed. There was a church closer to me at the time (and there is now) but I continue to go there.

I had thought about getting married in the Cathedeal because I sing in the choir there, but to me I wanted my wedding to be someplace that was "home" and my parish is that to me.

My fiance is excited because my parish has an adoration chapel and he hopes that he can stop in before the wedding and that we can sneak away for a few minutes to pray before we head off to pictures.

An added bonus is that they have a webcam at my parish, so if there is anyone that cannot attend the wedding, it will be possible for them to watch on the webcam!

ElisabethJoanne · May 2012

My church is the finest example of carpenter gothic architecture in the region. It was built in 1869.

My parish is geographic. [Isn't that the definition of a parish? Are you asking if I parish-hop?] The parish is actually relatively new, founded in 1977. We bought the building and moved it. It used to be a cathedral, but they were building a new building. Our building cost $1, plus tens of thousands to move it and reconstruct it, plus I don't know how much for the land it sits on.

The church comfortably seats about 150. Local membership is about 50 people.

egm900 · May 2012

Ours is 130 years old, and seats about 200. It's fairly simple on the inside (no murals, etc. like I'm used to New Orleans), but it does have a beautiful alter, statues, and stained glass. They also have a wall of glass that separates the inside of the Church from the vestibule, which also serves as the "cry room," and has speakers so you can still hear and see Mass. I have small nieces and nephews, so my brothers and sisters will still be able to see and hear the wedding, even if they need to step outside with their kids.

We decided to get married close to my family, who is not Catholic, and lives in a different state. We picked the church because it felt right to us. We are bringing a priest with us, we didn't feel like it would have the same meaning to have the local priest marry us.

TeaForMe · May 2012

I'm glad you asked this question - I just went to my church website (I've only been a member for less than a year) to check out the history and it has had a very interesting past! It was founded by Polish immigrants in 1892 and the buidlng built in 1903-1904. It's beautiful and old! Probably what you'd expect from a church from that era. I don't know how big it is, how many people it holds, etc.I don't know any type of architectural terminology so I won't try to describe it. So I'm not really any help in that area.

BUT... many of the priests died after only being there for a couple years which was kind of weird, I thought. The best part of the history was in 1916, a woman actually shot and killed a priest during confession! (She had claimed he was the father of her youngest child). Then later in the century, two altar boys got into a fight while lighting candles and lit the sanctuary on fire.

My church is a block and a half from my house which is lovely! I've done the drive-to-the-church-I-like before but decided after we bought our house that I was going to stick with the neighborhood church this time (which I think helps to strenghten the neighborhood as well as making it easier to get to mass!)

egm900 · May 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_catholic-weddings_whats-your-church-like?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:615Discussion:d327a28b-ddfc-4167-9cf3-7be754364357Post:d8b2492b-cdf0-4f57-8a4f-67509de769d7">Re: What's your church like?</a>:
[QUOTE]My church is the finest example of carpenter gothic architecture in the region. It was built in 1869. <strong>My parish is geographic. [Isn't that the definition of a parish?</strong> Are you asking if I parish-hop?] The parish is actually relatively new, founded in 1977. We bought the building and moved it. It used to be a cathedral, but they were building a new building. Our building cost $1, plus tens of thousands to move it and reconstruct it, plus I don't know how much for the land it sits on. The church comfortably seats about 150. Local membership is about 50 people.
Posted by ElisabethJoanne[/QUOTE]

<div>You can elect to belong to a different parish by registering at that parish. My FI and I live in the same geographical parish, but only I am registered there. FI is registered at the parish that offers Latin Mass every week because he prefers that and attends there every week. I also know several people who have registered as a member at the Catholic university's parish because they either work or attend school there, so attend there rather than their geographical parish. New Orleans has a high concentration of practicing Catholics though, which means lots of churches and Mass times, so it's very common to attend and register outside of the parish in which you reside.</div>

Resa77 · May 2012

It's really neat to hear about other people's churches!

I have attended mine my whole life. 2 years ago, we opened our new building (the old one stiill stands and is being converted into a meeting place or something). The old building was VERY weird/ugly, but the new building is really pretty, I think. Although I grew up in this parish boundary, I now live outside the boundary, but still just a few miles away. I still attend this church because it's not far, and it's where I've always gone. It's a huge parish (over 20,000 members!), but it still feels personal.

Tea -- that's a crazy/interesting history! LOL

erin5286 · May 2012

My church is a beautiful cathedral - unfortunately I don't know much of the history or background on it, the cathedral's website s blank in the "about us" section, so it must still be in the works... If anyone would like to peek at a picture of the outside, here's the website: http://cathedralofstmary.com/index.html and if you click on the Parish Bulletin, there's a picture of the inside of the Cathedral. We send a copy of it to my grandmother in New York, since she won't be able to travel here for the wedding, and she can't stop talking about "the gorgeous cathedral and the beautiful center aisle of blue"

It's only about two blocks away from the downtown condo where FI and I live, so it's wonderful that we can walk to/from church. We aren't members there, we decided to wait to become official members at a church once we've bought a house together. We will continue attending Mass at the Cathedral for now, but will probably go to whatever Catholic church is in our neighborhood once we move.

christinamarie325 · May 2012

The church for my wedding is one that I have the most community in. I belong to their young adult group, and become good friends with the priest that runs it. I started attending mass there occasionally on Saturday nights after work, and did a lot of "soul searching" about a relationship I was in at the time. Thankfully that relationship ended. At the time it felt like the end of the world, now I see God just had a good Catholic in mind for me.

In between my break-up and new relationship is when I joined the young adult group. Now I bring my fiance along with me.

When I got engaged I really wanted to be married there. I actually attend mass at a different parish, which is the one I grew up in.

I did however register at the parish I am being married at, which makes sense since I'm there every week for the group.

The church was originally built in the 1800's and was renovated after a fire in the 1980s. The church has beautiful Gothic architecture, and actually reminds me a lot of the parish I grew up in, which could be why I feel so comfortable there. I feel like it's my home.

professorscience · May 2012

The parish where we were married has been around for at least a hundred years, but I think the current building was built in 1947. It is absolutely gorgeous, with high marble arches and dozens of stained glass depictions of various saints and scriptural references. The altar has a beautiful ten-foot painting of Jesus seated on a throne, flanked by eight gold-leaf sculptures of various saints (the ones you would expect, Peter, Francis of Assisi, and then St. Wilbur [I think], because that was the name and patron saint of the pastor at the time the church was built, a fact I find very fun). It is just so reverent and amazing.

The parish we will likely attend when we move actually reminds me of some of the Protestant churches I attended growing up. The pews are arranged a little more in a semi-circle around the altar, and the front of the church actually looks like a Baptist church to me. It was built in 1889, though, and has definitely always been Catholic. I've only been once, and I really loved it. Even though it doesn't appear very "cathedral" in style, the mass is very traditional. It actually has floor-to-ceiling windows along two of the walls, so you are surrounded by nature while you are at mass. Last Sunday, it was storming, and at the end of mass, the priest actually made a joke about hearing the Thunder all the way in LA (Yay OKC!).

Riss91 · May 2012

We are not members of the parish closest to us. We travel 30-40 minutes to our parish, in the next state. This is the closest parish to us that offers the Latin Mass regularly. There is a large Latin-Mass population and a large Spanish-Mass population. We have an extensive sacred music program with about 4-5 choirs serving each week (some student, some Spanish, some professional). We have some amazingly intelligent and well-spoken priests. Their homilies should be posted online, they are brilliant. One of our priests is married with children (I've posted his WSJ article discussing it)! At a typical Latin Mass, we have approximately 10 men/boys at the altar. It's quite a sight! The community is really terrific - there are breakfasts in the hall after mass each week. I wish we lived closer so we could participate more actively.

The Church itself is definitely more traditional in architecture. It was gorgeous when it opened in the 1890s... beautifully painted. Through the 1900s, it was slowly taken apart and blandified. Beautiful painted walls were covered in a flat dismal beige. The high altar was reduced,the altar rail removed and the marble floor was covered with mauve carpet. The past few years, the Church has been slowly renovating, to bring back some of the original beauty.

Here are some pics:
Exterior

Original interior

Blandified interior (circa 1980):

Renovated interior:

At midnight mass this year:

when the reno is complete, this is what it should look like:

professorscience · May 2012

Is anyone else having trouble editing posts? TK won't let me today!

Anyway, I just looked up the history of our new church and realized the current building was finished in the 1990's, so that explains why it looks more modern. I ALSO found out that I share my birthday with the saint for whom the church is named! How neat is that?

Also, we were members of the parish where we were married by virtue of my BIL/SIL being members there. We moved so much that it was hard to settle in a "home" parish.

caiti2u · May 2012

My church was built in the 1950's. Not sure how big, probably sits a few hundred people. I would consider it fairly modern and plain, not ugly IMO, just plain. The only stained glass is up in the choir loft and can be seen only if you're standing at the altar and looking back up at it. I started going to a different church when I moved to Tx, but it didn't feel right to me. I ended up at the one I'm at b/c it reminds me of the church I grew up in, and when I moved out here and knew very few people, I really liked that connection to home. I love my head priest, and even though FI is Baptist, he's a fan of him too

lalaith50 · May 2012

[QUOTE]My parish is geographic. [Isn't that the definition of a parish? Are you asking if I parish-hop?]
Posted by ElisabethJoanne[/QUOTE]
Instead of being "geographic," some churches are also formally known as "personal parishes," like a German or Charismatic parish. (I imagine that might apply to some Latin Mass communities, although I don't know how often they seek out the "personal parish" distinction.)

Resa77 · May 2012

Riss, your church seems really fancy!

Tami87 · May 2012

Fi and I used to go to the campus student center where I am a graduate student, but we recently started attending the parish that is closest to my house (where we will both soon be living) and plan to become members after the wedding in July! The parish is just celebrating its 100 year anniversary! The current church building is not the original, although you can still see the old building, and the new building under went a renovation in the early 80s. Below is a few pictures of the church. There are just two rows of pews with a center aisle.

Riss91 · May 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_catholic-weddings_whats-your-church-like?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:615Discussion:d327a28b-ddfc-4167-9cf3-7be754364357Post:7ab68ec8-1932-4118-9844-9a955216f874">Re: What's your church like?</a>:
[QUOTE]Riss, your church seems really fancy!
Posted by Resa77[/QUOTE]

Up until a year ago, it was very plain and horribly drab. The pictures I posted definitely show the Church "dressed" up for a special occasion, but our typical mass is also pretty formal. Definitely not glitzy, just "full-out".

sassnspark · May 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_catholic-weddings_whats-your-church-like?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural Wedding BoardsForum:615Discussion:d327a28b-ddfc-4167-9cf3-7be754364357Post:d0c1d744-7f6f-47b1-ada9-e73d672da82f">Re: What's your church like?</a>:
[QUOTE]I'm glad you asked this question - I just went to my church website (I've only been a member for less than a year) to check out the history and it has had a very interesting past! It was founded by Polish immigrants in 1892 and the buidlng built in 1903-1904. It's beautiful and old! Probably what you'd expect from a church from that era. I don't know how big it is, how many people it holds, etc.I don't know any type of architectural terminology so I won't try to describe it. So I'm not really any help in that area. BUT... many of the priests died after only being there for a couple years which was kind of weird, I thought. The best part of the history was in 1916, a woman actually shot and killed a priest during confession! (She had claimed he was the father of her youngest child). Then later in the century, two altar boys got into a fight while lighting candles and lit the sanctuary on fire. My church is a block and a half from my house which is lovely! I've done the drive-to-the-church-I-like before but decided after we bought our house that I was going to stick with the neighborhood church this time (which I think helps to strenghten the neighborhood as well as making it easier to get to mass!)
Posted by TeaForMe[/QUOTE]

Is your church HC in Minneapolis? If so, that is where I am getting married! And wow, what a history for an church to have!!

TeaForMe · May 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_catholic-weddings_whats-your-church-like?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:615Discussion:d327a28b-ddfc-4167-9cf3-7be754364357Post:c88eced3-2b96-41bb-ab95-d406de2ff9f5">Re: What's your church like?</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: What's your church like? : Is your church HC in Minneapolis? If so, that is where I am getting married! And wow, what a history for an church to have!!
Posted by sassnspark[/QUOTE]

Sass,

HC as in Holy Cross? No, although I know that is a super-Polish parish, even now! BUT we were married at St. Boniface, right down the street from Holy Cross!

monkeysip · May 2012

FI and I both live in the suburbs, very far from downtown, and the only churches around are very modern, both architecturally and liturgically. We were members at one church for a couple years, but we got a new pastor that we didn't like, and we got really tired of the modern liturgy and sometimes liturgical abuses that we left.

We've now become members for the past few months of a church downtown. We do drive about 40 minutes every sunday, but I'm used to a long commute. It's a gorgeous church but also has a very reverent, traditional liturgy (including one of the only tridentine masses in the city, and a latin novus ordo).

The only problem we kind of have is the priest. He's a little schizo. Sometimes he's super nice, but then he'll get up and do a political rant for his homily (and I mean rant). But we still enjoy going there and don't want to go anywhere else. We try to give him the benefit of the doubt.

It's a really small parish, so I don't know how many ministries/groups they have. We'd like to get involved somehow eventually, so we need to find out what's available to help out with.

The parish was finished being built in 1874, and is the oldest church building still in existence in Houston. It's now a historical landmark.

We are so excited to get married there. BTW, we just had the date penciled in. We're going to put the deposit down tomorrow and talk to the priest for the first time! (About the wedding, not the first time ever haha)

Ciardasully · May 2012

I am not from Albany but moved here almost three years ago. FI is from Saratoga Springs. For two years, we bounced around (and sadly, were spotty in our mass attendance, I am ashamed to admit) but couldn't seem to find the right fit. Some parishes were too "touchy feely" (please do not try to hold my hands during the Our Father though that could probably be it's own thread haha), other churches had no spirit to them. The Sunday before FI took the New York State Bar, I told him I wanted to go to Church. So he was looking at the mass schedules and he said, "Let's try Blessed Sacrament, it is nearby." So we went and we loved it! It isn't a Cathedral but I think it's just as pretty as a Cathedral. It is a vibrant parish that does a lot to help the poor in Albany. Our priest is amazing. He actually grew up in that parish, attended the school and really cares about his parishioners.

Oh and we now go to Mass every Sunday (okay we missed the Sunday Hurricane Irene was flooding our basement and when we are out of town but we attend mass wherever we are) and participate in Parish events.

I looked online for pictures. The first is the church at Christmas

The next is the exterior

And here is one of the chior loft

S6ix · May 2012

Ciardasully! I am from Ballston Spa, St. Mary's. I am in San Diego now and we are getting married at a church out here. Um, hi **waving to everyone** not meaning to jump in, I know I am a newb, but I am Catholic. We are getting married in August and have finished our marriage prep completely except for picking our music and readings. Your FI's parents probably know my parents. They are very active in pro-life and other church activities up there.

monkeysip · May 2012

Welcome, S6ix! Feel free to jump into any conversation here, and congrats on your upcoming wedding!

S6ix · May 2012

Thanks monkeysip! Congratulations and best wishes to you too!

texasgurly13 · May 2012

Me and FI's church is very modern looking. It is a relatively new building for the parish. From what I can see with the history of the parish, they moved from the original church to this current building in 1986.

Fun fact about my parish though: If any of you are familiar with the ACTS Movement, I am getting married in the parish it originated.

Ciardasully · May 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_catholic-weddings_whats-your-church-like?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:615Discussion:d327a28b-ddfc-4167-9cf3-7be754364357Post:2965fe84-6789-4dec-8b9c-aa18e0b01d22">Re: What's your church like?</a>:
[QUOTE]Ciardasully! I am from Ballston Spa, St. Mary's. I am in San Diego now and we are getting married at a church out here. Um, hi **waving to everyone** not meaning to jump in, I know I am a newb, but I am Catholic. We are getting married in August and have finished our marriage prep completely except for picking our music and readings. Your FI's parents probably know my parents. They are very active in pro-life and other church activities up there.
Posted by S6ix[/QUOTE]

S6ix! Thanks for introducing yourself. It is so exciting to meet people close to home (or used to be close to home) I think my FI was baptized in Ballston Spa. His parents were living in Clifton Park when he was born. They aren't really involved in Church now. Sadly, they only go to Mass on Christmas and Easter and I don't think my FMIL is pro-life. When they do go to Mass, it's at St. Clements in Saratoga Springs.

Ciardasully · May 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_catholic-weddings_whats-your-church-like?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:615Discussion:d327a28b-ddfc-4167-9cf3-7be754364357Post:96e996e3-6551-4072-bd87-3d650747fc6b">Re: What's your church like?</a>:
[QUOTE]Me and FI's church is very modern looking. It is a relatively new building for the parish. From what I can see with the history of the parish, they moved from the original church to this current building in 1986. Fun fact about my parish though: If any of you are familiar with the ACTS Movement, I am getting married in the parish it originated.
Posted by texasgurly13[/QUOTE]

I am not familiar but I will look it up!

S6ix · May 2012

Ciardasully, that is great. Your FI was probably baptized by Father Bondi then - he has passed away now, but he was The Best, and his masses regularly packed the house. And with a church that has an 800-900 person capacity, that is saying something! I am sad that he isn't alive still, because I always imagined he would officiate my wedding. Small world!

BTW, my parents belong to St. Mary's still, but they go to daily mass and often find themselves in Saratoga, Schenectady, and Albany due to their pro-life work.

futuremrsbruno · May 2012

My church is 150 years old, having celebrated its' anniversary earlier this year. It is the oldest church in its' county and one of the oldest churches in the diocese.

When I was little I always had a mental image of my perfect church, and when I walked into this one, I knew it was the one. It has white marble floors and a white marble altar. There are stained glass windows on each side of the church, 14 panes depicting the crusifixion. We have a statue of the blessed mother to the right of the altar, and a statue of Joseph to the left. Our savior hangs from the cross in the very front of the church. It is very large and can easily hold around 800 people.

The church is Gothic in design and is one of the tallest churches in the city. It is the tallest Catholic church on the side of town it's located. The cieling is similar to that of St. Patrick's in Dublin, which is another reason I love it.

There is 1 main aisle and 2 side aisles. Each pew holds 4 people, and pews are 6 across.

I wish I had the pics on this computer, it's stunning.

ootmother2 · May 2012

My church was built in 1850 and has been operated by theFathers of the Blessed Sacrement. since 1900. It's quite large and holds a seperate shrine to St. Ann with a documented "saints bone": (no clue how that happens).

The church also houses a theater and concert accomodations. It also has a decent high school attached (rare for NYC)

My church is on 76th Street & Lexington Avenue, about 4 blocks from me but there are two churches closer. I prefer St, Jean's beause of the beautiful artwork,, the acoustics and I the pastor there.

btw, this is one of the few Catholic Churches with a dome, infact, it has two gorgeous domes. They are being restored right now as the building just qualified as a historical property in NYC.

Sometimes when I have out of town guests wanting to sight see, I take them to St. Patricks Cathedral for Mass. I haven't really adjusted to the new cardinal yet but I probably will eventually. There's a reception for him at Convent of the Sacred Heart (school) next month so I give it a try.

What's your church like?

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