What a very beutiful simple CHurch Connie!! I am jealous! I especially like the way the statue of Our Lady is so prominent and the wonderful staue of St Michael by the side of the altar. Wonderful.
All I could see were the angels, those beautiful, magnificent angels. Are we blessed or what? This is a place where we worship. I still can't get over it.
I love the round window of our Blessed Mother. It faces west so it is its most beautiful in the afternoon. Unfortunately, it is not often we are in the chruch in the afternoon, other than a Saterday vigil Mass, when the window is just gorgeous, kindof golden! The previous photos were taken in the very early afternoon, so the window was very brightly lit. This is an old church which now has a largely spanish congregation. Note Our Lady of Guadalupe on the left. The Wooden Tabernancle behind the alter and angels are rather new additions, thanks to our new priest (the one who my hubby took to Notre Dame a few weeks ago). Not sure where the angels came from, they may have been in the church basement or attic, as he has brought out all the old statues that were hidden away in both of our churches. The Tabernancle was purchased from a church that closed in Iowa, I believe. Perhaps the angels came with it, I am not sure. They look like female angels, don't think that is St. Michael. Here is a closer photo of them. I intended to take a photo of the outside back today, but we didn't make over to this church after our Mass (the two churches are only a few blocks away from each other). Our two parishes, St. Marys and St.Josephs (where we go), have merged together partially. We share a bulletin and the two priests work together as a team. St. Mary's church is very small, like a chapel almost, old-looking outside, but modernized inside. These new additions have brought back a more traditional look, as have also the spanish congregation, but you can still see the modernized bits from the 70's-80's as well. Our church (St. Joes) is much larger and more majestic. I'll post a photo of it's inside below. It was also "modernized" in the 70's The new priest put in the gold tabernacle/raredose since he has come. Our other tabernacle was black marble and off to the side. Note the big black marble alter still there...doesn't really "match" now, but our parishiners voted not to replace it at this time (he wanted to do that too).
Often inmodern Catholic Churches they make an attempt to Protestantise them by doing away with decorations. Here it is just the reverse, thank God. I would feel right at home here! Not only staues but really good quality ones. I think it was the bad ones that encourages folks to get rid of them.
Thank God that now, the trend is becoming one to go back to the way it was before. It looked so plain, all that stuff was not there 6 months ago! I even remember when I was younger, there was a phase where the entire inside was whitewashed! All the pretty painting was gone over with a cream color...the place looked so cold. Black marble alter and tabernacle and pulpit were put in, and that whitish paint on everything, and then burnt-orange colored chairs for the priests! Crazy. About 15 years ago they had the inside painted very detailed and pretty again, with little blue flowered trimmings and gold in the dome, which really helped. Then these new additions make it look inviting and "lived-in" by Jesus and the saints again! Still it isn't as beautiful as some other churches I have visited, but its getting close. I for one wanted the alter replaced...but when they have a cloth on it and flowers around it, well, then its not so bad. In this picture since it is bare, it looks like a giant monolith sitting there on a pedistal! LOL
