This is Holy Trinity Church, in Fairview Heights, Illinois, and was consecrated on the first Sunday of Advent, December 2nd, 2007. It is about 13 road miles east of downtown Saint Louis, Missouri.
This is a view into the church through a window. Like most new Catholic churches I've visited, this has fan-shaped seating around a sanctuary, and the Blessed Sacrament is reserved in a separate chapel directly aligned along the primary axis of the church, behind the altar but visible from the nave.
Fairview Heights is located on the great Illinois prairie, and farmland still exists nearby; however this area is rapidly becoming suburban. According the parish website, Holy Trinity has 1100 families and is growing rapidly. This parish dates from 2004, and merges the former Saint Albert the Great and Our Lady of the Assumption parishes.
Saint Clare of Assisi Church, in O'Fallon, Illinois, which is located about five miles to the southeast of Holy Trinity Church. Click here for a photo of the old church, now used as the school chapel. Click here for another exterior view of the new church.
O'Fallon was founded in 1854 as a railroad depot, and the first Holy Mass was offered here in 1858. This parish was founded in 1868, and its patroness is Saint Clare, friend of Saint Francis of Assisi, and co-foundress of the Poor Clare sisters.
I arrived here just as a wedding was starting. The bride was beautiful, but I failed to take a picture of her and her entourage.
The cornerstone of the church.
These photos were taken on the eve of the first Sunday of Advent, 2009.
Both of these churches are much better, in my opinion, than most built from the late 1960s through the 1980s. However, there is something about the architecture of these buildings that seems sterile and cold compared to older churches, and I can't quite put my finger on it. Am I alone here?
ReplyDeleteYou are not alone. While better than most from the 60s-90s they are still fairly terrible. A more inspired architect could have done so much more with the same materials and money.
ReplyDeleteThese are appalling. Apalling. Really bad. Horrible. Unbelievably bad.
ReplyDeleteWhen you compare them to the interiors of most greek orthodox churches in either michigan, missouri or almost anywhere else (California not quite as good!), the mediocrity is specially evident.
ReplyDeleteThat fruit of vatican II - bitter indeed it is ! SSPX or FSSP builds beautiful churches that look like they did in past times, it's a shame the mainstream RC refuses to do what it ought it. The rebellion of its bishops is self destructive to it's own purpose and being, which is to save souls, part of that requires some otherworldly inspiration, you cant have them feel as if they're in the supermarket while worshipping the Holy Trinity.