California is special. The weather is close to perfect, the waves are made for surfing, the coast at Big Sur rivals the Amalfi Drive, and there is the persistent myth that everyone is Hollywood-handsome, slim, and sexy. It is also a fact, however, that this home of the sybaritic lifestyle rests on two major geological fault lines atop the earthquake-prone Pacific Rim. The nativ (...)
Short Take
California’s New Cathedrals
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Nearly $400 million spent for two churches. Wonder what else the money might have provided for. Do either of these structures attract worshippers because of their design or elegance?
The question Mike Evans poses is an acute one. Do these new cathedrals attract people because of their design or elegance? My answer is yes and no. I was the liturgical art consultant for the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. Care was taken that all art and the ritual furnishings would inspire not only worshipers but curious tourists. The primary purpose of any church or cathedral is to house the worship of God. William Jabusch never mentioned the words "worship" or "ecclesiology." The basic plan for any place of worship is derived from the identity of the community: who it is, how it worships, and what good it is doing in the larger community. That is why there is standing room only in the 3000 seat Los Angeles Cathedral on Sundays. The people go there to worship God which can energize them to serve others. The art and architecture are servants in that experience.