Brick by Brick Catholic Restoration of Church Architecture - Altars At St. Thomas Church in Potosi Wisconsin

A little over a week ago I had a post Restoration and Expansion of Sacred Stained Glass In Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth ( Poor Man's Scripture )

The restoration of beauty we have been seeing in the Catholic Church  is one of more favorite topics. It is also one that Pope Benedict over the years has liked to comment on as these quotes demonstrate.  Just a few of those :

Pope Benedict XVI, 22 February 2007
The profound connection between beauty and the liturgy should make us attentive to every work of art placed at the service of the celebration. (122) Certainly an important element of sacred art is church architecture, (123) which should highlight the unity of the furnishings of the sanctuary, such as the altar, the crucifix, the tabernacle, the ambo and the celebrant’s chair. Here it is important to remember that the purpose of sacred architecture is to offer the Church a fitting space for the celebration of the mysteries of faith, especially the Eucharist. (124) The very nature of a Christian church is defined by the liturgy, which is an assembly of the faithful (ecclesia) who are the living stones of the Church (cf. 1 Pet 2:5).



Pope Benedict XVI’s Sunday Angelus Address on the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica, 9 November 2008

...The beauty and harmony of the churches, destined to give praise to God, also draws us human beings, limited and sinful, to convert to form a ‘cosmos,’ a well-ordered structure, in intimate communion with Jesus, who is the true Saint of saints. This happens in a culminating way in the Eucharistic liturgy, in which the ‘ecclesia,’ that is, the community of the baptized, come together in a unified way to listen to the Word of God and nourish themselves with the Body and Blood of Christ. From these two tables the Church of living stones is built up in truth and charity and is internally formed by the Holy Spirit transforming herself into what she receives, conforming herself more and more to the Lord Jesus Christ. She herself, if she lives in sincere and fraternal unity, in this way becomes the spiritual sacrifice pleasing to God.

Dear friends, today’s feast celebrates a mystery that is always relevant: God’s desire to build a spiritual temple in the world, a community that worships him in spirit and truth (cf. John 4:23-24). But this observance also reminds us of the importance of the material buildings in which the community gathers to celebrate the praises of God. Every community therefore has the duty to take special care of its own sacred buildings, which are a precious religious and historical patrimony. For this we call upon the intercession of Mary Most Holy, that she help us to become, like her, the ‘house of God,’ living temple of his love.”

Many more quotes at the link.

Not every Church can nor should be like the Vatican or a great Cathedral .

So I every much enjoyed this story from the Diocese of Madision Catholic newspaper about a Church in Potosi Wisonsin. See New altars enhance historic church in Potosi

There is an interesting  news video of the installiation of these very heavy altars that has some good images and also gives us a take on this talented Catholic layman that is contributed his talent for the Gospel.

Step by step brick by brick we are seeing more of this happen.