EUCHARISTIC AMAZEMENT
TRADITION, MISSION, EVANGELIZATION

ST. BENEDICT PARISH CHURCH
A SYMPHONY

by
Daniel P. McCarthy, OSB

Art Director
Philip J. Smaldone

Architectural Renderings
and Consulting
Charles Anthony Stewart

Project
LITURGIAM AESTIMARE
APPRECIATING THE LITURGY

Project director
Daniel P. McCarthy, O.S.B

Series
« DREI »
Documenta rerum ecclesiasticarum instaurata

sub-series
liturgiam artibus provehens architectura :
architecture with arts promoting liturgy

Endorsed by
The President’s Council
The Pontifical Institute of Liturgy
Sant’Anselmo, Rome

LITURGIAM ARTIBUS PROVEHENS ARCHITECTURA
ARCHITECTURE WITH ARTS PROMOTING LITURGY

The liturgy was renewed at the mandate of the Second Vatican Council, but indications regarding the art and architecture for the celebration of the renewed liturgy was of a more general character. Developing the artistic programme and architectural design of a church to support the renewed liturgy is an organic process; a systemic, unitary, comprehensive vision is needed as of an organism in all its parts and structures. Many renewal programs have focused on one or two specific elements of church art or architecture without integrating the complex whole, whereas lasting renewal inspires by its synthesis and comprehensiveness.

The voice of liturgical scholars has often been missing in the conversation on how to arrange a church for the celebration of liturgy. In response, the initiative Liturgiam artibus provehens architectura : Architecture with arts promoting Liturgy was developed as part of the project Liturgiam aestimare : Appreciating the Liturgy with the endorsement of the Pontifical Liturgy Institute, Rome, in order to promote ongoing discussion, teaching and publishing in the interdisciplinary field of liturgical art and architecture for the celebration of liturgy.

Celebrating liturgy involves bodily actions that narrate the mysteries celebrated. Not only does bodily narration determine the functional aspects of church design, but even more importantly the inner dimensions inherent in the ritual narrative are expressed outwardly through an artistic program well integrated into the architectural design and arrangement of churches.

Much attention is given to the design of functional and even transcendent buildings, but insufficient attention has been given to the prolonged ritual narration whose every element expresses in synthesis the whole mystery celebrated by rites, symbols and texts proper to each element, all of which is determinative of the design and arrangement of church buildings and their artistic programs.

To this end a series of publications is envisioned and a series of Liturgy weeks Architecture for Liturgy to be held in Rome and abroad. These publications, teaching and conversations are intended to support: church officials who govern the building and renovating of churches and developing their artistic programmes; professional artists and architects wishing to design buildings and works of art that support a fuller ritual narrative and better express outwardly elements inherent in the ritual celebration; parishes wishing to renew their liturgical celebrations by supporting a more fully developed ritual narrative through a more fully developed architectural and artistic environment.

Research libraries and seminaries will have an invaluable tool, and bishops will find in this series the resources needed to fulfil their ministry of directing the future course of liturgical renewal.

Dedication

ECCLESIAM PAROECIALEM SANCTI BENEDICTI,
QUAE PER MULTOS ANNOS ECCLESIAE ABBATIALIS MUNERE FUNGEBATUR,
ET IN VIRGIS MISSIONIS BENEDICTINAE
A KANSIA SEPTENTRIONALI ORIENTALIQUE PROPAGATAE UBERES FRUCTUS ATTULIT,
AD PLURIMOS ANNOS PRO SANCTA MATRE ECCLESIA PROFUTURAM ESSE VALDE SPERATUR,
PRAECIPUE IN HAC RENOVATIONIS EUCHARISTICAE OCCASIONE

It is strongly hoped that
St. Benedict’s Parish church,
which served as the Abbey Church for many years,
and bore abundant fruits
in the offshoots of the Benedictine mission
spread from Northeastern Kansas,
will continue to be beneficial for Holy Mother Church for many years,
especially on this occasion of the Eucharistic Revival

Dedication Scripted by
Br. Jean-Marie Hogan, OSB
on the occasion of his
Solemn Profession of Monastic Vows
as a monk of St. Benedict’s Abbey

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Author’s Introduction
Daniel P. McCarthy

Introduction

1. Liturgy is …

Part One
Foundations

2. Axes of Light
3. Becoming a Roman Basilica
4. Handing on the Faith: Crypt chapel

Part Two
A Baptistery Worthy of our Mission

5. Mother Church
6. Triumphal Entrance

Part Three
Evangelical Power of the Ambo

7. The Difference between an Ambo and a Lectern
8. Monument of the Resurrection: Santa Sabina, Rome
9. Monument of the Resurrection: Santa Maria in Cosmedin, Rome
10. A Monument of the Resurrection for St. Benedict Parish Church

Part Four
Eucharist

11. Enhancing Eucharistic Reservation
12. Invoking the Holy Spirit over the Gifts: Altar and Ciborium
13. Invoking the Holy Spirit over the People of God: The Sacramental Stone

Part Five
Seating

14. Presidential Chair and Transept Seating
15. Chapel in the Apse
16. Music

Part Six
Beauty

17. Processional floor
18. Stencilling
19. Inscriptions

Part Seven
Conclusion

20. A Jewel in the Crown
21. Symphony

Appendix I

Beyond three pieces of furniture

Appendix II

100 Principles from a Ritual Model for Arranging Churches

End Notes
Bibliography
Image Credits

Indices

compiled by Sixtus Roslevich
Scripture
Places
Personal Names
Subject Index

About the contributors

Fr. Daniel P. McCarthy, OSB
Mr. Philip J. Smaldone
Dr. Charles Stewart
Br. Jean-Marie Hogan, OSB
Br. Sixtus Roslevich, OSB

About the photographers

Dr. Philip G. Smaldone
Fr. Lawrence Lew, OP
Dr. Ricardo Luzondo

Acknowledgments

AUTHOR’S INTRODUCTION

Daniel P. McCarthy, OSB
Monk of St. Benedict’s Abbey, Atchison
Associate Professor, Pontifical Institute of Liturgy, Rome

People were anxious initially that I would recognize their concerns and incorporate them into this overall vision for St. Benedict Parish church. This vision was first presented during a retreat less than three months ago, on Labor Day weekend, 1-3 September 2023 at St. Benedict’s Abbey. After the presentation on “Enhancing Eucharistic Amazement” the retreatants remained in a profound silence. I asked them about their silence, and they referred to the word “symphony”. They had seen how all the elements I was presenting worked together in a great symphony which addressed and transcended their concerns with a much greater vision.

When I presented the marriage stone, one of the retreatants struggled to hold back tears, surely because of the depth of love shared in marriage, which is expressed in the marriage stone. This vision of this one parish church will have meaning to the extent it touches and expresses the lived experience of the Catholic community in Atchison and beyond.

The images herein are left to speak a thousand words each, with only the briefest commentary, almost photo captions. Some of the images have been edited by myself or by Philip Smaldone to illustrate a vision for the church. Charles Stewart illustrated several of the ideas which required greater artistic and architectural development to envision.

St. Benedict Parish in Atchison, Kansas, has a cross-shaped church built in 1895 in the neo-Romanesque style with rounded arches resting on pillars. It was originally an abbey church. After the Second Vatican Council the parish church was renovated in ways which helped to promote the full, conscious and active participation of the faithful in the celebration of liturgy. More recently the inspiration to restore the stencilling in the church to its former beauty has led to further considerations.

The parish runs a primary school in addition to providing pastoral care for the community, so its funds are limited for restoring and developing the church building. This book presents a heightened vision of what is possible in the parish church in the hope that it may attract donors from outside the parish community. My hope is that the parish church would be named a minor basilica and found worthy of the title:

THE BASILICA CHURCH OF ST. BENEDICT.