The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-08-09
WHY CATHOLICS BUILD
''PALATIAL" CHURCHES
BISHOP GILMARTIN OF CLoNFERT
ANSWERS CRITICS WHO PRO-
TEST AGAINST "THE WASTE OF
MONEY" INVOLVED IN THE CON-
sTRUcTIoN OF FINE CHURCHES.


Preaching at the reopening, after
decoration and repair, of St. Mary's,
Kilrea, the Most Reverend d. Gilman
tin, Bishop of Clonfert, referred to
the increase of church building in
Ireland, and came to close quarters
with the critics of 'palatial churches" !"
"The latter half of the nineteenth
century," said the Bishop, has wit
messed such a growth of new
churches in Ireland that some eco
nomists have felt bound to protest
against a waste of money. This note
was first struck, if I mistake not, by
the economist among the Twelve
Apostles. A woman that loved our
Lord broke on one occasion box of
feet. To what purpose is this
waste? said the economist. For this
might have been sold for much and
given to the poor No one will say
that Jesus was wanting in care of the
poor, yet not only did He accept the
symbolic offering from Mary Mag.
dalen, but He commanded that it
should be preached to the whole
world for memory to her. 1t is
because they do not grasp the idea
that God is willing to accept a house
as an offering from His people that
some persons protest against palatial
churches. God does not value the
size or beauty of a church except in sc
far as they express mans homage
God is willing to dwell in a hovel il
His people can afford no better lodg
ing for Him. He has often done so
but if His people dwell in houses
of cedar, and if they are willing tt
provide places for art and science an(
pleasure, is the Ark of the Lord tt
be left under skins? l need not, say
press this point, for all who believe il
the public worship of God are agreed
as proved by fact, that the building
which is dedicated to Divine worship
should be the best and fairest that thu
resources of the community can erect
! With Catholics it is not question o
housing symbol of the Ark of tn
Covenant, nor is it a question o
merely providing building where tn
: community can meet for common
prayer and thanksgiving. If tn
economist wants to know why Irisl
Catholics are unsparing, and VIII,
poor Catholics are not niggardly il
: their contributions for the building
and decoration of churches, he will
find that the secret of this extravs
gances in the Catholic doctrine Of tn
Mass and the Blessed Sacrament.
is no figure of speech to say that tn
Catholic parish church is the Hous
of God. Within that temple there is
indeed, the consecrated stone. Their
is the presence of God in His word
there is the dispensation of Chris
through the sacraments of Baptism
Confirmation, Penance and Matrimony
7 there is the presence of God promised
to those who are grated together i
His name; but in addition to all this
there is the presence of Jesus Chris
God and Man, really, truly, and sui
stantially present under the sacramer
tai species. Jacob saw in dreaI
a ladder reaching from the earth t
heaven, on which angels wer
ascending and descending. BY tn
light of faith the Catholic sees an
morning angels descending to ador
) around the altar of his parish churc
when Mass is offered on the cor
; secrated stone, again ascending t
) proclaim in Heaven that the Lamt
J which is it's light is lying as if slair
waiting for the children of man t
! come and receive the Food of In
, mortality"