The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1917-11-17
(5y Mr.. John 7. comes.)

ouA, MOHudy evening, november i
Mr.. John T. Comes, the eminent al
chitect, of Pittsburgh, delivered th
following address on Catholic Archi
lecture"
1t is a great privilege to be bacl
here in st. Paul where spent a grea
portion of my life, and it is a mucl
greater privilege to have been select
ed to design Catholic church or
one of the finest sites in the city OF
my youth. No greater honor can come
to an architect than to plan and build
worthy church to house pious con
gregation and to be the sanctuary of
tbe Most High.
My present position reminds me oil
medieval custom when the crafts.
man wandered into foreign lands to
educate and perfect himself in his
chosen craft, and after the wander
lust" was satisfied, came back home
to produce a work which should be
his masterpiece, emitting him to be
come an independent worker or mas
ter and a full-fedged member of his
particular craft guild. /, too, have
wandered far since leaving st. Paul
in 1893 in search of beauty and in.
spiration for my chosen work and
like the craftsman of old | come tc
lay the fruits of my study and expert
ence before you-the people of my
former home, of whom l cherish a
pleasant memory.
| sincerely appreciate the honor and
responsibility that has come to me,
and in the sketches submitted to your
committee and the Most Rev. Arch
bishop, part of which l hope to illus
trate this evening, | have endeavored
to solve your church building problem
from every point Oh view: viz, of de-
sign, construction, practicality and
economy, Whether or not have sue
ceeded is for those in authority to
judge.
What a Catholic Church Is.
Before showing the pictures of your
church, let us briefly examine what
a true Catholic church building should
be, so that we may all be in harmony
as far as the principles are concerned
at least. First of ALL Catholic church
is not simply a meeting house or au-
ditorium for the congregation of the
faithful it is that to be sure, but it is
much more than that. It is nothing
less than the dwelling place of God
on earth in the holy tabernacle of the
altar. 1t is more than the ark of the
covenant of the Old Law which was
merely figure or type. 1t is the
house of God Himself, palace of the
King of Kings, where He holds daily
receptions to all who come to Him
and acknowledge Him as Master. In
this noble purpose lies the reason and
justification for the expenditure OF
time and money on the art and archi.
lecture of Catholic church.
The First Objects of Catholic Art.
The key to the meaning of the in
tensely interesting history of Catholic
art and architecture lies therefore in
it's holy purpose and the devotion
wonder that the ancient world was
ransacked for precious stones, mar
bles, gold and jewels, and artists were
called from distant lands to fittingly
adorn the temples of such a high des
tiny. You know that the Old World
is covered with white robe OF
churches, monuments of Catholic
faith and sacrifice, tributes of the
creature to the Creator, and thank
offerings for graces and mercies re
ceived. Human pride may have had
a small share in their erection, but
olic artistic achievement has evel
been that of religion, which prompted
the highest aspirations and perfec
tions in the art of architecture thai
the world has eyer known Ou1
American Catholic architecture ha!
been severely criticized, ADMITTEDLY
with some justification, but it is no
fair to compare American Catholic
achievements in the field of architec
ture with those of Europe. 1t mus
be remembered that the Church is no
yet out of her pioneer and missionary
days and the need is still great il
every department of missionary en-
terprise. Conditions of such stress d.
not make for the Towering of grea
art Yet within the last decade or S,
Catholics have risen to positions o
prominence, culture and wealth, re
sulting in the erection of more ar
tistic church buildings and more il
accord with Catholic tradition AMI
the laws of construction and design
Catholic Art Is a Teacher.
The second object of art in Catholi
church building, is to arouse the re
ligious emotions of the faithful
through the instruments of paintins
sculpture. architecture, music an
ceremony In order to foster revei
ence for the house of God the ar
must Of necessity be inpregnate,