Letters

Church architecture

Terry Parkhouse

Contents - May 2008 - Buy a copy now Editorial: Re-evangelising young unchurched Catholics - Michael Gilchrist Two changes: Bishop Jarrett explains upcoming Mass changes - Bishop Geoffrey Jarrett News: The Church Around the World Summorum Pontificum: Benedict XVI's Latin Mass document: a parish priest's response - Fr Andrew Wise Interview: Positive impact of Pope's decree on the Latin Mass - Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos Green sisters: New-look US religious: Al Gore's latest 'eco-justice' disciples - AD2000 REPORT Ballarat: Children's Spirituality Conference at ACU: not to be confused with religion! - Michael Gilchrist FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH: What are the basics of Catholic belief and practice? - Lucy Tucker Magisterium: When is it infallible? - John Young Youth: Eucharistic devotions: revival in Melbourne - Br Barry Coldrey Letters: Church architecture - Terry Parkhouse Letters: AIDS Prevention - Dr Arnold Jago Letters: Altar rails - John Murray Letters: Receiving Communion - Charles Haber Letters: Stations of the Cross - John D. Wightman Letters: Brisbane - Franklin J. Wood Letters: Cosmic Liturgy - Grahame Fallon Books: Irish journalist exposes 'Kathy's Story' book and movie as fabrications - Gary Brady (reviewer) Books: NEWMAN'S APPROACH TO KNOWLEDGE by Laurence Richardson - Philip Trower (reviewer) Books: THE REALM: An Unfashionable Essay on Converting England, Aidan Nichols OP - Tim Cannon (reviewer) Books: Books available from AD2000 Books Reflection: How to recover a sense of the sacred at Mass - Bishop Arthur Serratelli

In St Patrick's Church, Smithtown (Lismore Diocese), built in the 1970s, the sanctuary is delineated by a raised step which is curved in plan. For many years we have stood or knelt around the sanctuary step to receive Holy Communion.

This Easter we had altar rails installed. The handrail is curved laminated blackbutt timber following the sanctuary step and is supported by white powder coated aluminium posts. In the centre are two aluminium gates with timber rail on top and featuring gold coloured crosses on each gate.

On Easter Sunday 90 percent of the communicants knelt to receive the Blessed Sacrament and this included many holiday visitors. This was such a rewarding sight for our parish priest, the designer and those involved in the installation of the rails. Church architecture does play an important part in the celebration of the Mass.

TERRY PARKHOUSE
Grassy Head, NSW

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 21 No 4 (May 2008), p. 14