23 September 2007

A new landmark?

The following was included in this weekend’s bulletin from what is left of my home parish regarding the status of the one of three church buildings within the parish:

The City Council will place on their [sic] agenda on Monday, October 1st, the question as to whether St. Boniface Church should receive landmark status. The position of the Diocese of Springfield [in Illinois] and most dioceses across the country is to reject that request. The diocese realizes the beauty of the Church and its history, but does not wish to be hedged into situations that will prevent the Church to be maintained. Also, St. Boniface Church was built by the people of the parish for a place of worship in which we honor God. They did not build the Church to honor an architect. Also, the building is only forty-five years old. To receive status a building should be at least 50 years old, but those who wish the status are looking at a broader interpretation. It seems natural that St. Boniface or any other building in the City of Quincy should be receiving Landmark Status when the owner of the building is requesting it. We are not requesting this honor. Come to the meeting!

You might well guess my thoughts on this from what I have previously written. Today I will simply say – though a great many thoughts want to be put forth - that no church building is built to honor the architect and that when honor is paid to the architect honor is indeed given to God who gave the architect his talents.

Every church building, by its very presence, gives honor to God. It cannot be otherwise, even for the ugliest of churches (they simply give less glory to the Most High).

I have written about church buildings previously.

I do hope the people turn out for the meeting…

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