Candles and Reverence

The church where my parents were married and, in turn, my husband and I as well, is the last traditional Catholic church in the surrounding area.  There was talk of rebuilding the church but it was decided to put funds into restoring the church instead.   We were glad.  There are enough fan-swept churches available.  The last of the old churches has its place of dignity.  It's a church you can go to to remember what a Catholic church feels like.  It's a church you can go to to show your children a piece of religious history.  It's a church where reverence is louder in the stillness than it is in the larger, more modern pieces of architecture being built today.

Recently our pastor discussed the cost of candles with us.  Seems that candles have gotten expensive to order and ship.  We were told that the church would no longer be supplying candles.   There was no reason to charge $5.00 for a candle when the faithful can purchase the same size candle at the dollar store for a mere $1.50.  We could bring it by the church and have it blessed after we purchase it.  Also, he encouraged us to set up our own family altars at home and place our candles there.  I thought that was the only change being made.

This past Sunday, as we were exiting church, we saw that the whole candle shrine had been removed, stripped from the walls, exposing panel and an empty, faceless wall.  This was a shock.  It was a beautiful old shrine.  There was a painting of Our Lady of LaSalette on the backdrop and numerous candles in tiered racks along the back.  A huge red kneeler surrounded the candles, large enough for four people to kneel on, light their candle, and pray. 

My little girls have taken great pleasure in dropping their coins into the donation box, taking a long stick, lighting a candle, snuffing out the red-hot tip in the sand, and praying for their beloved MeMe.  They do it practically every Sunday.

DQ looked up at me in horror.  "What...?" barely escaped her mouth.

I didn't know what to say.  "I'm sure they're just redoing it, honey...probably putting it somewheres else.  It'll be fine."

But this was my Drama Queen I was talking to.  She is passionate, motivated, hard-nosed, and loud.  She was adamant:  "Well, tell Fr. K that it is not fine with me!"

Before Adoration yesterday, I spoke to the secretary.  She told me that there were no plans to put back the candle shrine.  It was gone.  And they would not be placing the mechanical candles in the church either (which I don't care for anyway).  Fr. K  was encouraging home altars which, while fine, does not take the place of the traditional regalness found in the beautiful candle arbors, the life-size statues, and the stained glass mosaics within our churches. 

Europeans have a sense of pride and dignity about maintaining historical features.  Americans relish everything being new and bigger and better.  This mentality suffers a lot where the House of God is concerned.   Reverence is the first thing to go when statues and stained glass and candles go out.

There is beauty  and reverence found in a laddar of lights leading the way to Heaven, in the smoke that wafts heavenward with our prayers, in the flickering flame-dance upon the glass case, and the soft sizzle of the stick as its sword is silenced in the sand.   It lifts our minds, hearts, and spirits upward.   This can't be found in mechanically lit bulbs and blank plastered walls.  I'm sorry---it just can't.

Comments

[Theresa]

How very, very sad. I am so sorry to hear of this.

[Rebecca]

Sigh...
I am so sad to hear about this Cay. I'm sure it really dissapoints your family. It's all too common, I'm afraid. A gorgeous old church a couple of miles from me was recently redone and I was so excited to see the renovations. When I got there, the kneelers had been removed, the crucifix is modern and unmoving, the beautiful alcoves where the candle shrines used to be are painted cream with some artificial trees in pots on the floor. I don't know why it happens but it sure is sad.

[Karen]

This is so sad. You are so right about Americans and their lack of reverence for history. There is a beautiful church in Galveston that the community is trying to restore. It is the 1st Catholic Church in Texas. I am so happy that they are going to attempt to restore it. Houston and the surrounding areas are so quick to demolish and rebuild. They recently have rebuilt churches around here that weren't even 20 years old! I don't get it. Of course, some of those churches built in the 70's aren't very pretty, but still, they are places to be revered.
Of course, I say all of this, and I attend Mass at a church that was only built 6 years ago. One element we did try to bring into our parish was the element of the Old world church. I think we accomplished it to a certain degree, but there is nothing like a beautiful communion rail and a beloved candle shrine, both of which are not in my parish.

[DavidofOz]

My jaw dropped at your description of the raw space where the candles were. The cost issue is a load of rubbish. Small candles can be purchased from almost anywhere for under a quarter, and donations easily cover that. $5 for a candle! Piffle!
Our children always like lighting candles. They collect in a huddle as they light the candles and then each say a prayer on the kneelers in front.
What a horrible way to remove this sacred space.

[Karen E.]

"Fr. K was encouraging home altars ... "
****
Not to mention that in our homes we are not in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament ... So sorry to hear, Cay ....

[Cay G.]

"Small candles can be purchased from almost anywhere for under a quarter, and donations easily cover that."

I could understand us buying our own candles and bringing them to the church to be blessed and...so I thought...put into the candle shrine. I thought they would leave it up and we could still have our candles there and light them in church. The church is over 60 years old...perhaps 70, I'm not sure. There's never been a fire problem! I'm aware that smoke has sooted up churches and damaged art work, but not with today's updated cleaning techniques and ventilation.

*sigh*

The fact is it's gone. It's gone, and the girls and I have to deal with that and wait to see what becomes of that raw spot.