religious life In 2003 the Augustinian Friars of the Province of St. Thomas of Villanova began a two-year major renovation of St. Thomas Monastery, located on the campus of Villanova University in Philadelphia. Part of the renovation was to construct a new chapel, a space that would invite, embrace, and witness to a life of prayer and reflection.
Sacred places: Where beauty and grace meet A look at the spaces religious communities have renovated and adapted for modern worship and prayer.
compiled by Joel Schorn
P
rayer and worship are at the center of the lives of religious communities and at the heart of their many forms of ministry, shared life, and service.
Joel Schorn is managing editor of VISION.
Mindful of the importance of their worship spaces, most communities, like the few featured on these pages, put great effort in restoring, renovating, or building anew their chapels, churches, and shrines. The results are truly sacred spaces that both inspire and connect their worship and liturgical celebration to the work of the world.” =
The Archabbey Church of Our Lady of Einsiedeln of Saint Meinrad Archabbey in southern Indiana (at right), a Benedictine community of men, was completed in 1907 and underwent a major renovation in 1996-1997. In 1998 it was named the first place winner in the Eugene Potente, Sr. Liturgical Design Competition. The renovation was extensive, with the installation of a marble floor, a new altar, the relocation of the organ, and new furnishings that included the return of the monks’ choir stalls, which had been removed from the church in the 1960s. 46
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VISION 2010
For more features go to VocationGuide.org
6/8/2009 10:44:07 AM
