It has been awhile since we have had a pure photo post and I can think of no better candidate for one than the Collégiale Saint-Just in Lyon under the auspices of Abbé Brice Meissonnier and the FSSP. This particular church is one that we have featured on our Facebook page …
Photo Post: Assumption in Lyon
It has been awhile since we have had a pure photo post and I can think of no better candidate for one than the Collégiale Saint-Just in Lyon under the auspices of Abbé Brice Meissonnier and the FSSP. This particular church is one that we have featured on our Facebook page …
Before and After: Sacred Heart FSSP Parish in Fort Wayne, Indiana
Continuing on with a bit of 'catch up' on some before and after photos LAJ has been sent, today I wanted to share with you another project executed by William Heyer Architect , Sacred Heart Parish in Fort Wayne, Indiana. This before and after is a bit unique from s…
Before and After: Blessed Sacrament Church in Newark, Ohio
Today I wanted to briefly share with readers another installment of our ever popular 'before and after' series of churches and their sanctuaries in particular. Under consideration today is Blessed Sacrament Church in Newark, Ohio.
This particular project was pursue…
Sacristy Tips: Polishing Metalwork to Restore its Lustre
Clergy, sacristans and altar servers who work closely with the many brass liturgical items that are used within the sacred liturgy -- candlesticks, reliquaries, thuribles, boats and the like -- are only too familiar with the fact that they invariably become dull, discolour…
Textile design by Geoffrey Webb
St Peter's, Great Haseley in Oxfordshire, is a building of much interest. It was a wealthy medieval living and in the later Middle Ages, the advowson was held by the Canons of St George's Chapel Windsor and that accounts for the large scale and lavish decoration of…
The Flax Burning Rite of the Papal Coronation
Wise rulers throughout history have often taken care to surround themselves with salutary reminders of their own frailty and the transitory nature of power. The auriga who held the laurel crown over the head of a triumphing Roman general would whisper into his ear: “ Mement…
Comper's Masterpiece at Wymondham, Norfolk
One of the most accomplished ecclesiastical artists of any age is the 19th/20th century English artist, Sir Ninian Comper. In fact, I consider his sculptural works to be masterpieces, not just of the modern age, but of absolutely any age.
Dr. Allan Baron, whom many of you …
The Modern Roman Missal Traditionally Typeset and Laid Out
Have you ever wondered what a modern Roman missal would look like if it was traditionally typeset in the tradition of the Latin rite missals of old? Being one who is quite interested in book binding and typography I was and when the new English translation of the Missale R…
Spanish Vestments from New Spain
Vestments from Spain and her territories are a wonder to behold anywhere in the world. It is very rare to still see a sacristy full of them. I took these photos in the sacristy of my favorite chapel in the Americas, the Capilla del Rosario (Holy Rosary Chapel) at the Domi…
Invention and Exaltation
Three years ago on September 14th, I delivered a lecture, Invention and Exaltation at Franciscan University of Steubenville, in which I discussed the tasks of the religious artist in light of the two feasts of the Holy Cross, and the cult of relics in general. A revised ve…
Renaissance of Teaching Sacred Liturgy to Children
Parents everywhere want the best education for their children. We can never underestimate the obligation to educate our Catholic children from the youngest age in the ways of our Faith. One common observation I hear from serious Catholic parents who chat over coffee after…
Metalwork and Porcelain from the Imperial Treasury of Vienna
Continuing on with our consideration of some reader submissions from the Imperial Treasury of Vienna, we move away from textiles for a moment to consider some other manifestations of the liturgical arts, beginning with a very unique set of altar card frames, altar cross, c…
Requiem Vestments from the Imperial Treasury, Vienna
We have already featured some of the vestments found in the collection of the Imperial Treasury of Vienna and LAJ is pleased to be able to show you some more thanks to a kind submission by one of our readers.
Today I wish to specifically focus on two black sets. Both sets…
Altar and Sacrifice
In my online 'travels' I frequently come across new projects, sanctuary arrangements, renovations and restorations. Having long been an advocate of ad orientem , the ciborium magnum (and other forms of canopying the altar, not to mention the reredos), I am often on …
The Imperative of the Imperium: A Response to 'The End of the Imperial Episcopate'
Recently on social media I penned a quick response to some ideas put out by Fr. Jay Scott Newman in his article, The End of the Imperial Episcopate , which was published online by First Things on August 20th. This response gained some interest from various quarters and, to …
Curiosities of the Ancient Papal Mass: The Purse of Ancient Papal Jules
Continuing on with our previous considerations of some the unique elements related to the papal liturgy according to the usus antiquior , I wanted to turn readers attention today to a particularly rare item: a money purse that was used at the conclusion of the solemn form o…
A Curious Marian Chasuble
I wanted to share an interesting looking chasuble I ran into some while ago. I really know nothing about it, but the design struck me as quite unique. It would appear as though this vestment was designed for this particular cut of chasuble (rather than being a cut back fro…
Beauty: An Essential Element of the Sacred Liturgy
Very often people are heard to fret and to worry about beauty in our churches and in the sacred liturgy. This seems to particularly be case with generations that were brought up in and through the 1970's when perhaps this was a particularly strong theme. (By comparison…
50th Anniversary of Healey Willan
[Being a great fan of Healey Willan's sacred music, I asked Fr. Scott Haynes, SJC, if he could provide LAJ readers with an update on the progress of the Healey Willan Society. It follows here. -- SRT]
* * * The English-Canadian composer Healey Willan had a life long love…
