What's at the core of the new university town of Ave Maria, Florida, is not simply fancy real estate or manicured streets, but a unique modern-gothic edifice that says it all. Many new housing developments strive to offer residents meaning, substance, and a nostalgic sense of community by building a faux "town square" - but something always seems to be missing. Happily, at the center of THIS new town is the very essence of meaning, substance and community: the altar and tabernacle of Christ the Lord. Nothing faux or incomplete about that.
Those who would delight in worshipping the Lord at Mass each day in such a special church are the sort who will want to populate this new town. Will you be there on Christmas Eve 2007 to celebrate the first Mass?
Until then, you can take a virtual tour of the new oratory by clicking on the link at the right hand column of this blog's home page.
It would be cool if the oratory was cruciform, rather than the same symbol Mr. Monaghan uses for all his endeavors. It's getting a little old.
ReplyDeleteThe largely gothic design is fantastic! Prayerful - evokes a return to a Catholic Europe, as does La Piazza. It is clearly influenced heavily by Thorncrown in Arkansas - which has won countless architectural awards, but uses the gothic arch closely associated with so many Catholic churches. I think it is terrific. Not for fans of modern, sterile, amorphous anonymous churches - completely empty (except during services) because not beautiful enough to attract anyone.
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