Letters

Church interiors

Marija Sestan

Contents - Apr 2008 - Buy a copy now Editorial: AD2000 reaches the twenty year mark - Michael Gilchrist Christ's commandment: Church's 'primary task' is evangelisation: Benedict XVI - Michael Gilchrist News: The Church Around the World Human rights: Cardinal Joseph Zen: conscience of China - Peter Westmore Progress report: AD2000's worldwide outreach via the Internet - Francis Young WYDSYD08: World Youth Day Sydney: look for the wider trend - Joanna Bogle Timor L'Este: Salesians continue to offer more hope in East Timor - Br Michael Lynch SDB Church law: Conciliar decrees: what authority do they have? - Frank Mobbs Apostolic journey: Pope's Washington visit will address key issues - Peter Westmore Legal Year homily: Truth and the law: legal should also mean moral - Bishop Peter Elliott Adult education: Sydney's Centre for Thomistic Studies - Donald G. Boland Fly Away to Heaven project: responding to Christ's call to charity - Fr John Fowles CCS Letters: Student generosity - Name and Address Supplied Letters: Inspired life of Peter Gallagher - John Young Letters: Binding document - On Ordinatio Sacerdotalis responsum ad dubium (1995) - George Simpson Letters: Unwarranted changes - John McLaren Letters: Church interiors - Marija Sestan Books: REDEEMING GRIEF: Abortion and Its Pain, by Anne Lastman - Charles Francis (reviewer) Books: THE ENEMY WITHIN: Radical Feminism in the Christian Churches - Catherine Sheehan (reviewer) Events: BOOK LAUNCH - INKLINGS OF HEAVEN by Sean Connolly Books: Books available from AD2000 Books Reflection: Original Sin, the 'madness' of the Cross and the 'foolishness' of God's love - Fr Dennis Byrnes

I have just came across the article by M. Cassey and agree wholeheartedly with the writer's theme. It is so hard to enter many suburban Catholic churches and be inspired to lift one's heart and soul to the Lord thanks to the often very poor or inadequate architecture, internal design, crucifixes and religious images (or indeed lack thereof) - not to mention the (mis)placement of the tabernacle.

It requires a journey to a very few select churches, such as St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney, to be in surroundings where the awesomeness of our God can be immediately detected. However, I do not despair because even in the most common church our Lord presides in the most Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and in the tabernacle. That is my comfort and hope.

MARIJA SESTAN
Oatlands, NSW

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 21 No 3 (April 2008), p. 16