ROAMIN'
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ROAMIN' CATHOLIC
December 2004
BLESSED SACRAMENT, COLLEGE AREA
Blessed Sacrament, located at the corner of El Cajon Boulevard and El Cerrito Drive, serves the College Area. The parish was founded in 1938, but the present basilica with its landmark red and gold bell tower was dedicated to the greater glory of God in 1961.
The nave displays clashing traditional and neo-modernist elements. Traditional elements include a magnificent series of 22 stained glass windows representing each of the California missions, plus Los Angeles' original cathedral of Saint Vibiana. Each window features the mission's patron saint, the church's façade, and the year of its founding.
The green marble high altar has been retained; over it hangs a gleaming golden crucifix surrounded with twelve fleurs-de-lis.
However, neo-modernist deconstruction is evident in both the nave and sanctuary. The baptismal font, formerly at the rear of the church to signify its position as the beginning of life in Christ, has been placed in the midst of the central aisle. At the end of this aisle stands a low platform for the altar and lectern. This arrangement gives the central aisle the appearance of an obstacle course rather than an access to the Holy of Holies.
The high altar, sheltered beneath a triumphal arch, possesses an integrated marble tabernacle which now houses holy oils, not the Body of Our Lord. The Blessed Sacrament resides on a votive altar, left of the sanctuary, in the nave. The Novus Ordo altar is a small square wooden table, likewise pushed out of the sanctuary into the nave. It stands side by side with the lectern, surrounded on three sides by pews to create a "Church in the Round" effect. Viewed in light of the fact that the traditional separation of nave and sanctuary is based on the God-given design of the Old Testament Temple, which in turn was a copy of the heavenly realities, this kind of architectural "renovation" looks like an attack on sacred tradition.
As I stood gazing up at the stained glass windows before Mass, the parish pastor, Father William Rowland, CJM, joined me. After we discussed the windows I asked him why the high altar tabernacle now contains holy oils while the Blessed Sacrament has been moved into the nave. He said that had been the decision of his predecessor.
Pressing the issue, I said, "But the traditional location of the Blessed Sacrament on the altar is because the Lord's abiding presence originates in the Eucharistic Sacrifice. Why change that association?" He answered, "Well, nowadays it's considered desirable to separate the altar of the Mass from the tabernacle, which is for private prayer."
I thought, "What God has joined together, let no man separate." But I remained silent.
I attended the 7:30 a.m. Mass on November 7, the 32nd Sunday in ordinary time. Father Rowland celebrated. A tall gentleman wearing a dark blue suit served as cantor, while a woman accompanist alternated between the pipe organ and piano. The church was about half full; just over half those present were elderly folk.
The opening hymn, based on Job 19:25 introduced the theme of the day: "I know that my Redeemer lives / What joy the blest assurance gives / He lives, he lives, who once was dead / He lives my everlasting Head!" While we sang, accompanied by the pipe organ, Father Bill (as he likes to be called) entered behind an all-female sanctuary crew.
Father embellished the Sign of the Cross, saying "We gather together in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." After a trope Kyrie, organist and cantor notwithstanding, we recited the Gloria in spoken voice.
A lady, who had carried the gold-covered Gospel book in procession, rose to take the first reading, from Second Maccabees. This lesson tells of the faithful mother and her seven sons who declared their faith in the resurrection and willingly suffered death by torture rather than disobey God's law. The cantor led us in verses from Psalm 17 with the refrain, "Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full." The lectoress then read from 2 Thessalonians, a passage which forms part of a continuing series. After the Alleluia, Father Bill proclaimed the Gospel, Luke 20:34-38. Here Jesus confounds the Sadducees, declaring that those who attain to the resurrection neither marry nor are given in marriage, and proving the resurrection from the words God spoke to Moses, "I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob," adding, "He is not a God of the dead but of the living."
No homily followed the Gospel. I had arrived on "annual financial report Sunday." I learned a great deal about the parish finances. The bottom line: Total income: $931,695. Total expenses: $1,339,556.
After Mass someone told me that many members left after the church was "renovated." In light of the financial report, one must ask: Was it worth it?