Denver Catholic

CATHOLIC LIFE I 3 DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER I OCTOBER 16, 2013 Faithful lift petitions to Mary in public rosaries Worldwide devotions coincide with Pope Francis' consecration to Mary BY NISSA LAPOINT Prayers from a crowd gathered at a park last weekend rose in sweet accord, seeking the intercession of Mary to heal a broken country. Along with nearly 11,250 public rosary rallies nationwide, some 150 faithful gathered Oct. 12 to pray the rosary at Civic Green Park in Highlands Ranch as part of an initiative organized by America Needs Fatima. "Through the intercession of the holy rosary, we ask our Lord and Lady for the conversion of America so it can reach its historic mission," said Deacon Tom Liotta of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Castle Rock, who led the opening prayer. "May Our Lady give us discernment and strengthen us to withstand the trials we face." Public rosaries to honPHOTO BY NISSA LAPOINT/DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER or Mary were held in conjunction with Pope Francis' FAITHFUL pray the rosary at Civic Green Park in Highlands Ranch. consecration of the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on Oct. 13. "Accept with the benevolence of a Mother the act of consecration that we perform today with confidence before this image of you that is so dear to us," the pope prayed during Mass in St. Peter's Square in Rome. "We are certain that each of us is precious in your eyes and that nothing of all that lives in our hearts is unknown to you." Oct. 13 also marked the anniversary of apparitions of Mary in 1917 to three children in Fatima, Portugal. Other Marian devotions took place over the weekend at Wolff Park in Arvada led by St. Joan of Arc Parish, a Marian holy hour at Nativity of Our Lord Parish in Broomfield, and a procession and life chain at Holy Ghost Parish in Denver. At the Highlands Ranch public rosary, Father Doug Grandon of St. Thomas More Parish in Centennial led a crowd of children, families and faithful in prayer to Mary. Some gave red, white and blue-knotted rosaries to the crowd before praying in unison for graces and favors. After the rosary, a litany to Mary was prayed. Some parents at the rally said ROSARY CRUSADE DENVER A public rosary, sponsored by Denver Comitium of the Legion of Mary, will be held at a downtown Denver park. When: 11 a.m. Oct. 26 Where: Greek Amphitheater in Civic Center Park, 100 W. 14th Ave. Parkway, Denver Parking: at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 1555 Grant St., Denver Info: call 303-703-8538 Website: for information on the crusade, visit www.national rosarycrusade.com they wanted to bring their children to encourage a Marian devotion and public witness. "For us it is important to say it in public," said Alexandra Montano of St. Thomas More Parish. "I want our children to see it's something beautiful. It's good to show your love of God." Jacob Fenn, 11, said while praying the rosary he's realized "how blessed I am to have everything I have." Others attended because they wanted to pray for a country faced with moral dilemmas. "We have to turn to prayer to get some answers," said Sal See Rosary, Page 5 Q&A: A talk with Denis McNamara on Church architecture BY ROXANNE KING AQUINAS INSTITUTE LECTURE SERIES Author-architectural historian Denis McNamara will give two talks on sacred architecture next week. He recently spoke to the Denver Catholic Register about those lectures. Q: Give us a sneak peak about what you'll be sharing at your Oct. 22 Archbishop's Lecture Series talk, "What Vatican II said about Sacred Architecture." A: Most people think that the documents of the Second Vatican Council either didn't say much about art and architecture or hyper-specified the kind of new buildings and renovations that happened in the 1960s and '70s. People frequently say that a church was built or renovated "according to the specifications of Vatican II," specifically along the lines of "noble simplicity." But in reading the sections of "Sacrosanctum Concilium" ("Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy") on sacred art, I found that there are no specifications for building or renovating in the documents themselves, and there is no such request for "noble simplicity" in liturgical art and architecture. Instead the phrase asks for "noble beauty" in sacred art. When: 7 p.m. Oct. 21 What: Denis McNamara speaks on "Sacred architecture: How to make your church 'look like' a church (and why it matters)" Where: Hellems Building Room 201, University of Colorado, near 15th and Broadway streets, Boulder Info: call 720-564-1111 or email scott.powell@thomascenter.org ARCHBISHOP'S LECTURE SERIES When: 7 p.m. Oct. 22 What: Denis McNamara speaks on "What Vatican II said about sacred Architecture" Where: Bonfils Hall, JPII Center, 1300 S. Steele St., Denver Cost: Free and open to the public Info: call 303-715-3230 or email info@archden.org DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER FILE PHOTO BY JAMES BACA TWO talks next week by author-architectural historian Denis McNamara will focus on sacred architecture. Above, the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in downtown Denver. Q: You'll also be giving the Moreover, it says that sacred art should be composed of "signs Oct. 21 Aquinas Institute for and symbols of heavenly reali- Catholic Thought Lecture on ties" and that sacred images are "Sacred architecture: How to to be maintained in churches. make your church 'look like' Joining this together with Sec- a church (and why it mattion 8 of "Sacrosanctum Con- ters)." Why is it important for a cilium," which tells us that the church to 'look like a church'? A: Churches look like churchearthly liturgy is a "foretaste of the heavenly liturgy, which is es so that we know what they are celebrated in the holy city of Je- and can encounter and underrusalem," I came to realize that stand them easily, just like peo"Sacrosanctum Concilium" is a ple look like people and dogs very traditional document that look like dogs. When a church does not mandate empty, beige looks like a church, it becomes churches. In fact, it strongly a legible marker to the worshipper and the world that God suggests the opposite. and humanity are reconciled, as the Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us. But more importantly, a church "looks like" a church when it has a fullsign value that indicates what its hidden theological realities are: a sacrament of heaven, a symbol of the Mystical Body, the place of the Wedding Feast of the Lamb, a fulfillment of the Temple of Solomon and an image of the glorified Christ of the Second Coming. People often have an intuitive sense of what "looks like" a church, but I'm hoping to give some theological justification for that intuition. This matters because the church building has a formative role to play in letting people become accustomed to heaven by seeing it in sacramental form through art and architecture. And if they become accustomed to heaven even while on earth, they are being made heavenly even now. And God didn't punish us for being children of the fallen Adam and Eve; he said "become heavenly by enjoying the delights of heaven by way of foretaste." The holy Eucharist is the bread of angels, which brings heaven to us as food. Analogously, proper church architecture brings heaven to us but is intended for the eye. See Architecture, Page 5

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