By Alice McCabe

Father Richard Vosko of Albany, New York, Diocese questioned many sacred cows during his recent weekend in Norcross. As director of Design Resources of Box 542, South Bethlehem, New York 12161, a freelance ministry, Vosko was invited by Father Joseph Meehan, pastor of St. Patrick’s, Norcross, to advise St. Pat’s parishioners how to plan an environment for worship in keeping with the history, theology and liturgical practices of the Catholic church. A graphic designer, Vosko helped write the American Bishops’ guidelines for building new and modernizing old churches.

In this, his first presentation in Georgia, Father gave these radical ideas:

A church does not need a cross on its roof to indicate it’s a house of worship.

Baptismal fonts should be large enough for adult immersion.

The Blessed Sacrament need not be housed in the main church.

The altar itself can be removed to make space for concerts or sacred dance exhibitions.

The crucifix tells only part of the mystery of our religion; a bare cross indicates the fuller story that Christ is risen.

Banners and plastic flowers have no place around the altar.

Kneeling benches are not necessary.

Confessional boxes are passe and should be replace by Reconciliation Rooms.

Families could bake the bread for communion and bring the wine.

At two evening sessions, Father Vosko showed 280 slides with lively comments, humor and a few jokes, but managed to get across to the 200 who attended that the church is a meeting place for the Church, which is the people.

“God doesn’t need a house,” he said. “We do.”

The main functions of the Church are to feed and clothe the needy, visit the sick and care for the lonely and dying, Vosko reminded. However, we all need a “sacred space” in which to pray; Jesus went out into the desert but today we must create our own restful, quiet environment. The Jews carried with them the Ark of the Covenant, where God dwelled; therefore, their “church” was wherever they were.

In the first 300 years of Christianity, Mass (or “breaking of bread) was always celebrated in the context of a meal in the homes of elders. After Constantine in 313 A.D. decreed Christianity to be legitimate and the official church of the empire, the congregation grew too large for home sessions and larger meeting places had to be built. Even then, the altar was in there midst. The only seats were in one section for the weak and elderly. The liturgy was the work of all the people.

“When Jesus celebrated the Last Supper or First Mass, there was just a bare table with bread and wine on it. There were no statues, no altar boys, no bells, no tabernacle, no candles,” Father Vosko remarked as he displayed slides of some of the many churches (Catholic, Episcopal, Methodist, Church of God, etc.) he has been advisor for. His special ministry, conducted from his apartment has been going on for ten years. For the past five years, he also has served as director of Albany Diocese’s liturgy office.

“I urge each diocese to develop its own art and architectural commission made up of liturgists, architects, designers, artists, landscape designers, planners; these are the kinds of people who should do the work (of advising parishes how to build),” he said.

“We are part of a Christian community and we need to break down our old models,” according to Vosko. “The notion of the church has changed. In the old days, every Catholic Church looked the same. But now, we need to understand ourselves and ask ourselves:

‘Who are we? What do we believe in? Where is an architect who will tailor-make a plan to fill our needs? How has our theology developed?’”

Vosko said that our theology is built on a strong set of symbols and on a lot of faith. Different churches have different meanings. The emphasis should be drawn to focal points, such as a large baptismal, preferably in a large entrance area, and perhaps in fountain form. (A baptism by immersion is impressive, Vosko said, filled with symbolism of a person’s death and resurrection with Christ. Baptism, he remarked, should not be done “with a thimble of holy water over a salad bowl.”)

Another focal point is the altar table, which should be bare until the offerings are brought forward. At that time, too, the altar cloth could be placed on the table.

The lectern (or ambo) should be sturdy and simple, holding only a large impressive Scripture book -- not a paper missal. The book should be held lovingly, embraced by the reader, he advised. Neither the altar nor lectern should be damaged by microphones or lamps; acoustics and lighting should be planned to eliminate the need for such aids.

The priest’s chair should be among the people, a bit more impressive or larger than the others, but not on a pedestal behind the altar.

The altar should not be surrounded by banners. Banners of lovely colors, not misshapen lettering could be hung as art works in the entrances or back walls.

“The reason the priest kisses the altar before Mass -- and many priests don’t know this -- is that the altar represents Jesus, and not because relics are there,” Vosko told the group. Relics are now being put in a niche in the side of altars, he said. Furthermore, drawings found in the catacombs show the early Christians had an altar only 4 by 4 or 5 by 5, completely bare, and in the midst of the people.

Vosko suggested that the tabernacle be placed in a small chapel that is open on weekdays. There is no need to open a huge church except on Sundays; this will save energy, he said. He also urged that the church being contemplated by St. Patrick’s employ natural lighting and solar energy, possibly calling on the expertise of Georgia Tech.

To further the movement back to basics, Father Vosko says that families could take turns bringing the wine and baking the bread for communion, for which a recipe can be passed around. Everything in modern worship, he indicated, should involve, excite, motivate and uplift all the people, who are the Church.

Art forms should be made by hand by local artists and artisans and craftsmen, he said, not purchased from a catalog. To emphasize what NOT to have at St. Patrick’s, he showed an Eastern style painting of a severe-looking Jesus, peering sideways.

“If your faith is based on statues of St. Anthony, vigil lights, etc., it’s based on the wrong things,” Father said he told someone who’d said she liked things the way they always were when she was growing up. Just as a person does not dress and speak as he did at the age of ten, so also should he grow up to changes and possibilities of alterations in the liturgy, Vosko said.

He abhors hollow, mass-produced plastic statues of “doubtful orthodoxy.” Banners are often just “word pollution.” Guitars, being easy to play, have been overdone since the 60’s when they were played by every protestor, strumming the same four chords, he said. While not ruling out guitars, he says they should be played with other instruments, accompanied by an organ. The organ itself should be a pipe organ, not an electronic instrument like those used in skating rinks.

Reconciliation Rooms can offer a screened private confessional area in the old style, as well as the more informal face-to-face area where the priest can impose hands on a penitent’s head. The room could also serve for couple counseling or communal penance.

The church building can have removable seats, or ones which fold up to make room for other events, such as concerts or dances or large meetings. When people object to meetings being held in a church, Vosko reminds them that Vatican II was “a large meeting, held in a large church.” Kneelers are not necessary, he says; they can also be made to slide under seats. The classic prayer posture, anyway, he says, is standing with raised hands.

Handicapped people should be able to attend Mass and other functions without having to sit in the rear or in wheelchairs in the aisle, he said. Ramps and wide doors should be part of the plan, he said. There should also be a cloak room in the entry.

Churches today need to consider the use of media for religious education -- a projection booth, for instance.

Eventually, Vosko sees a liturgy being designed to fit our needs. He advised that St. Patrick’s building committee be careful in the selection of an architect. He should be one who can attend Mass and school and social functions long enough to understand the lifestyle of the parish and to identify with them. He should have on his staff -- or be willing to subcontract -- an acoustical engineer so that electronic amplification will not be necessary. Landscaping is also important; the building should not be set in an acre of asphalt parking lot.

For art, he says parishioner should ask themselves, “What is the sentiment of our congregation? What art form can best be expressed here?”

Of all the many churches he has advised -- and he consulted with churches in seven states during March alone this year -- which Father Vosko’s favorite, now that it is constructed?

The answer is the Catholic Church in Hopkins, Minnesota.

It remains to be seen what he will think of the new St. Patrick’s that is planned on property yet to be purchased by a parish that has prayed and planned for the project for more than a year.