Vatican explains when churches can be demolished

Churches are full meaning. While some are considered a work of art, they are all a place of worship. To mark the 20th anniversary of the Cultural Property Committee of the Church, the Vatican has stated that the works of religious art are an important sign of Christianity.

Mons. Gianfranco Ravasi
President Pontificate Council for Culture
The preservation of the monument itself not so that it sits in a rigid museum intact. On the contrary, this work is a living creature. It was built to have a function.

Thats why, when there are no more faithful left, and a church has little artistic value, the Vatican supports demolishing them. This is happening in some U.S. cities and Canada, where the temples are new, with no artistic value, and there are no Catholics in the area.

But theres more than religious art in churches. The Commission, established by John Paul II, also highlights the importance of recovering sacred music, a tradition within the Church, such as the Gregorian chant.

Francesco Buranelli
Secretary, Pontificate Commission for Culture and Heritage of the Church
We work to protect, preserve and promote cultural property, whether past or present so that these cultural goods of all kinds continue to thrive in the future.

The Commission is also thinking about the future. One of its upcoming initiatives, which will mean a revolution for the Church, will be its presence at the Venice Biennale. They have not wanted to lose the opportunity to be in the midst of art.

MC/PVB
DC
-WP-

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[tlaniganschmidt]

if the Mass were once again seen as a great work of Art,more Catholics might be inspired to see Mass as more than a perfunctory-ritual

[BeingBob]

It's very sad. I think they deconsecrate the church building and grounds, and hopefully recover any relics. Attachment to buildings is not only costly in terms of money, but also it can lead to scattered and weaker faith communities.

As for monasteries... They need to fill them with young men again. Where I live the change in attendance, etc is mostly due to people leaving the community, but in some places it's just people losing faith and not caring.

I know where you can buy a convent.

[BlackCappa]

Well there are plenty of highly outrageous architectural mistakes here in Europe also. But once consecrated, I cannot really feel good with simply "abandoning" a church.

Perhaps demolishing the ugly ones and building a new traditional one on top instead?

Here what is being given up are the old monasteries that are "too costly to maintain".

Sad

[BeingBob]

Some of the churches here are so ugly it would be a blessing to have them knocked down. cheap chairs with fold out kneelers, cheap carpet, colorless concrete forms and cheap etched glass replace the beautiful artistic creations of the past. And those are the wealthy parishes. Older more traditional parishes have had their art painted white with drywall to hide the place where the beautiful altar once climbed the eastern wall. ugly is the word in the USA. I think that's what they're talking about

[thesnake52000]

Sad that this is a reality.

[BlackCappa]

Since when was it okay to give up a church?