I thought this little video would be helpful to our current situation. The following is an example of how a traditional and contemporary Catholic community can exist together, in harmony, within the same parish. (The ideal state.) The video below ("Transformation of the Alter") was filmed in France, so you'll have to excuse the French titles. Nevertheless, the video is pretty much self explanatory. Here we see the transformation of a typical contemporary alter after a typical contemporary mass. With a few custom made pieces, a little creativity, and a lot of love for historic tradition, the alter undergoes a metamorphosis which makes it suitable for the Traditional (Latin) mass that follows. Because the pieces are portable, they can be taken down just as easily. Indeed they would have to be in parishes where no historic high-alter exists. The basic materials used for the structure are of minimal cost, and could easily be acquired at Lowes or Home Depot. The rest is just window dressing to make it look pretty, and I suppose fabrics and lace could easily be acquired at Wal-Mart. Large candlestick holders could also be found for a reasonable price with a little shopping, as well as the candles themselves. (I would advise contacting a place that rents the non-drip kind for weddings, and find out how we could purchase some at a reasonable price.) Probably the most expensive item is the tabernacle itself, and it would be advisable to get one that is light weight for obvious reasons.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Transforming The Alter
I thought this little video would be helpful to our current situation. The following is an example of how a traditional and contemporary Catholic community can exist together, in harmony, within the same parish. (The ideal state.) The video below ("Transformation of the Alter") was filmed in France, so you'll have to excuse the French titles. Nevertheless, the video is pretty much self explanatory. Here we see the transformation of a typical contemporary alter after a typical contemporary mass. With a few custom made pieces, a little creativity, and a lot of love for historic tradition, the alter undergoes a metamorphosis which makes it suitable for the Traditional (Latin) mass that follows. Because the pieces are portable, they can be taken down just as easily. Indeed they would have to be in parishes where no historic high-alter exists. The basic materials used for the structure are of minimal cost, and could easily be acquired at Lowes or Home Depot. The rest is just window dressing to make it look pretty, and I suppose fabrics and lace could easily be acquired at Wal-Mart. Large candlestick holders could also be found for a reasonable price with a little shopping, as well as the candles themselves. (I would advise contacting a place that rents the non-drip kind for weddings, and find out how we could purchase some at a reasonable price.) Probably the most expensive item is the tabernacle itself, and it would be advisable to get one that is light weight for obvious reasons.
