Memorial Day...a time to remember all of the great contributions to our society!

Veterans Memorial Window at Saint Anthony's Catholic Church, Wilmington, Delaware  Photo by author.

The observance of Memorial Day in the United States always reminds me of, The Greatest Generation, namely those that fought and sacrificed many human necessities even their own lives to free the world from dictatorial dominance during World War II. While the United States has participated in many wars from the American Revolution, the Civil War, both World Wars, Korea, Vietnam, the first Gulf War and the current wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, many men and women have answered the call to service and sacrifice through military service. We also need to recall and commemorate the millions of Americans that assisted the war efforts over the years through their skills and talents.

Paula Himmelsbach-Balano sketch of unknown sailor during World War II       Courtesy of Karen Price

One individual of particular thought is the artist Paula Himmelsbach-Balano. Paula H.Balano was an artist that provided many levels of service to her community and country during the Second World War in multiple ways. She is most famous for her artistic expertise in the designing, drawing and installation of stained glass in many parishes in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. However, I have recently discovered that she provided a much more simple touch in helping military service personnel through her volunteer work at the Stage Door Canteen during the war…sketching the portraits of soldiers, sailors and Marines while sharing coffee, stories and cigarettes, so they might send these portraits home to their families that waited with great anticipation for any word from their sons and daughters in military service. Paula Himmelsbach-Balano was one of thousands that contributed talents and a compassionate ear to many military personnel l away from home and preparing to fight for the freedom of our American liberties and freedoms.

I have recently had the opportunity to photograph some of the exceptional works of stained glass executed by Paula Himmelsbach-Balano at Saint Anthony’s Church in Wilmington, Delaware. During the churches continued renovations during the period of the Second World War, Paula Himmelsbach-Balano worked diligently to install all of the stained glass panels that adorn the church in Wilmington. In addition to the stained glass windows that depict religious themes, one window sequestered away in hallway pays homage to the members of Saint Anthony’s Parish that served in the American armed forces during the great conflict from 1941-1945. The window is especially poignant because it depicts both young men and older men serving as altar servers.  Perhaps the panel is intended to show the transition of maturity of these men from altar boys to men as they returned to Saint Anthony’s Parish after their participation and experiences of war. Maybe the window calls us to keenly remember also the lives disrupted and even sacrificed by war by noting the numbers of those that served and died with encircled stars at the bottom of the panel. Whatever the symbolism, the delicate stained glass window recalls and commemorates the service and sacrifices of the millions of men and women that served our country in many ways, with countless skills and talents to achieve victory and freedom for future generations. I have also been keenly struck by the removal of multiple works by Paula Himmelsbach-Balano from Saint Anthony’s Church in order to insert new examples of stained glass that commemorate the priests that have served as pastors of the parish commissioned new windows. This indeed is a laudable notion and activity. However, in order to celebrate the priestly service of these men, exceptional works of great artistic accomplishment completed by Paula Himmelsbach-Balano were removed and either destroyed or taken away without documentation or any consideration of their historical and artistic importance to the parish, the Diocese of Wilmington or the Catholic  artistic community.  In a real sense of the phrase, Paula Himmelsbach-Balano’s works make another Memorial Day contribution; they are just like the many men and women that have never returned from battle, MIA or Missing in Action.

While the designation, Missing in Action traditionally refers to those lost during military conflict, I suggest the phrase also applies to the many pieces of representational art that is becoming Missing in Action in our Catholic churches as we face a great period of institutional transition when parishes close, merge or even arbitrarily renovate our sacred spaces without proper consideration for the historical and artistic provenance of what is in place in our churches.

While researching the missing stained glass windows at Saint Anthony’s Catholic Church, I was told they were removed and destroyed because they needed multiple repairs.  In photographing the other windows in this church, not one window showed any signs of distress or need of repairs. It strikes me as unfortunate that stained glass windows of superlative artistic and material quality were summarily removed and disguarded in favor of new windows of clerical portraiture lacking artistic quality in both materials and execution could be removed without serious review by professional art experts. Such vandalism of Catholic Church works of art runs rampant as priests make decisions regarding renovations and replacement without the advice and counsel of competent experts in these areas of artistic restoration, renovation, preservation and repairs.

Memorial Day traditionally inspires us to recall our war dead. It also should be a time to remember the men and women of all generations that inspire patriotism to our ideals of a free American Republic. Perhaps as well, there is an opportunity to ignite a particular patriotism and fidelity towards all of the exceptional works of representational art that adorns our Catholic churches. In many ways, the craftsmen, artisans, masons and so on deserve our commemoration and continued attention as we attempt to preserve and memorialize our Catholic artistic heritage into the 21^st century.

Preservation of our sometimes crumbling Catholic art patrimony and restoration of these works should always be one of constant concern to our Catholic community. In addition to preservation and restoration, we should actively consider integration of these examples of our Catholic artistic heritage into new churches, so we can celebrate a seamless integration of our artistic past into our Catholic present and future sites of liturgical worship.

I celebrate Memorial Day and gratefully recall the many men and women that made the ultimate sacrifice of their lives in defense of our American way of life. Additionally, I ask all people of faith to honor our artistic and historical legacies and recall the great men and women that have contributed to our artistic Catholic heritage. We cannot allow their works to go MIA ( Missing in Action) without raising a concentrated call for accountability on the part of our priests and parish administrators. Before any decisions are made to replace any examples of artistic expression…there should be a detailed plan that permits the responsible removal and appraisal of the no longer wanted works of art.

Memorial Day calls us to remember…those that gave their lives in battle. Memorial Day also gives us the opportunity to remember those that gave their lives in artistic expression of our Catholic faith through the use of their great God given talents…for the greater glory of God.

Hugh J.McNichol is a Catholic author and journalist that comments on Catholic topics and issues. Hugh studied both philosophy and theology at Philadelphia’s Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary. He is currently in an advanced theology degree program at Villanova University in suburban Philadelphia. He writes daily at http://verbumcarofactumest.blogspot.com , http://catholicsacredarts.blogspot.com . Hugh writes on his Irish Catholic parochial experiences at  http://graysferrygrapevine.blogspot.com.
He also contributes writings to The Irish Catholic, Dublin, British Broadcasting Company, and provides Catholic book reviews for multiple Catholic periodicals and publishers, including Vatican Publishing House.
Hugh lives in Delaware’s Brandywine Valley with his wife and daughter.
Hugh welcomes your comments via hugh.mcnichol@verizon.net.

How to Read Churches...a book to travel with...!

How to Read Churches: A crash course in ecclesiastical architecture, by Dr. Denis McNamara is an essential resource for anyone that maintains an interest in studying the history of architecture as it applies to Christian churches. The book is essentially an indispensible tool to decipher the nuances of ecclesiastical buildings that provides a wealth of information to the reader on the historical, liturgical and architectural importance each little detail holds as part of the Christian heritage. Covering the history of architecture from the Temple of Solomon right up to the present day of post modern church construction, Dr. McNamara shows through brief explanations and associated illustrations the purpose and usage aspects of all of the fine details contained in ancient, medieval, gothic and modern churches. The book has another great value as well, its size allows the reader to carry the book around as a companion when exploring various churches of Christian denominations while on those vacations that allow exploration of various ecclesiastical sites often included on tours and other pilgrimage excursions. The fine points of historical architecture that cannot be answered by tour guides or docents can be solved by making Dr. McNamara’s pocket book part of every excursion that requires information on architectural and liturgical points of design and function.

Dr.McNamara has published multiple books on Christian architecture. Currently he is assistant director of The Liturgical Institute, University of Saint Mary of the Lake, Mundelein, Ill. The book is published by Rizzoli International Publications, http://risoliusa.com and can be purchased directly from their site. The cost of the book is $17.95, and is an investment well made for the nascent architect, liturgist or historian.

As one that is always interested in understanding the form and function of various parts of church structures, this book provides a synthesized but deeply accurate field source to assist students, and anyone interested in learning more about the way Christian churches have evolved and the symbolism that is active from ancient times to our contemporary age. Make this book part of your required resources; it will become a faithful, dog-eared companion that enriches architectural explorations for many years.

Hugh J.McNichol is a Catholic author and journalist that comments on Catholic topics and issues. Hugh studied both philosophy and theology at Philadelphia's Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary. He is currently in an advanced theology degree program at Villanova University in suburban Philadelphia. He writes daily at http://verbumcarofactumest.blogspot.com , http://catholicsacredarts.blogspot.com . Hugh writes on his Irish Catholic parochial experiences at  http://graysferrygrapevine.blogspot.com.
He also contributes writings to The Irish Catholic, Dublin, British Broadcasting Company, and provides Catholic book reviews for multiple Catholic periodicals and publishers, including Vatican Publishing House.
Hugh lives in Delaware's Brandywine Valley with his wife and daughter.
Hugh welcomes your comments via hugh.mcnichol@verizon.net.

Good Friday...makes me shiver!

The Chill of Good Friday!

The Chill of Good Friday!

Good Friday always make me shiver. When I think of the interior of my Catholic parish on this day, the cold realization of Jesus' suffering and death surrounds me. The Altar is stripped, the sanctuary is bare and the Eucharistic Lord's absence in evident by the open tabernacle doors. The intense sacrifice made by Jesus on the Cross is felt keenly in a Church sans Jesus in the tabernacle.

The quietness of the sacred space echoes faint, "Hosannas", and loud shouts of, "Crucify Him."Here in the parish Church ,in the shouting silence of the empty space, We Catholics begin to feel Jesus suffering and death. That is because we participate in His death through our own initiation at Baptism. Our common Baptism unites all of us and permits us to share in Jesus' Eucharistic sacrifice.

Good Friday does not mark the end for Jesus, nor for us…rather it a sign of hopeful expectation. That expectation transcends the historical and harsh reality of Jesus' crucifixion and death. The expectation is felt in Jesus' complete submission to the will of the Father, and the subsequent Father's power that raises Jesus from the dead. Most Catholics don't usually think of death as an expectant resurrection. Most Catholics separate Jesus' total dependence on the will of the Father from His suffering and death. Most Catholics forget to recall it is the Father that raises Jesus from the dead. We are too lost to think of these aspects of redemption. Too surrounded by the cold darkness of the power of evil. Too overcome with the physical death of Jesus. We don't like to think of a Church without a Eucharistic presence, without light and joy.

However as Catholics we need to focus on not just Jesus' death, but His impending resurrection. The impending resurrection is the theological extension of Jesus' faith in the Father. He suffers the Cross, because He believes in the Father's love. We too need to recognize the same in Jesus. We share in the mystery of Jesus' death because we are faithful of resurrection. The harsh reality of death undergoes a transformation in perspective when there is a belief in the resurrection.

God's love and power transforms the cross from a symbol of shame and death, into a true realization and expectation of new life. Jesus knows this. He trusts in the Father. The Father exhibits faithfulness to His Son and raises Jesus from the cold and empty tomb. It is only after I think of the cold reality of Good Friday am I able to sense the Father's incredible warmth and power. That's what makes us believers in faith. We know that we will not be abandoned in the solitude of death, but will participate in the Paschal glory of the warmth of the Resurrection.

When I remember that the Good Friday story has another lesson to communicate, is it possible to understand that my parish Church will be transformed on Easter Sunday morning. The liturgical reenactment of Jesus' passion is the beginning of the story, not the end. As believers, we have hope in God's power. We anticipate God's resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday. When we realize this, shivering stops and I am acutely aware that there is life and warmth in the Resurrection, for Jesus, for us all.

Ash Wednesday!