Board 8 > Question to anyone Catholic/who knows about Catholic stuff

(+) Yeah! (+)

I'm writing a story, and a brief scene is in a Catholic church. I was told by a friend that my description of a Catholic church is completely wrong, and it's entirely possible, given that I'm Jewish and have never actually been in one.

Is it true that all, even smaller, local Catholic churchs, are really ostentatious compared to other Christian churches?

--
Not changing this sig until I decide to change this sig.
Started: July 6, 2005

No. Definitely not true.

--
http://img.imgcake.com/crimjpgpe.jpg Mo' buildings mo' problems
ocean kinda grew on me like a flesh eating ...fungus. -BIGPUN9999

Don't know what you're asking.

os·ten·ta·tious/%u02CCäst%u0259n%u02C8t%u0101SH%u0259s/
Adjective:
Characterized by vulgar or pretentious display.

Huh. Well, I still wish you would be more specific.

There are a lot of candles... and usually a big crucifix behind the alter. The stations of the cross are all around the walls of the church. There's the baptism thing in the center aisle.

In those big super church things, as far as ones I've been to, they don't have any kind of decoration. They're just big rooms. So...

your story isn't going to be any good, why bother continuing? just give up.

--
omg did u red text from last night dats so me LMAO : )
im not a slut i jus liek 2 haev fun LOL : )

Not true in the slightest, and even some larger churches can be quite lacking in terms of glitter and glitz. The fanciest churches are typically cathedrals (they'll be big and have lots of stained glass window and such) or really old ones that benefited from patronage (hence why every old church in Italy is awesome).

How about you, y'know, visit one or two?

--
SubDeity wants to vote for Calvin Coolidge. [Evil Republican]
Play Der Langrisser.

You could, you know, go visit one.

--
My Japanese alter-ego.
Hey all this is Bartz btw.

what country does the story take place in?

--
Donny: Are they gonna hurt us, Walter?
Walter: No, Donny. These men are cowards.

On the other side, there are small local churches that are quite fancy.

Older churches seem to be fancier from what I've seen. But I am not catholic and haven't been in a lot of Catholic churches.

--
(Maniac64 at work)
Guns don't kill people, Kinder eggs do. I saw it in a post on GameFAQs. ~FAHtastic

neonreaper posted...
what country does the story take place in?

Given the typical amount of knowledge Anagram displays about the world, God help us all if it's anywhere outside California.

--
SubDeity wants to vote for Calvin Coolidge. [Evil Republican]
Play Der Langrisser.

I'd say it depends on when they were built. On the East Coast they do tend to be a bit on the fancier side, because they're older and such architecture was more in style back then. However many of these have fallen into slight disrepair since then, not complete shambles but definitely with the air of a place that was fancy but is now past its prime. Some of these have also had renovations to improve their state, but in doing so have often lost their more ornate feel. Meanwhile in newer constructions, you see much simpler architecture.

It's the same thing you see in a lot of older architecture really. Everything I said could just as easily be said about hotel lobbies, for example.

--
[NO BARKLEY NO PEACE]

Speaking as an architecture major, all of what DH said is pretty accurate.

--
http://img.imgcake.com/crimjpgpe.jpg Mo' buildings mo' problems
ocean kinda grew on me like a flesh eating ...fungus. -BIGPUN9999

Thanks, most of you. I think I'll find a few nearby Catholic churches and go visit them, assuming I can just kind of... you know, enter on a weekday.

And it's in America, yeah.

--
Not changing this sig until I decide to change this sig.
Started: July 6, 2005

From: Anagram | #013
Thanks, most of you. I think I'll find a few nearby Catholic churches and go visit them, assuming I can just kind of... you know, enter on a weekday.

And it's in America, yeah.

You can enter most churches anytime, but you might burst into flames so be careful.

You should be able to walk into just about any church on any day.

--
Connecticut Huskies

Catholic churches are just buildings. You can absolutely walk in and as long as you stay where it looks like the unwashed masses should be (don't open any closed doors, etc) no one will even care.

In fact, if you have any enthusiastically Catholic friends, they'll probably be excited to explain stuff so you get more than "this is what this building looks like."

--
senorhousemouse

From: WhoopsyDaisy | #017
In fact, if you have any enthusiastically Catholic friends, they'll probably be excited to explain stuff so you get more than "this is what this building looks like."

This is probably a good idea, if you're writing a story it would be good to know what things are called. Here's a free one: it's called an "altar", not a table!

--
[NO BARKLEY NO PEACE]

And they're called pews not seats

--
http://img.imgcake.com/nio/81edpngej.png
edwardsdv and swordz9 are basically the comedy heel tag team of this topic, why would people be taking them seriously?

I'm Catholic and all the Catholic churches I've been to are pretty boring. But they do have high ceilings.

--
PSN: JDTAY87

The Catholic churches around here are quite fancy. Stain glass windows, an altar space with huge columns and statues. Aside from that they're still fairly old and you can tell.

--
http://img.imgcake.com/fitgirljpgta.jpg

Tabernacle on the side, red candle, cross, altar, pews, stained glass windows. Pretyy much the only stuff worth mentioning in the churches I've been to

edwardsdv posted...
And they're called pews not seats

I actually knew this, but thanks.

Thanks for the help, everyone.

--
Not changing this sig until I decide to change this sig.
Started: July 6, 2005