Environment And Art In Worship: A Roman Catholic Document On Art In Worship Part II

This statement is the result of the cooperative effort on the part of the Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions and the Bishops' Committee of the Roman Catholic Church. It addresses both theological and practical considerations regarding almost every aspect of the visual arts in worship. IV. The Arts and the Body Language of Liturgy 55. Liturgical celebration, because of its public and corporate nature, and because it is an expression of the total person within a community, involves not only the use of a common language and ritual tradition, but also the use of a common place, common furnishing, common art forms and symbols, common gestures, movements, and postures. But when one examines the quality of these common elements, one finds that an uncommon sensitivity is demanded. For these common elements create a tremendous impact on the assembly visually, environmentally and bodily. This section and those following will offer a basic orientation and some principles with regard to each of these elements. We will begin with the sense of the person in the space: the bodily movement. Personal Gestures 56. The liturgy of the church has been rich in a tradition of ritual movements and gestures. These actions, subtly, yet really, contribute to an environment that can foster prayer or which can distract from prayer. When the gestures are done in common, they contribute to the unity of the worshiping assembly. Gestures which are broad and full in both a visual and tactile sense, support the entire symbolic ritual. When the gestures are done by the presiding minister, they can either engage the entire assembly and bring them into an even greater unity, or if done poorly, they can isolate (The Directory for Masses With Children [hereafter, DMC] bases the importance of the liturgy on the fact that liturgy, by its nature, is the activity of the entire person. See no. 33). Posture 57. In an atmosphere of hospitality, posture will never be a marshaled, forced uniformity. It is important that the liturgical space can accommodate certain common postures: sitting for preparations, for listening, for silent reflection; standing for the gospel, solemn prayer, praise, and acclamation; kneeling for adoration, penitential rites. Those who suffer from handicaps of one sort or another, must be carefully planned for so that they can participate in the liturgy without unnecessary strain or burden. 58. Attentiveness, expressed in posture and eye contact, is a requirement for full participation and involvement in the liturgy. It is part of one's share in the life of the community and something one owes the rest of the assembly. Because of this, a space and its seating should be so designed that one can see the places of the ritual action, but further, that these spaces cannot be so distant that eye contact is impossible, for eye contact is important in any act of ministry in reading, in preaching, in leading the congregation in music and prayer. Not only are the ministers to be visible to all present, but among themselves the faithful should be able to have visual contact, being attentive to one another as they celebrate the liturgy. Processions 59. Beyond seeing what is done, because good liturgy is a ritual action, it is important that worship spaces allow for movement. (See Holy Communion and Worship of the Eucharist Outside Mass [hereafter, EOM], nos. 101–108; DMC no. 34). Processions and interpretations through bodily movement (dance) can become meaningful parts of the liturgical celebration if done by truly competent persons in the manner than befits the total liturgical action. A procession should move from one place to another with some purpose (not simply around the same space) and should normally include the congregation, sometimes with stops or stations for particular prayers, readings, or actions. The design of the space and arrangement of the seating should allow for this sort of movement. There should be concern for the quality, the gracefulness, and the surety of this movement. Seating arrangements which prohibit the freedom of action to take place are inappropriate. 60. In the general movement of the liturgical rite, the role of the one who presides is critical and central. The area of presiding should allow that person to be attentive to and present to the entire congregation, the other ministers, and each part of the liturgical action, even if not personally leading the action at that moment. The place should allow one to conduct the various ministers in their specific activity and roles of leadership, as well as the congregation in its common prayer. 61. In the above instances, audibility and visibility to all in the assembly are minimal requirements. The chair, the lectern and the altar should be constructed so that all can see and hear the person of the reader or the one who presides. Ease of Movement 62. The proper use of furniture and other objects which have a symbolic function is important in ritual action. These objects are next in importance to the people themselves and their total environment. They are part of a total rite which everyone present should be able to experience as fully as possible. Thus, their placement and use should allow for ease of movement. V. Furnishings for Liturgical Celebration 63. Because the Sunday eucharistic assembly is the most fundamental ecclesial symbol, the requirements of that celebration will have the strongest claim in the provision of furnishings for liturgy. Consequently, any liturgical space must take into consideration not only the general requirements of the assembly, but also the need for a feeling of contact with altar, ambo and celebrant's chair. 64. This primacy of the eucharistic assembly, however, should not discourage a liturgical life of greater richness and variety in the local church. In planning construction, renovation, or refurnishing of liturgical spaces, baptism and the other sacraments, morning and evening prayer, services of the word, prayer meetings and other community events should be kept in mind. 65. When multifunctional use of the space is indicated by the needs either of the faith community or of the surrounding city, town or rural area which the faith community services, a certain flexibility or movability should be considered even for the essential furnishings. Great care, however, should be taken in the design and care of movable furnishings that none of the dignity and noble and simple beauty proper to such objects is sacrificed. There is no reason why a movable altar or ambo need have a flimsy, cheap, or disposable appearance. 66. Normally the furnishings used in a liturgical celebration of any kind should be placed before the celebration begins and remain stationary during the celebration. Ritual action is not enhanced by the moving of furniture during a rite. A careful arrangement of furnishings is an integral part of liturgical planning. Dignity and Beauty 67. Consultation with persons who are experts, at least one in liturgy and one in the arts, is not a luxury, but a necessity for those responsible for furnishing the liturgical space. Each piece of furniture has its own requirements, but at least two criteria are applicable to all of them, in fact, to any object used in any way in liturgy: (1) None should be made in such a way that it is far removed from the print of the human hand and human craft. When mass-produced items are chosen, care must be taken that they are truly suitable. Dignity and beauty in materials used, in design and form, in color and texture—these are concerns of artists for their work, for the furniture they build, and are not, unfortunately, the evident concerns of many mass manufacturers and merchandisers. (2) All furnishings taken together should possess a unity and harmony with each other and with the architecture of the place. Benches or Chairs 68. Benches or chairs for seating the assembly should be so constructed and arranged that they maximize feelings of community and involvement (GI, no. 273). The arrangement should facilitate a clear view not only of the one who presides and the multiple focal points of reading, preaching, praying, music and movement during the rite, but also of other members of the congregation. This means striving for a seating pattern and furniture that do not constrict people, but encourage them to move about when it is appropriate. 69. Benches or chairs for the seating of those engaged in the ministry of music, instrumental or choral, should be so constructed and arranged that they have the advantages described above for congregational seating and also that they are clearly part of the assembly (GI, no. 274). Yet, the ministers of music should be able to sing and play facing the rest of the assembly in order to elicit the participation of the community without distracting from the central action of the liturgy. The same should be said of an individual cantor or song leader. The Chair 70. Chairs or benches for the presiding minister and other ministers should be so constructed and arranged that they too are clearly part of the one assembly, yet conveniently situated for the exercise of their respective offices. The importance of the personal symbol and function of the one who presides in liturgical celebration should not be underrated or underplayed, because it is essential for good celebration. The chair of that person should be clearly in a presiding position, although it should not suggest either domination or remoteness (GI, no. 271). The Altar 71. The altar, the holy table, should be the most noble, the most beautifully designed and constructed table the community can provide (GI, nos. 259–270; Appendix to GI, no. 263). It is the common table of the assembly, a symbol of the Lord, at which the presiding minister stands and upon which are placed the bread and wine and their vessels and the book. It is holy and sacred to this assembly's action and sharing, so it is never used as a table of convenience or as a resting place for papers, notes, cruets, or anything else. It stands free, approachable from every side, capable of being encircled. It is desirable that candles, cross, any flowers or other decoration in the area should not be so close to the altar as to constitute impediments to anyone's approach or movement around the common table. 72. The altar is designed and constructed for the action of a community and the functioning of a single priest, not for concelebrants. The holy table, therefore, should not be elongated, but square or slightly rectangular, an attractive, impressive, dignified, noble table, constructed with solid and beautiful materials, in pure and simple proportions. Its symbolic function, of course, is rendered negligible when there are other altars in sight. The liturgical space has room for but one. 73. The location of the altar will be central in any eucharistic celebration, but this does not mean it must be spatially in the center or on a central axis. In fact, an off-center location may be a good solution in many cases. Focus and importance in any celebration move with the movement of the rite. Placement and elevation must take into account the necessity of visibility and audibility for all. The Ambo 74. The ambo or lectern is a standing desk for reading and preaching (although preaching can be done from the chair or elsewhere) (GI, no. 272). One main ambo should be reserved for these functions and therefore not used by commentators, song leaders, etc. Like the altar, it should be beautifully designed, constructed of fine materials, and proportioned carefully and simply for its function. The ambo represents the dignity and uniqueness of the Word of God and of reflection upon that Word. 75. A very simple lectern, in no way competing or conflicting with the main ambo, and placed for the necessary visibility and audibility, can be used by a cantor, song leader, commentator, and reader of the announcements. It should be located for easy communication with both musicians and congregation. Baptistry 76. To speak of symbols and of sacramental signification is to indicate that immersion is the fuller and more appropriate symbolic action in baptism (Rite of Baptism for Children [hereafter, BC], Introduction). New baptismal fonts, therefore, should be constructed to allow for the immersion of infants, at least, and to allow for the pouring of water over the entire body of a child or adult. Where fonts are not so constructed, the use of a portable one is recommended. 77. The place of the font, whether it is an area near the main entrance of the liturgical space or one in the midst of the congregation, should facilitate full congregational participation, regularly in the Easter vigil (Ibid., no. 25). If the baptismal space is in a gathering place or entry way, it can have living, moving water, and include provision for warming the water for immersion. When a portable font is used, it should be placed for maximum visibility and audibility, without crowding or obscuring the altar, ambo, and chair. Eucharistic Chapel 78. The celebration of the Eucharist is the focus of the normal Sunday assembly. As such, the major space of a church is designed for this action. Beyond the celebration of the Eucharist, the church has had a most ancient tradition of reserving the eucharistic bread. The purpose of this reservation is to bring communion to the sick and to be the object of private devotion. Most appropriately, this reservation should be designated in a space designed for individual devotion. A room or chapel specifically designed and separate from the major space is important so that no confusion can take place between the celebration of the Eucharist and reservation (GI, no. 276). Active and static aspects of the same reality cannot claim the same human attention at the same time. Having the Eucharist reserved in a place apart does not mean it has been relegated to a secondary place of no importance. Rather, a space carefully designed and appointed can give proper attention to the reserved sacrament. 79. This space should offer easy access from the porch areas, garden or street as well as the main space. The devotional character of the space should create an atmosphere of warmth while acknowledging the mystery of the Lord. It should support private meditation without distractions. If icongraphy or statuary are present, they should not obscure the primary focus of reservation. The Tabernacle 80. The tabernacle, as a receptacle for the reservation of the Eucharist, should be solid and unbreakable, dignified and properly ornamented (GI, no. 277). It may be placed in a wall niche, on a pillar, or eucharistic tower. It should not be placed on an altar for the altar is a place for action, not for reservation. There should be only one tabernacle in a church building. A lamp should burn continuously near it. Reconciliation Chapel 81. A room or rooms for the reconciliation of individual penitents may be located near the baptismal area (when that is at the entrance) or in another convenient place (Rite of Penance, nos. 12, 18b; Bishops' Committee on the Liturgy Newsletter 1965–1975, 450). Furnishings and decoration should be simple and austere, offering the penitent a choice between face-to-face encounter or the anonymity provided by a screen, with nothing superfluous in evidence beyond a simple cross, table, and Bible. The purpose of this room is primarily for the celebration of the reconciliation liturgy; it is not a lounge, counseling room, etc. The word chapel more appropriately describes this space. Sacristy 82. A sacristy or vesting space should be located to favor the procession of cross, candles, book, and ministers through the midst of the congregation to the altar area. Musical Instruments 83. Because choir, instrumentalists, and organ often function as an ensemble, they need to be located together in such a way that the organist can see the other musicians and the liturgical action directly or by means of a simple mirror (GI, nos. 274, 275; Music in Catholic Worship, no. 38). Organ consoles can be detached from the pipework and their connection supplied by flexible means. This allows for movable consoles, which may be an advantage, especially when the liturgical space serves other functions as well. However, self-contained organs, where console and pipework are united in a single element, are a possibility also, and can be designed so that the whole organ is movable. Organs designed for liturgical rather than concert purposes need not be very large; they should not be grandiose or visually dominating. But they should be superior musically, and as with all artifacts, the instrument and its casework should be authentic, beautiful and coherent with its environment. Proper space must also be planned for other musical instruments used in liturgical celebrations. VI. Objects Used in Liturgical Celebration 84. Like the furniture, all other objects used in liturgical celebrations should be designed or selected in consultation with experts in both liturgy and art. Each should be not only suitable for its purpose, but also capable of making a visual or other sensory contribution to the beauty of the action. The two principles cited above are applicable to everything employed in liturgy. Duplicated and Minimized 85. There is a cultural tendency to minimize symbols and symbolic gestures and to cover them with a heavy curtain of texts, words, and commentary. As a result there are two other problems in our use of objects in worship. 86. One problem is the tendency to duplicate signs and objects, a practice which seems to have multiplied in proportion to the symbols' diminution. (The converse is also true: the multiplication of symbols causes their very diminution.) A symbol claims human attention and consciousness with a power that seems to be adversely affected by overdose. For example, the multiplication of crosses in a liturgical space or as ornamentation on objects may lessen rather than increase attention to that symbol. 87. A second common problem in the use of symbolic objects is a tendency to "make up" for weak primary symbols by secondary ones. It is not uncommon for example, to make extensive and expensive efforts to enrich and enliven a Sunday eucharistic celebration without paying any attention to the bread that is used or to the sharing of the cup. Bread and wine are primary eucharistic symbols, yet peripheral elements frequently get more attention. It is important to focus on central symbols and to allow them to be expressed with the full depth of their vision. This may mean solutions which are less efficient and pragmatic. The Cross 88. A cross is a basic symbol in any Christian liturgical celebration. The advantage of a processional cross with a floor standard, in contrast to one that is permanently hung or affixed to a wall, is that it can be placed differently according to the celebration and the other environmental factors (GI, nos. 84, 270; Appendix to GI, no. 270). While it is permissible for the cross to rest on the altar, it is preferable that it be elsewhere, not only for noneucharistic liturgies, but also so that in eucharistic celebrations the altar is used only for bread and wine and book. Candlesticks and Candles 89. The same can be said of candlesticks and candles. When they are floor-standing, they can be arranged differently from time to time. The number can be varied according to the season and feast and the solemnity of the celebration. Like the cross, the candles should be visible without impeding the sight of the altar, ambo, chair and action (GI, no. 269, EOM, no. 85). 90. The Easter Candle and its standard call for very special dimensions and design. They occupy a central location in the assembly during the Easter season and a place at the baptismal font thereafter (BC, no. 25). Books 91. Any book which is used by an officiating minister in a liturgical celebration should be of a large (public, noble) size, good paper, strong design, handsome typography and binding (Bishops' Committee on the Liturgy Newsletter, 1965–1975, 417). The Book of the Gospels or lectionary, of course, is central and should be handled and carried in a special way. The other liturgical books of the church, which contain the rites of our public worship tradition, are also worthy of venerable treatment and are a significant part of the liturgical environment. Each should be visually attractive and impressive. The use of pamphlets and leaflets detracts from the visual integrity of the total liturgical action. This applies not only to books used by ministers at the altar, chair and font, but also to those used in any other public or semipublic rite. 92. When a liturgical book is employed at a place other than altar or ambo, the book should be held by an assistant or acolyte so that the hands and body of the one who reads are free. Vestments 93. The wearing of ritual vestment by those charged with leadership in a ritual action is an appropriate symbol of their service as well as a helpful aesthetic component of the rite (GI, nos. 297–310; Appendix GI, nos. 305–306). That service is a function which demands attention from the assembly and which operates in the focal area of the assembly's liturgical action. The color and form of the vestments and their difference from everyday clothing invite an appropriate attention and are part of the ritual experience essential to the festive character of a liturgical celebration (GI, nos. 308; Appendix GI, no. 308). 94. The more these vestments fulfill their function by their color, design, and enveloping form, the less they will need the signs, slogans, and symbols which an unkind history has fastened on them. The tendency to place symbols upon symbols seems to accompany the symbolic deterioration and diminution already discussed (GI, nos. 289–296). 95. Vesture may also be used appropriately on an altar or ambo or other objects at times, especially for festive occasions, not as "frontals" or "facades," but as decorative covering which respects the integrity and totality of the particular object (GI, no. 268). The fabrics used in these instances should be chosen because of the quality of design, texture and color. Vessels 96. In a eucharistic celebration, the vessels for the bread and wine deserve special attention and care (GI, nos. 289–296). Just as in other types of celebration those objects which are central in the rite are a natural focus. When the eucharistic assembly is large, it is desirable not to have the additional plates and cups necessary for Communion on the altar. A solution is to use one large breadplate and either one large chalice or a large flagon until the breaking of the bread. At the fraction, any other chalices or plates needed are brought to the altar. While the bread is broken on sufficient plates for sharing, the ministers of the cups pour from the flagon into the Communion chalices. The number and design of such vessels will depend on the size of the community they serve. To eat and drink is of the essence of the symbolic fullness of this sacrament. Communion under one kind is an example of the minimizing of primary symbols. 97. Like the plates and chalices or flagons, all other vessels and implements used in the liturgical celebration should be of such quality and design that they speak of the importance of the ritual action. Pitchers, vessels for holy oils, bowls, cruets, sprinklers, censers, baskets for collection, etc.—all are presented to the assembly in one way or another and speak well or ill of the deed in which the assembly is engaged. Images 98. Images in painting or sculpture, as well as tapestries, cloth hangings, banners and other permanent or seasonal decorations should be introduced into the liturgical space upon consultation with an art consultant (CSL, no. 125; GI, no. 278). Like the furniture and other objects used in worship, they become part of the environment and are subject to its criteria of quality and appropriateness. In addition, their appropriateness must take into account the current renewed emphasis on the action of the assembly. If instead of serving and aiding that action, they threaten it or compete with it, then they are unsuitable. 99. In a period of church and liturgical renewal, the attempt to recover a solid grasp of church and faith and rites involves the rejection of certain embellishments, which have in the course of history become hindrances. In many areas of religious practice, this means a simplifying and a refocusing on primary symbols. In building, this effort has resulted in more austere interiors, with fewer objects on the walls and in the corners. Decorations 100. Many new or renovated liturgical spaces, therefore, invite temporary decoration for particular celebrations, feasts and seasons. Banners and hangings of various sorts are both popular and appropriate, as long as the nature of these art forms is respected. They are creations of forms, colors, and textures, rather than signboards to which words must be attached. Their purpose is to appeal to the senses and thereby create an atmosphere and a mood, rather than to impress a slogan upon the minds of observers or deliver a verbal message. 101. Although the art and decoration of the liturgical space will be that of the local culture, identifying symbols of particular cultures, groups, or nations are not appropriate as permanent parts of the liturgical environment. While such symbols might be used for a particular occasion or holiday, they should not regularly constitute a part of the environment of common prayer. 102. Flowers, plants, and trees—genuine, of course—are particularly apt for the decoration of liturgical space, since they are of nature, always discreet in their message, never cheap or tawdry or ill-made. Decoration should never impede the approach to or the encircling of the altar or any of the ritual movement and action, but there are places in most liturgical spaces where it is appropriate and where it can be enhancing. The whole space is to be considered the arena of decoration, not merely the sanctuary. 103. Suitable decoration need not and should not be confined to the altar area, since the unity of the celebration space and the active participation of the entire assembly are fundamental principles. The negative aspect of this attention to the whole space invites a thorough housecleaning in which superfluities, things that have no use or are no longer used, are removed. Both beauty and simplicity demand careful attention to each piece of furniture, each object, each decorative element, as well as to the whole ensemble, so that there is no clutter, no crowding. These various objects and elements must be able to breathe and function without being smothered by excess. Audiovisuals 104. It is too early to predict the effect of contemporary audiovisual media—films, video tape, records, tapes—on the public worship of Christians. It is safe to say that a new church building or renovation project should make provision for screens and/or walls that will make the projection of films, slides, and filmstrips visible to the entire assembly, as well as an audio system capable of fine electronic reproduction of sound (see DMC, nos. 35–36). 105. There seems to be a parallel between the new visual media and the traditional function of stained glass. Now that the easily printed word has lost its grip on popular communication, the neglect of audiovisual possibilities is a serious fault. Skill in using these media in ways which will not reduce the congregation to an audience or passive state can only be gained by experience. 106. Such media, of course, should never be used to replace essential congregation action. At least two ways in which they may be used to enhance celebration and participation are already apparent: (1) visual media may be used to create an environment for the liturgical action, surrounding the rite with appropriate color and form; (2) visual and audio media may be used to assist in the communication of appropriate content, a use which requires great delicacy and a careful, balanced integration into the liturgy taken as a whole. VII. Conclusion 107. When the Christian community gathers to celebrate its faith and vision, it gathers to celebrate what is most personally theirs and most nobly human and truly church. The actions of the assembly witness the great deeds God has done; they confirm an age-old covenant. With such vision and depth of the assembly, can the environment be anything less than a vehicle to meet the Lord and to encounter one another? The challenge of our environment is the final challenge of Christ: We must make ready until he returns in glory.

• Environment And Art In Worship: A Roman Catholic Document On Art In Worship Part I