As I mentioned the other day, my journey to the Catechetical Boot Camp took me via Groningen. On the way back today, the Puella Paschalis very kindly took me to see the Cathedral which is her parish Church. Since she knows the personnel there, she was able to take me into the sacristy and the presbytery. Unfortunately, their excellent parish priest was busy out and about with pastoral work so I was unable to meet him but I was very pleased to hear that he called in to the Boot Camp.The Cathedral of St Joseph in Groningen was built by Cuypers who is the "Dutch Pugin". The tower is the tallest structure in Groningen. As you can see below, the vista of the Cathedral has been left intact.
The High Altar is also unaltered. The versus populum altar is a movable wooden altar and could easily be shifted for the usus antiquior. Not only the High Altar but the episcopal throne and the sedilia have been left in place, allowing the Cathedral to retain its continuity with the past.
Cuypers also designed the rather splendid railway station:
I was amazed at the bicycle store. This photo shows only a third of it. Anna, who collected me from the station, told me that at Amsterdam there is a three-storey bicycle store.
5 comments:
Reverend and Dear Father
Greetings once again to you in Christ and our Good Mother,
In the picture of the Sanctury of the Cathedral, one can see, as you quite rightly described, the use of what seems to be a table for an altar.
The words of the last Prince of God, Pope Pius XII in his encyclical ' Mediator Dei' come to mind concerning this matter, "Thus, to cite some instances, one would be straying from the straight path were he to wish the altar restored to its primitive tableform".
This is but the tip of the iceberg, we can only contiune to pray that Holy Mother Church might be oneday restored to her former glory.
Please, dear Father be assured of my prayers for you in your work for the salvation of souls.
I remain your unworthy Servant in Christ and our Good Mother
Calvin James
President
Summorum Pontificum Johannesburg
Wow! Heavenly!! I mean the bicycles Fr! Please post the one of you with a cassock!
Dear Father,
Save for Mike (the tall guy) we're all home now... exhausted and rather happy about our camp!
I'm glad you didn't mind all the singing (good weather puts me in the mood for victimae paschali laudes, which in my liturgy-wise very muddled brain somehow triggers hodie Christus natus est... thus the rather unusual programme) and fangirlish squeeling (we really, really liked you being with us! As did Br. Hugo, I heard, but he doesn't squeel.)
I will try to remember to take a picture of Amsterdam's bicycle flat when I go to choir practice this Friday. And I'm sure your cycling picture is already on a computer somewhere...
Jackie - I've got a few photos of Fr. Tim in a cassock on a bike. Once I've caught up on some sleep I'll upload it somewhere. Fr. Tim was very sporting about it all, even with us squealing.
Actually our bloghost is rather deft on a fiets. Must've had some experience at Oxford praps?
The photos are excellent! Yes he did seem rather confident! But then there's nothing that Priest can't do!
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