Let me start off with this: I am a sucker for churches. The architecture, the stained glass, statuary, you name it. While I have my own particular taste in churches, I believe I can still find the absolute beauty in any of these edifices which were created Ad majorem Dei gloriam.
I know what you're thinking, why blog about your church experiences? Well, a few years ago, I stumbled on a website: http://www.phillychurchproject.com/. I found it after I went to Philadelphia and stayed at the former Notre Dame Sisters convent attached to St. Boniface's in the Kensington section of town. I was primarily was looking for pictures of the enormous complex (church was closed and shuttered), but instead found a myriad of great information about Philadelphia churches, some which are very historic. I nosed around the site some more and found it absolutely fascinating. So I guess you can say this new journey I am undertaking is rooted in fate that I stumbled across that website.
Being a native of the Diocese of Albany, which is one of the older catholic dioceses in the United States, I thought why not begin looking at some of our fascinating houses of worship right here in my backyard? The Albany area, like much of New York has huge roots in American Catholicism, Dutch Reformed, Anglican and Episcopalian and boasts some gorgeous houses of worship. It is my intent (when I have free time) to visit these buildings, see their communities and blog about them (and maybe snag some pictures along the way).
Also, I want everyone to know that this is not a blog for people to be biased or judgmental to any governing bodies, bishops, priests, lay leaders etc. It is just a blog for those interested in these buildings whether for their ecclesiastical usage, architectural wonder, works of art, or as an "time capsule" of a bygone era. I do this also on my own accord as a layman, and not on the behalf of anyone else.
If you have any recommendations of buildings to visit, please let me know. The older and more ornate the better!
Until we meet again, as Johnny says...keep on walking
-WC
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