We're reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup of Ugly Churches - where "ugly" can be interpreted loosely as
"I wish I hadn't seen this picture." Here is the draw for the knockout stages, and this post will be updated to record
how things go (we start the Twitter vote on Monday).
1. Newman Hall, Holy Spirit, Berkeley (USA) v Maria, Koenigin des Friedens, Velbert-Neviges (Germany)
Torture chamber meets demolition site.
2. Kappal Matha Church, Tirunelveli (India) v Parroquia Santa Monica, Rivas-Vaciamadrid (Spain)
Aeroplane meets gun battery.
3. St Francis de Sales, Norton Shores, Michigan (USA) v Rosa Aufblasbare Kirche, Vreden (GER)
Sauron's castle meets bouncy castle.
4. Eglise Sainte Bernadette du Banlay (France) v Our Lady of the Rosary of the Philippines, Madrid (Spain)
Hippopotamus meets carpark.
QUARTER-FINAL RESULTS
Newman Hall, Holy Spirit, Berkeley 54.2 -
Maria, Koenigin des Friedens, Velbert-Neviges 45.8
Kappal Matha Church, Tirunelveli 44.3 -
Parroquia Santa Monica, Rivas-Vaciamadrid 55.7
St Francis de Sales, Norton Shores, Michigan 63.8 -
Rosa Aufblasbare Kirche, Vreden 36.2
Eglise Sainte Bernadette du Banlay 78.9 -
Our Lady of the Rosary of the Philippines, Madrid 21.1
SEMI-FINAL RESULTS
Newman Hall, Holy Spirit, Berkeley 35.4 -
St Francis de Sales, Norton Shores, Michigan 64.6
Parroquia Santa Monica, Rivas-Vaciamadrid 27.5 -
Eglise Sainte Bernadette du Banlay 72.5
THIRD PLACE PLAYOFF
Newman Hall, Holy Spirit, Berkeley 70.7 -
Parroquia Santa Monica, Rivas-Vaciamadrid 29.3
FINAL
St Francis de Sales, Norton Shores, Michigan 50.8 -
Eglise Sainte Bernadette du Banlay 49.2
Meanwhile, here are some other things to think about: Cardinal Marx (officially the world's 2nd worst cardinal), rejects
a beautiful altar in favour of a piece of junk.
Your Eminence, we did advise you not to sit on it.
And someone who will surely be a strong contender in the 2021 World Cup of Bad Cardinals, Uncle Wilt, or Wilton Gregory,
who seems to have been given a red hat because he hates Donald Trump even more than Pope Francis does.
Uncle Ted and his protegé.
Anyone seen that McCarrick report yet?
Newman Hall, Unholy Spirit, Berkeley
ReplyDeleteSt Francis de Sales, Norton Shores looks more like the Ministry of Love, in Big Brother's Airstrip One.
ReplyDeleteThe sad thing about the beautiful altars luckily still remaining in churches on the Continent, is that when you kneel down to pray all you can see is the modern replacement 'butchers' block' or 'ironing board.' You end up either craning your neck sideways or standing up to pray. To have that monstrosity shown (presumably in Germany?) replacing the divinely inspired work of art behind was surely a sin in itself? And yes I did laugh out loud at your caption!
ReplyDeletePS Did anyone else spot the stocks?
ReplyDeleteYes, cruel & unusual punishment.
DeleteTo my mouse-mind the Germans win hands down: first prize to the bunker. (That one could be the torture-chamber - or a fortification in the Berlin - or the Atlantic - Wall.)
ReplyDeleteSecond prize to the pink candy offering.
Eccles, don't you know that you have to be really, really, REALLY clever to appreciate modern art?
ReplyDeleteLord, all praise and glory thine
ReplyDeleteInspire architects’ design
Of churches beauteous sublime
To lift the longing heart and mind
In worship of Thy Love Divine.
It looks like a creepy face rising up out of the marble floor.
ReplyDelete