Saint Anthony de Padua, South Bend, Indiana

 Saint Anthony de Padua

Established in during the late 1940's, Saint Anthony de Padua parish in South Bend was first a four classroom school. It was built in the Georgian style as were future buildings. Then in the 50's plans were made for the current church. Built in 1959 it is an odd yet combination of mid century modern and traditional Catholic architecture. It features the ever classic bell tower, church, and baptistry that are separate. Part of the 1960's style is the large 'A' frame feel to the church. The skylight over the altar area is a throwback to traditional architecture by having some point on the ceiling of some specialized nature to point out where the altar/consecration is located. In older churches this is usually and emblem of the Holy Spirit but some have a stained glass window on the ceiling of the Holy Spirit. 

The school sits in the background and the hall from the 50's lays by the tracks. The large exterior crucifix is a very uniquely catholic decoration, but very much of the mid 20th century. From the 50's onward it became very popular to put a crucifix in the center of churches and making the center of the interior solely reserved for a crucifix, altar, and tabernacle. The original school building is off to the right and had several additions over the course of the latter half of the 20th century. The plan originally was to have the church come out from the original building and have a grand Georgian style church facing the road. However that plan was scrapped for two reasons. The first was a matter of space and the second was a matter on money. Georgian architecture is an opulent style based in England during the reigns of George I, through the IV. A church built in that style would be very expensive to construct, and for a relatively new parish it would have been quite a financial burden. Instead the current church was chosen as a cheaper yet larger alternative to the original design. 

For some reason, during this time the trend for a crucifix was to have an extra long base for the cross. As to why, I have no idea, nevertheless it was a trend. Note the polygon styled windows flanking the crucifix, these windows would be perfect for a saint(s) to be depicted, yet they were built as simple colored panes of glass. 

Again, this cornerstone shatters the notion that ugly churches are a result of Vatican II. While wreckovations are certainly a result of ill informed souls from the council, modernistic churches were being built long beforehand. Some as early as the Great Depression as is the case in the National Shrine of the Little Flower Basilica in Royal Oak, Michigan

Another ever classic trend of the 70's church is the monochromatic, floating statue. Utterly devoid of any decoration, it was a trend trying to show Jesus, Mary, Joseph, and the Apostles with simplicity, of the lives each person led, and a more accurate depiction of their appearance historically. This however completely ignores what happened after the respective persons' death. In the case of the Blessed Mother she was crowned queen of Heaven and Earth. None of the expected praise and affection for a queen can be seen in her appearance. Instead she wears a simple dress with a sash and long cope around her shoulders. Her head is not even covered which notably is not historically accurate. Lastly there would have originally been an altar located where the candles currently reside. The altar was likely removed around the time the requirement for a priest to say Mass every day was revoked.

For some reason there was a perplexing yet popular trend in the seventies and eighties to include tile and brick that may be found in a bathroom from the same era. For example the above side shrine would serve as a wholly proper shower in a home, yet it makes little to no sense as to why it should or would be proper in a space of worship. It's not an ugly decision, simply odd. The statue of the patron of the parish is also distinctly monochromatic

This statue of Saint Joseph is more accurate from a historical standpoint, with the saint resembling depictions of Saint Joseph the Worker. Devotion to Saint Joseph the Worker skyrocketed in popularity during the 20th century in the United States as the bulk of the population was during that time immigrant workers trying to find a better life than in their home country. Having a saint so close to Christ that was also a worker contributed to the massive popularity of the devotion in the 20th century

The center of the altar features the aforementioned abnormally elongated cross stem. The modern styled mosaic behind the cross features several Catholic symbols. The book with the alpha and the omega is reference to the Alpha and the Omega found in Revelation 1:8 (RSVCE) The hands around the dove are likely the Father and Spirit coming to accept the spirit of the Son in an image of the Blessed Trinity. The p with an x through the stem is Greek Chiro. Translated into English, it is the first three letters of Christ. It was a common symbol in the catacombs of Ancient Rome when clandestine Masses were said. The symbol has survived through the centuries appearing on everything from chalices and stained glass windows, to logos and bumper stickers.

This odd library/Christmas present reject room used to be the baptistry. The seashell and image of the Holy Spirit as a dove are classic symbols of not just baptism, but specifically Jesus' Baptism in the River Jordan

The seven triangular stained glass windows circling the ceiling of the room are of the seven sacraments. The windows are classic transitional windows from the old thought of having as much beauty, decoration, and symbolism inserted as possible, to a more polygon focused style. This can be seen to be begun in the 1930's and finishes around the 1990's. The 1950's were probably the best balance of the two as the above windows demonstrate. The ubiquitous polygons are present around the windows, but the imagery still have symbols for the viewer to be educated from. This was the original purpose of stained glass, to be an educational tool for the masses during the Masses. (Pun intended)

The pews of the church are incredibly long. To put in perspective, if the divider in the middle of the pews were to separate the pews, they would still be longer than in other churches. It is a sign of several things. Primarily a church that was bursting at the seams when constructed and also of a school attached to the church. Practically it made sense to have a classroom spread over three pews rather than seven. Thus, it would be easier for a teacher or nun to keep an eye on any misbehaving students 

This statue in the vestibule is again a classic example of the transitional period of the 20th century. The statue was captured as loot during an invasion of Spain in the 1600's. A Czech Carmelite found the statue discarded and without any hands. The Carmelite was so moved that he restored the statue and gave it a place of honor in the local church in Prague. As the Carmelite placed it on a pedestal it spoke the following words.

Have mercy on Me and I will have mercy on you.

Give Me hands and I will give you peace.

The more you honor Me, the more I will bless you.

 Subsequently the statue was decorated with the finest of children's dresses. Each morning the dresses would have disappeared, but the statue was nonetheless re-clad in finer and finer material and embroidery. Around the same time the poor began to claim images of a beautifully dressed child clothing them in the cold night with his beautiful clothing. The statue is accredited with saving Prague from numerous invasions of the city. Thus the devotion to the Infant of Prague spread life wildfire through Europe, but especially the United States. The 1950's was the last time statues of the devotion were installed in new churches. After the error and confusion of the 1970's, this devotion to the statue has been largely forgotten and abandoned in many churches albeit many have a statue sitting in their nave or sanctuary.

The founder of Saint Anthony's and builder of the current church is the above Right Reverend (Monsignor) Jerome Bonk. After being asked to head the Avant-Garde and growing Saint Anthony's, and doing a splendid job at doing so, he was made a monsignor by the pope

The altar of the church is made of pure white marble, (Carrara?) and features a classic Christian symbol of the pelican. Around this time the idea that the pelican would rend its own flesh to feed its young was debunked, yet it has still remained a popular Christian symbol.

The carpet is an ever classic sign of the 1970's. This fad was certainly popular but holds little practical value as it damages acoustics as it soaks in sound, stains easily, holds in smells, and is rather difficult to clean. All of which require a replacement around every twenty years as a carpet cannot last much longer. While every church in the 1970's wanted some form of carpet, churches are doing what ever they can now to remove carpet. In some churches floors are found perfectly intact from decades before having been preserved by a carpet above. Such was the case at Saint Stanislaus church in Milwaukee where a expertly crafted inlaid floor was discovered in the sacristy after being buried for over half a century by carpeting resembling the color of Elmo.

Originally the altar would have been flush against the back wall right in front of the tabernacle. The tabernacle is oddly shaped having a large spot on the top that is blank. This is no accident as it comes into use as pedestal during Eucharistic Adoration, the monstrance would be placed atop the tabernacle. This is commonplace in many older churches (Including Saint Monica's) where the monstrance can be placed atop the tabernacle.

The light fixtures are quite era appropriate for time it was constructed. On the ceiling above the altar are several panels covering up what was a skylight. Although A-frame churches were popular in the fifties and sixties, like carpet they hold little practical value. During my ten minute stay in the church the ceiling was creaking loudly in many places. The only two explanations I could think of were an unstable roof or animals living in the rafters. Since this church has been standing for almost 75 years, and has survived several windstorms with little to no damage, I am inclined to think it was the latter.

Again, I would like to reiterate while I am nitpicky over architectural choices of different churches, my implications of architecture reflect in no way upon the pastoral staff and congregation whatsoever.

Saint Bavo's, Mishawaka, Indiana

Sanctus Bavonis - - - Mishawaka - - - Indiana

Disclaimer

In this documentation of this church I am highly critical of the architectural choices of the parish in the latter part of the 20th century. While I consider the decision to remove beauty a grave wrong, it in no way reflects my opinions on present day pastorate or parishioners of this church.

 

The third and smallest Catholic church in Mishawaka, Saint Bavo's does not fit into the normal immigration categories of Irish, Polish, German, or Italian, as this church is of Flemish origin. In fact, South Bend and Mishawaka had the largest population of Flemish outside of Belgium itself. This is the only church in western hemisphere named to the saint, and one of only a few dedicated to his patronage in the world.

The church is definitely smaller in size compared to the other two churches in the city. It does however hold a localized charm to it as the church is only visible from it's respective neighborhood. The neighborhood as mentioned was mostly Flemish and used to be a very quiet and peaceful one at that. Homes were once left unlocked, businesses were served by the residents in walking distance, (The most popular being a bakery which still operates), and the church sits in the near center of the activity; clear sign of its importance to those who built it. Only recently has the neighborhood begun to take a downward turn with spikes in crime.

To the right of the church is the parochial school, now merged with the other two schools to form Mishawaka Catholic School. This school houses pre K to second grade. Between the school and the church is the rectory and adoration chapel. (Although for some reason the chapel isn't open very often.) The church itself is a gothic revival type structure with two towers on the front, one housing the baptistry and the other housing the bell tower. 

Except for the canopy over the door, the exterior has not changed since its construction in 1906. While most parishes go through several church designs with varying sizes while neighborhoods around it change, this is the same building that stood when it's founders came to worship. The same does not go for the interior as it has been renovated multiple times in the 30's, 50's, 70's, and 90's

The Baptismal font room in the rear of the church is now the sacristy. This is the first sign of the interior renovations that took place in the church. The vesting table in the center is very ornate and likely used to be wider to accommodate more vestments. Quite possibly enough for three priests. (Traditionally parishes used to have three priests as that amount was needed to celebrate a high Mass.)

The style of window is unique as having such neon colors in an old window is quite rare. The Holy Spirit as a dove is a common symbol of baptism, particularly that in the River Jordan. The ornate symbol in the middle of the window contrasts with the simple panes around it, but is classic of late 19th/early 20th century stained glass.

The Stations of the Cross seem to be modern in style, but in fact they are the originals. In the 1930's renovation, different stations were added, likely realistic in color. The original stations were rediscovered in the 70's and refinished and hung. The peeling on the border is likely a sign that the stations could use some tender, loving care again.

The narthex or foyer. The tiles and style of wood on the door is very reminiscent of the renovations of the 1970's. The narthex is however a makeshift cry room for parents with unruly children. A popular addition to churches after the Second Vatican Council, (although the council had nothing to do with their creation,) cry rooms are places, usually soundproof, that provide amenities for parents with fussy children. Thus, the liturgy is not constantly interrupted by crying children. 

As mentioned before, the wood is typical of the seventies. The glass is also likely from the same time and reflected in the glass is the window of the outer doors. That stained glass, the arch of the inner doorway, the archway above the sanctuary in wood and in white make for architectural consistency that makes spaces easier on the eyes. This may seem like such a small factor, but it makes ugly spaces not as ugly and also spaces attempting to be pretty, not as pretty. A drastic example of this is the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles. It was built in the 1990's and was deliberately made asymmetrical at all costs. This makes the space objectively hideous and no color scheme or decorating can change this. The only marring of symmetry is the tabernacle being put off to the side. (Jesus belongs in the center, just like in our lives!)  

The windows are like that in the sacristy/baptistry; simple panes and shapes, and then a detailed symbol of the church in the middle. I'm unsure of the circle objects above the windows, or their purpose as they are neither heating or audio related. The pews were redone in the nineties and are likely a mix of new and old. Original pew ends, but newer interiors as the angle of the seat and padding are more of the modern style.

Wreckovation is unfortunately a word that accurately describes the sanctuary. While from an aesthetic point of view, the sanctuary is not ugly by most terms, from a theological point of view the sanctuary is very disordered. The altar has been made into a square and has been brought forward into the church, the choir and organ has been taken out of the loft and put behind the altar where the tabernacle would normally reside. The tabernacle then has been put off to the side where the side altars used to reside. At the very top of the unnecessary wall is a clue to the former architectural identity of the church: The top of a gothic high altar.

The former side altar of Saint Mary is now where the tabernacle resides. The statues flanking the photos are also an accurate description of the renovation process. To the left is a realistically painted statue of the Sacred Heart while to the right is a metallic monochromatic depiction of Saint Bavo. Both are pleasant on the eyes, but they contrast sharply with each other. Simply put, the renovators of the church are trying to ignore the style in which it was built and make it their own.

The windows are again typical of a church on a budget. The panes surrounding the image are very plain, not that vibrant, and usually of color, albeit multiple shades. This could almost be a Protestant window if it was not for the upper part however with the spires. Protestant windows are very undecorated and simple in style. The scene in the center of the Good Shepard could be from a Protestant denomination,

Saint Bavo in his younger years was a wild, young aristocrat of Brabant. He was a soldier who led an undisciplined and disorderly life but decided to reform after hearing a sermon preached by Saint Amand on the emptiness of material things. On returning to his house he distributed his wealth to the poor, and then received the tonsure from Amand. Bavo built an abbey on his grounds and became a monk. He distributed his belongings to the poor and lived as a recluse. He lived first in a hollow tree and later in a cell in the forest by the Abbey and died there in what is today Belgium. Saint Bavo is venerated by both the Roman and Orthodox church on October 1st. Because he is so often shown with a falcon, he came to be considered the patron saint of falconry. In medieval Ghent, taxes were paid on Bavo's feast day, and it is for this reason he is often shown holding a purse or money bag.

The tabernacle is from the original high altar and the ornate woodwork and crucifix are likely of similar origin. The tabernacle has two little pews for private devotion, but then the majority of pews by it, are oriented toward the altar. This makes for confusing theology and pits the tabernacle and altar against each other unnecessarily.

The baptismal font was the biggest hint to the age of the church. The tiles, very obviously dated to the 1970's, are identical to the Concord Mall of Elkhart, Indiana. The tile unfortunately is not only a dated reminder of its era, but also that this is not meant for sacred use. Granted, they are just tiles, but they are utterly plain and devoid of religion symbolism, as is the rest of the font

The altar and pulpit appear to be the same size making the space quite dated. Altars before the 1960's are wide and generally very solid and rectangular. This was to take into consideration the use of both sides for reading the epistle and the Gospel. After the Second Vatican Council however, the readings were no longer proclaimed from opposite sides. The trend now was made to have square, smaller altars that resemble a table like the last supper. 

The biggest change to the church in it's 1970's renovation was the removal of the tabernacle and altar from the sanctuary and replacing them with the organ and choir area. The organ itself is not digital in sound, those pipes are real, and are also a modern build. This can be seen in the pipes themselves because of the façade. Pipe organs are in and of themselves very ugly instruments, in European cathedrals and churches as well in some North American churches this was solved by using several of the larger pipes and arranging them in artistically styled patterns. This does a twofold purpose of having a beautiful instrument and it disguises the uglier parts of the instrument. This organ does not have a façade of pipes as it became popular in recent decades to not have the pipes hidden and to make them as a sort of modern architectural piece. 

The stained glass in the sanctuary was quite nice. The angel to the left is Saint Michael the Archangel, with the classic symbolism of holding the spear, wearing red, and standing on the serpent. As for the angel on the right, I am unsure. The windows in the sanctuary are more detailed than the other stained glass. This is typical for most churches as the sanctuary is the most intricately detailed area in the church.

The cross and corpus are not from the original church, they are from the 1950's renovation. This renovation was by far the worst. It saw the removal of the high altar and pulpit with sea shell, a real architectural rarity nowadays.

This the the are that was once the Saint Joseph side altar and the sacristy. The wall between the side altar and sacristy has been removed, the altar itself is long gone, and the window has been modified into a multicolored modern window. The two statues of the Blessed Mother and Saint Joseph are most likely from the original side altars. Note the deep blue of Mary's outer garment

Although pretty, the window does not match the style of the other windows of the church whatsoever. The other windows have faded colors around the edge and some scene of Christianity in the center. In this window, there is none of the above, the colors are richer, and it has nothing to define it as Christian.

The ceiling has a very rich wood color to it, that in older days when the pews, organ (in the loft), and floor were wood, it was probably a sight to behold. The pew orientation has also changed since the church's dedication. Originally they were all facing one direction; toward the sanctuary. This obviously was changed when the altar was brought out into the body of the church.

A window of the Nativity. A common scene to be depicted in stained glass, it is reminiscent of the times when stained glass was the primary education tool of the church. The size of the inner scene could be a hint that the window came from another church originally and was resized to fit this church later

Because the choir now sits in the sanctuary, the loft has now become overflow seating. This is an odd arrangement as if seating is an issue, why was the altar brought so far outward displacing half a dozen pews.

The window in the loft, is another classic scene from the Bible, the Agony in the Garden. This scene in the Bible takes place right after the commemoration of the Passover with Jesus and his disciples. Jesus was notorious for bucking traditions of the time but at Passover, Jesus deliberately left out the end of the Passover ceremony. At Passover, four cups are drunk from, each having their own significance, the final cup being the cup of Consummation. However, when it came time for Jesus (and in turn the rest of the disciples) to drink of the cup, Jesus abruptly leaves for the Garden of Gethsemane. While praying there "Jesus says let this cup pass from me" and above, an angel is depicted holding a cup. This is explained and fulfilled at the moment of Jesus' death on the cross as he says at his death, "It is consummated." Thus, the above angel holding the cup is a direct foreshadowing of Jesus' death.

Saint Hedwig's and Saint Patrick's Churches, South Bend, Indiana

Two disclaimers

First: These churches have been combined into one parish by the diocese. Why is this? They are adjacent properties and one church would have plenty of capacity to handle the Catholics in the surrounding neighborhood. Because they are one parish, they get one blog post. 

Second: These photos were taken with my old camera. Some are incredibly blurry, some are edited, and some could not even be included. This is why there are a very limited number of interior photos.

Saint Hedwig is a Polish saint, and this church is the first established of four polish churches in South Bend. It was established in 1877 and the current church was built in 1883. It is a Romanesque style church with several defining features, such as rounded window tops, small thin windows, and thick walls. The first church was a small wooden church that was destroyed in a tornado two years before the construction of the church. The Polish in the neighborhoods of South Bend had their own stores, services, and schools; in fact, Saint Hedwig had it's own Catholic high school built in 1923. It was later renamed South Bend Catholic High School and later after that, Saint Joseph High School which still operates today, albeit several miles away from Saint Hedwig and having gone through three campuses.

The parish was one of the most vibrant parishes in the diocese until the 1950's, as it even held the record, and may still, for the most vocations from a single parish. The neighborhood unfortunately reflects the decay of the latter part of the twentieth century. A quarter mile to the west stands several blocks of what once was a downtown area. The central downtown of the city is east, but the stores to west sit mostly abandoned and falling apart. A particular example is an old fire station a few blocks to the west. Once falling apart, it was purchased and renovations begun. Soon after it was abandoned again and the fresh wood joined the crumbling bricks in its decaying oblivion. The rusting steeple next to the intact steeple portrays the situation of the parish; the decaying trying to be hidden by the used. The church has been trying desperately to stay active and remain open while demolishing that which is doesn't need. The high school, elementary school, convent have all been demolished simply because there is no need. Now the church sits with a decaying steeple, trying not to succumb to the same fate at its schools. 

The church has been renovated three times, Once in the 1960's, once in the 80's, and finally in 1998 it was renovated for the last time. The exterior has been spared, but the interior has fared very poorly and looks little of how it did, back when it was a vibrant beacon of Catholicism. The parish offices are to the left in the old rectory.

This photo was taken from the exact same spot as the above photo. The building in the foreground was Saint Patrick's school and also sits abandoned. Saint Patrick was the Irish church of South Bend. As much discrimination as the Irish faced in their homeland, they learned little and treated those around them in a very similar way. At Saint Columbanus Church in Chicago, the blacks were prevented from owning homes in that neighborhood. The parishioners of that church were mainly responsible for the law, and once it was overturned, they left the neighborhood and the parish behind to avoid any contact with the blacks. In this particular church, a fence was erected between the churches and many poles including children were threatened not to cross past the fence, or else. The fence lasted until the memory of those still living. Even until the merging of the two churches, there was still animosity between parishioners and even clergy. The slow asphyxiation of both churches physically and spiritually emphasizes the point that when Christ's love does not live within us, what is around us meets the same fate. 

The narthex of the church and the baptismal font. The font is very obviously not the original font of the church. and the narthex has been very obviously renovated. What is most frustrating is the archway; it is not rounded. It is only a small detail, but the church is Romanesque and the renovations should follow that trend. It only shows that the powers that be wanted to make the church into the style they had in mind, rather than what was already there. Take the baptismal font for example: the church already had a functioning font, but this was constructed simply because it was new at the time. This may seem harsh, but the interior only points to more evidence of the type of renovation dubbed appropriately as a "wreckovation"

A World War II memorial. This was constructed as a memorial to those who died after the second world war, and highlights the church's final glory days: the fifties. The war had saved a local company, Studebaker, from bankruptcy in the depression as the company produced vehicles for the war effort. The factory was and still sits on a direct rail line between Chicago and New York and at it's peak employed over 25,000 people and had a capacity for 16,000 cars per day. After the war ended and commercial vehicle production began, the company started to slip and production began to slow until December 1963, when several thousand employees, some parishioners of this church, returned from lunch to find each and every one of them were given a pink slip and informed that the company was ceasing production in America. The sprawling campus was abandoned overnight. The effect on the city was devastating and the parish decline mirrored that of the city.

The church's exterior is Romanesque, but the interior is Baroque. An extravagant and majestic style to model a church in, Baroque has been simply defined as extravagant chaos and control. Allow me to explain: everywhere in Baroque churches there is decoration, art, color, or something to catch the eye. This can seem like chaos, but it is always symmetrical, has a purpose, leads the eye to the altar, the center of the church, or all of the above. It's controlled chaos in its design. Saint Hedwig's reflects this having stories of Jesus's life everywhere, on the ceiling and in the stained glass windows. This may seem chaotic, but they organized either by Gospel or chronologically.

Unfortunately I took a blurry photo of the stained glass, and this was all that survived. The stained glass style is very unique and in its style. Normally there is a decorative border that surrounds the entire scene, but these windows allow the scene to take place fully, allowing for many details to be added that are normally excluded or better room for details to be expounded upon. For example when Jesus calms the sea the waves, the apostles, and the stormy sky are easily seen. Because of this unique feature I originally thought that these windows were not German, but three hints point otherwise. The first is the demographics of the church. The German immigrants of South Bend had Saint Joseph church across the river, but on this side they attended nearby Saint Patrick's. It would make sense for the parishioners to obtain the skill and contact of their German counterparts in obtaining the windows. The second hint is Saints Peter and Paul church in Huntington. The stained glass from that church is from Germany, and it employs the same tactic of scene display. The final hint is in the window itself, particularly the upper rounded portion. This photo does not capture it, but they are some of the most intricately detailed windows. To give context for the level of detail is a Saint Paul's in Chicago which has a similar level of detail. That window is below. See the detail on the chalice and the rays coming from it? That can only be high quality German craftsmanship. 

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The choir loft is another example of renovation gone wrong. The painting of Saint Cecelia is nice, but flanking her used to be an organ in the loft. During a renovation it was removed and sold. In addition, the balcony has been extended forward and the glass walls of the narthex were added. Earlier, I mentioned how Baroque styling is almost chaos in its detailing. The balcony and glass are anything but detailed; even the clock has been lazily hung from the very edge of the railing. 

The greatest travesty of the church was the sanctuary, If you are thinking, 'that doesn't really look baroque,' you would be correct. The altar and frustratingly uncentered tabernacle are minimalistic stone. For a moment forgive the artistic nightmare of altar and observe the rest of the sanctuary. There is a gorgeous altar cloth, (That does not fit!) and two very decorated altar candles that do not match in style. The other furniture could be found in a sixties recreation hall and seem to be from that era. Lastly the fan just sitting lazily in a random spot seems to serve no purpose. The crucifix is very nice, but definitely not original. An era appropriate crucifix would be very wide in the wood itself, realistically colored and painted, detailed in the wounds of Christ, and have a pronounced halo. This cross is the exact opposite; not necessarily a bad choice, but definitely modern. It would work very well in a modern church.

The apse featured some amazing paintings on the ceiling and stained glass. leave it to me to botch it up with a blurry photo. The painting is of the Communion of Saints and it's corresponding hierarchy. You have the Father and Son crowning Our Lady and the Holy Spirit in the center above Her. Fun fact, in churches built before Vatican II you can almost always find the Holy Spirit above the altar. Why is this? Because in the Extraordinary Form of the Mass, the Roman Canon, (Eucharistic Prayer I, just in Latin) instructs the priest to look up at the Epiclesis, or the calling down of the Holy Spirit. Priests' still sometimes do this at these words. "On the day before he was to suffer he took bread in his holy and venerable hands, and with eyes raised to heaven to you, O God, his almighty Father, giving you thanks he said the blessing, broke the bread and gave it to his disciples," Emphases added by me. Another level of chaos and control are the Marian paintings. In the paintings of the dome She is being crowned. Then to the left is a depiction of Pentacost, and the right is of the Assumption. It's chaotic with the paintings everywhere, but it's controlled as they are of the same person and chronological.

The original interior. Probably the best example of chaos, the altar is blanketed in flowers, candles, statues, arches, and decoration. However it's all controlled and symmetrical. The same goes for the communion rail, pews, artistic decoration on the walls, and best of all the pulpit. Unfortunately, everything in this photo was either altered or removed in the 1960's. A great artistical loss if you ask me.

Photo credit: South Bend Tribune

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This is Saint Patrick's church, the second oldest parish in the city of South Bend. Founded in 1858 it is one of the oldest institutions of the city. The railroad, the main industrial link and necessary artery for any industrial growth  had arrived only seven years earlier. The first building was a stone structure that could seat 300 and resembled a pagoda. (An odd choice of architecture since the congregation was German and Irish and also had, and never would, see anywhere Oriental.) The next and current church is gothic revival and makes use of a yellow brick and red trim to achieve a striking combination. 

The most notable feature about this church is the marble furnishings, including the altar. Although Saint Hedwig's has been treated poorly with its interior furnishings, Saint Patrick has fared much better. In fact, before the establishment of a Latin Mass parish on this side of the diocese, this church was used for the extraordinary liturgies. The church was also consecrated in 1920, hence the consecration candles lining the walls of the church and seen to the far right. The candles mark the spot where the bishop marked the walls with holy oil. The sanctuary is also marked with imaged of saints in the stained glass, and doctors of the church on the walls.

One unfortunate trademark of modern churches are paint schemes that do not reflect the original styling of the church or clash with the original furnishings, Saint Patrick's was spared this trend. The deep green used matches the stereotype of the Irish and green. Not only that but the gold curling vines on the ceiling, in the apse, by the side shrines, and around the windows. The only difference in the paint scheme would be the beige walls. The church being from the Victorian era would have been on a tight budget. Paint at the time was cheap if it was dark, as lighter colors were rarer and therefore more expensive. Likely the church would have been very dark in it's construction and the beige was likely added in the 2004 renovation. 

Photo credit: Tripadvisor 

One of the highlights of the church was the massive and ornate rose window. When the church was still dimly lit, it was probably such a difference compared to the gritty industrial factories where the immigrant families would work. The inscription in the center is of the person who paid for the window. It's an interesting choice as normally windows have the name of the person who paid for them at the bottom. But since there technically is no bottom of the window, they opted to put it in the center; a smart move.

A lesser quality photo of Saint Patrick and the ubiquitous three leaf clover. Everyone has heard the story of Saint Patrick using the three leaf clover to teach the dogma of the trinity to the pagan Druids. Because of this well known story, the clover is used frequently in Irish Catholic architecture. It can even be seen not only in the hand of the saint, but also in the border surrounding it. Even the shape of the window has three points.

 The baptismal font likely resides under the small tower to the left. Normally Catholic churches of the 20th century or older have three entrance portals. This is based on a passage from revelation about the temple of the Lord having so many entrances. This church however has only a small window underneath the left tower. The room with the font was likely in that spot. For some reason the Irish love to build churches with asymmetrical towers. It's a money saving measure as you only need bells in one tower, and the other as baptismal font tower adds a nice touch.

One interesting feature is the use and purpose of the owl. Churches are notorious for having birds building nests in steeples, windows, nooks, and crannies. For this reason churches used to put statues of owls in place to scare off the birds from settling there. The bricks used on this church are very distinctive and may look familiar. If so, they are known as the brother's bricks and they are used to construct most of the buildings on Notre Dame's campus. During the spring thaw of 1843, the brothers at the school discovered clay on the banks of the Saint Joseph River. Seeing a chance to make some quick money to cover rising costs of the university, the brother's sold the bricks at cheap prices and in bulk. What the brothers didn't know was that the bricks were some of the best quality ever made. "Apart from its distinctive color that expresses the high manganese content in the marl, the brothers’ brick is smooth, soft and so porous that water sprayed on a wall of it will often be absorbed before it can drip to the ground. Bricklaying requires a watered-down mortar so pressure from the load won’t crack straight through the block. Smack two of them together, they thud." The bricks were so popular that buildings, homes, and sidewalks were built with the bricks, and once the homes and factories were torn down, many of them were salvaged and reused by the ever expanding university, even into the 21st century.

Quote Source: https://magazine.nd.edu/stories/what-notre-dame-is-made-of/

The age of the church makes it perfect for the heyday of the "Brother's bricks" in it's construct. It may have been hard to obtain such a large quantity for the church, but the logo on the stone gives a hint. The cross with the anchor is the Holy Cross logo. The church was built by the brothers of the Holy Cross and the school was even staffed by its brothers for many years.

Behind the church was the school which operated until 1974. It originally was an all boys school, much like Notre Dame. The school was rebuilt in 1961 to make an all modern campus. The irony is that it closed less than 15 years later and currently sits rotting and abandoned. In 1950 the school was made coeducational to try and save enrollment losses but with the manufacturing collapse of the rust belt, specifically South Bend very little could be done to save the neighborhood

When the neighborhoods were thriving, they were largely Catholic. In fact, South Bend had the largest population of Flemish outside of Finland. Because of this South Bend is one of the most Catholic cities in the Midwest. Some of the churches have closed but Saint Patrick is in a two mile proximity to the churches of Saint Hedwig, Saint Stephen (Hungarian church, now closed and demolished although the school stands as an independent business with the statue of Saint Stephen still in place.) Sacred Heart, (A Flemish church that still stands as "Carry the Word Church") Saint Augustine's, (The city's first African American church that still operates) and, Saint Stanislaus. (The green steeple to the right. Saint Stanislaus is the FSSP church on this side of the diocese) Saint Adalbert is to the left, between the steeple of Hedwig and the left steeple of Saint Patrick. 

Industrial South Bend is to the left. Between the steeples and on the horizon is a large ethanol plant on the outskirts of town. To the northwest of South Bend is the international airport of the city. Coupled with the regional baseball team and Notre Dame, the city is trying hard to make a comeback. Progress is slow going as the city still has one of the worst reputations in the state, but progress is being made nonetheless. The west side has been made into an ethnic community that is being revitalized and gentrified. The north side with Notre Dame is constantly expanded and once crummy neighborhoods are also being gentrified. The plant and airport continue to provide desperately needed jobs, thus there is a chance that the city may once again thrive and these churches may expand again into the 21st century.