Arrowtown’s controversial Olive Leaf design for its Catholic Parish Centre is now no more than an idea that stirred significant interest and controversy. For eight years the Olive Leaf Centre Trust has tried to gain resource consent for the design but to no avail, says Trust chairman Colin Bellett. The plan to build the Centre Read more
Liturgical elements – aesthetic and artistic features surrounding the liturgy must foster prayer and a sense of communion, says Pope Francis. In a written message, he says: “The space, light, acoustics, colours, images, symbols (and) liturgical furnishings constitute fundamental elements of that reality, that event, human and divine at the same time, which is precisely Read more
After it was completed in 1989, the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace in the West African country of Ivory Coast pushed St Peter’s Basilica in Rome’s Vatican City into second place. The Basilica of Our Lady of Peace has an internal space of 30,000 square metres, almost twice the size of St Peter’s, and Read more
Nearly 60% of submissions on a proposal to build a contemporary building next to Arrowtown’s St Patrick’s Catholic Church favour the project. By last Friday’s deadline, the Queenstown Lakes District Council received 362 submissions on the resource consent application for the Olive Leaf Centre project. Of those, 214 were in support, one indicated qualified support Read more
After nearly three years of design, planning and consultation, an application has been lodged with the Queenstown Lakes District Council for consent to build a parish and community centre on land adjacent to the historic St Patrick’s Catholic Church in Arrowtown. Already the project has created considerable national and international interest and offers of support. Read more
St Mary’s Catholic Church in the Christchurch East parish has been awarded a Green Star by the New Zealand Green Building Council. It received a “four-star” award which represents “New Zealand Best Practice”. Foley Group Architecture building architect and parishioner Paul Foley said the quest for green star rating had been driven by the Catholic Diocese. Read more
A number of unused churches in New Zealand are on the market and many will be transformed into homes. Buyers are attracted by the big spaces and the unique architectural features of the buildings. In many cases, the former churches are protected by their heritage status which means they cannot be demolished or significantly altered. Here are Read more
A shoe-shaped church is expected to open next month soon in Taiwan. The church, which is about 17-metres tall and 11-metres wide, took three months to build. The glitzy modern sculpture, made from blue glass and steel, cost around €630,000. Have a look
When it comes to being in God’s presence, we Catholics like to make everything awesome and meaningful, even our pews. It wasn’t until the sermon came to be the central act of worship (thanks to the protestant revolution), that pews began to appear. Here’s a breakdown of how we came to pop a celestial squat: Read more
The Futuna Chapel in Wellington features on the cover of a new book about New Zealand churches. In the book architect John Scott’s work is described as “not just the best church in New Zealand, but the best building.” Worship features photographs by acclaimed photographer Jane Ussher which are accompanied by stories on each by Read more