At the end of a sunlit hallway:
The interior of the cathedral has a design reflecting 2 theological truths: 1. "the LIGHT of God revealed in salvation history, especially in and through Jesus Christ, \" and 2. "the sense of JOURNEY which describes our evolving relationship with God. We are on the journey, alone and together as the People of God, on pilgrimage, towards redemption in our lives. Therefore, as we walk away from the darkness of evil, we move towards the saving Light of Christ and the fullness of the Kingdom of God in Heaven."
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This is called by some (the mysterious some) in LA, the Taj Mahony.
Love the cathedral! Acoustically outstanding.
Saw (of all things) the Mormon Tabernacle Choir perform there in 1995 at the American Choral Directors Association Convention. 300 singers on metal temporary risers and a full orchestra. Incredible! Also saw the LA Phil and another 5 concerts in Walt Disney Hall - Incredible venues! Great convention!
Very nice!
One of my favorite places to go.
It so illustrates the classic role of a Cathedral to not only be a place to meet but to speak theology out of the very architecture.
It is, I think, the perfect expression of Vatican II, so open and bright, with everyone on the same level, surrounded by men and women throughout history on the walls, and surrounded in the pews by men and women of all ages, races, backgrounds.
I know a lot of people don't like it for various reasons but I think it profound and beautiful. I'm a good Protestant, not given to showy buildings, but for what it is, what it is meant for, I think it amazing.
I met Cardinal Mahony in front after Mass one morning. He was walking and greeting people, they were kissing his ring, which gave me this moment of angst. Do I stay polite or do I hold firm to my religious convictions? I was really split. Then he walked up, held out his hand and said, "welcome to the Cathedral, God bless you." As nice as could be.
I think he saw my Protestant soul.
The pastor of the Cathedral, Monsignor Kevin Kostelnik, leads the early Mass (or used to). He's one of the best pure preachers I've heard.
The alabaster used in the Cathedral is absolutely amazing. So, so beautiful.
Gosh, you know. It reminds me of a post-modern church in Cologne.
Cologne was DESTROYED by bombing, as most people know. Nothing was left in the middle of town except that old Dom. But a few streets away, you find this contempo-modern German Catholic church, all pale wood and Ikea-inspired chrome inside, mimicking just about all modern German interiors from Bundestag to music hall.
Towards one side of the altar, there is a floating angel statue, held up by wires if memory serves, which has a plaque that reads "1939-1945". It's one of the very few public mentions of WWII that I ever found in Germany.
This Cathedral is nearly identical in feel to it, and also in its...well, clean Protestant lines.
Stripped down modern doesn't work in a church -- at least not a Catholic church.
"well, clean Protestant lines."
Vatican II 500 years earlier would have meant no Protestant Reformation.
But I don't think it's quite fair to call it Protestant. It's really profoundly Catholic, just not at all Medieval.
Did you come into contact with a single light skinned, light-haired individual on this whole trip?
You, know there are Caucasians in LA. There really are. I've seen then with mine own eyes. --Their shining light skin, their beautiful light eyes.
They do exist, these light-skinned people, if you know where to look.
Here's a couple of light skinned White people from LA:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uaa01uai4d8
Jesus does my taxes and also cuts my hair.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fG1tNO0_Pk&feature=related
I can't begin to tell you how tiresome this fish eye lense view of the world is, when used on a continual basis. Once in a while for novelty but .....always?
Why constantly distort what is meant to be seen in normality? Novelty isn't always superior. Too much novelty becomes tedious and desensitizing.
Just an observation from a drunken observer.
I hate the "cathedral" and the fisheye lens. You can get a nice wide angle with far less distortion with a 12 mm lens. I would again recommend the Nikon 12-24 mm.
"it is, I think, the perfect expression of Vatican II"
Yes, hence the mediocrity.
"there are Caucasians in LA. ...shining light skin, ...beautiful light eyes"
At last! Maxine's critique of your LA trip make sense (or Maxine-sense, which is to logic what anti-matter is to matter).
You weren't looking for the quality caucasians (like Maxine) but chose to hang out in dangerous proximity to the un-cool non-caucasians. In Maxine's book your probably half a step away from having a fling with a married west african hottentot and/or moving to Kiribati.
This means, of course, that Maxine would be forced to blackball you should you ever try to join a club that Maxine belongs to.
rafael moneo is one of my fave architects
blackball you
Hee.
As per WIKIPEDIA, the final cost of the new cathedral was $189.7 million. It's surrounded by poor, suffering people on all sides. Of course, poor, hungry people can dig in the trash for a half-eaten hotdog, so there is not a problem.
Mind the elbows, Dumpit, it's likely going to be crowded now that you have disclosed your favorite dining location.
Have to agree with the fisheye lens comments. For this set of photos the fisheye was annoying, interfering with the appreciation of the subject.
re: light-skinned people, must have missed all the Rodeo Drive photos.
A cathedral with a parking garage is nothing.
The Taj Mahal is the only tomb with a men's room, according to Roger Price.
In your labels, using Jesus and fisheye at the same time, is just wrong. Fisheye and fine architecture doesn't work. My two cents.
I will make you fisheyes of men.
Well done, RH - just make sure they are wearing shorts.
Ruth Anne, what are you calling anti-Catholic?
The pictures make the cathedral look as if it has all the warmth of a train station -- and not one of the really grand ones, after renovation, etc.
paddy o: I'm a good Protestant, not given to showy buildings...
That's kind of funny. When I was in Munich, our charming Bavarian guide pointed out the beautiful Frauenkirche cathedral, where the current Pope had been Cardinal. It is gorgeous in the way that is expected, I think, of all such medieval cathedrals, of which there are many examples throughout Europe.
Not far away, however, was a thoroughly modern building that was also clearly a church. Our guide told us that it was the Protestant church (of course) and that Bavarians call it "Luther's bathtub" or "Luther's rollercoaster" because of its design. I was amused despite—or because because of—being Lutheran, and also because when you're surrounded by medieval cathedrals, they aren't the buildings that look "showy;" it's the ones whose architecture dates to some time after 1500 that are showy.
Of course, it also occurred to me to give thanks that today, Bavarian Catholics and Bavarian Lutherans good-naturedly tease each other, as opposed to having the 30 Years War and leaving approximately 1/3 of the German population dead.
I've met Roger Mahoney, briefly. He's a very cold individual. Very very tall, but cold and rather empty, and this was before the scandals. He never smiles, and there's absolutely no warmth or charm to him.
--Just like the antiseptic chill of that boxy spiritless "Cathedral" which nobody who's anybody ever goes to.
Among the Catholics in my family, the view is that both Law and Mahony should be serving as parish priests for the poor somewhere, not sojourning in Rome or presiding at a downtown cathedral.
Nothing wrong with the cathedral; but a little lesson in humanity and humility would have gone a long way to helping Catholics forgive the sex scandals.
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