Catholic Architecture and Vatican II

Vatican II did not rejected traditionally designed churches or solely endorsed a contemporary trend. The Council never said that any church had to remove or could not be built and remodeled with high altars, statues, shrines, tabernacles located in the central nave, communion rails, great works of art, beautiful confessionals, pews, and kneelers. Some individuals within the Church misrepresented what the Council stated or used non binding documents such as, "Environment and Art in Catholic Worship," to justify their agenda against traditional architecture and art.

"Ordinaries must be very careful to see that sacred furnishings and works of value are not disposed of or dispersed; for they are the ornaments of the house of God." Sacrosanctum Concilium 126

"The church has not adopted any particular style of art as her own. She has admitted styles from every period, in keeping with the natural characteristics and conditions of peoples and the needs of the various rites. Thus in the course of the centuries she has brought into existence a treasury of art which must be preserved with every care. The art of our own times from every race and country shall also be given free scope in the Church, provided it bring to the task the reverence and honor due to the sacred buildings and rites. Thus it is enabled to join its voice to that wonderful chorus of praise in honor of the Catholic faith sung by great men in past ages." Sacrosanctum Concilium 123