I’m Churching Here
I went to a church service in New York while I was away. I don’t have much against church, but I never used to go. When I got married, I thought that the next time Wife and I went into a church together, at least one of us would be dead.
But it was actually good. We were there for a concert given by some friends of Wife on tour from the UK. It was a part of the regular Catholic service and it was beautiful.
The boys’ voices drifted in, clumb up the stone just like thousands before for hundreds of years and faded away, bathing us in a molasses silence.
We had got all dressed up (dressed up for me involves casual pressed shirt, cotton trousers and herringbone jacket - think a young David Niven) and a few people came up to say hello because we are English and they thought we had come special.
If you’ve got something against church, you’re either paying them too much attention or you work in real estate. Church doesn’t really harm anyone, it doesn’t have that much sway over our daily lives and it brings more people hope than the harm it brings to those who hold a grudge over some bygone foible.
Have a great weekend. I’m not saying there won’t be more posts tomorrow and Sunday, but in case I don’t hear from you.
Tomorrow: Are you talking to me?
April 20th, 2007 at 3:39 pm
I like churches. I’m Jewish, but sacred space is sacred space, innit?
April 20th, 2007 at 4:13 pm
Amen to that, Katy.
April 21st, 2007 at 5:56 am
Churches are cool places, but I’m sure when they started building them, people knew that at some point they’d need a good angle to try and attract non-believers in. You’ve described it down to a tee. We get suckered in by the atmosphere, sound of voices reverberating around the space and, suddenly, we think: “Wow, what’s wrong with church?” I rest my case…
April 21st, 2007 at 8:25 am
Cheers Rob - especially this one. 200 yards from Times Square, and you’d feel like you were in the middle of nothing. Or everything, depending on your position.
April 21st, 2007 at 10:38 am
See, you’d think reading about your holiday would make me want to visit New York - and of course it does. But what I REALLY want to do it return to Rome now. So many beautiful cathedrals, so little time. I’d love to know how the atomosphere’s achieved, even when they’re empty. Maybe it’s the chill, and the echo of your own footsteps.