28 December 2010

What in heaven or on earth is this?

It's on earth actually. This is a brand new item of ecclesiastical art.
Its has been designed for a Catholic Church of the Roman Rite, where it now is.


What is it?

Answers in a comment please.

Genuine guesses only please. 
Those who already know what this is are asked not to spoil the competiton.
The Pimpernel will reveal its origin in a day or so.

19 comments:

  1. It's a monstrance.

    Fr. Richard

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  2. Wow man, a geodesic monstrance!Scary....

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  3. Sorry folks, this is not a monstrance. Try again.

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  4. A paten composed of Waterford crystal.

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  5. A Nativity crèche?

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  6. Oh please, Dear God, don't tell me that it's a newly-designed Sanctuary and Altar...if it is, I may just weep (along with the Saints and Angels!).

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  7. Are we viewing this from an unusual angle?

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  8. It looks like a nativity or it could be a tabernacle surrounded by the manger.

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  9. Obviously, it is the concretion of peace on earth and joy to men. Any other interpretation is impossible!

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  10. This is a "luminous mystery" for sure.

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  11. It is a novus ordo prayer wheel archbishop Dolan is having installed in St. Patrick's cathedral.

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  12. Okay: Think, think, think like a Novus Ordo-er. I think it is a "reconciliation room" or whatever they call it.

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  13. My guess is that it supposed to be a crib or Nativity scene.

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  14. PRESS RELEASE:

    Inspired by - and paying homage to - three of the greatest cultural icons in post-Vatican II history, the doughnut, the bagel and The Simpsons, the Bishops of Schwingland and Wails have released artist impressions of a new sanctuary for its new "Mother-Father aka Mother-Mother aka Father-Father aka Lawful Guardian-u-Choose" Cathedral Church to be erected at an as yet undisclosed location.

    Explaining the thinking behind the stunning architecture, a bishops' spokesman, said: "It's designed to initiate and inspire multi-layered contemplation. If you think of the doughnut - and, hey, can you eat the holes? - with all its obvious connections to the Eucharist and how, given impetus since Vatican II, this bread of everyday streetlife has in turn inspired the rise of the bagel-era, you can see how the Church keeps moving forward to reflect how society itself progresses. One influences the other. For example, if Jesus were here in the 70s then he would have used doughnuts at the Last Supper, no doubt. By the 90s, though, he undoubtedly would have broken a bagel with the Apostles. The architecture reflects this simple but, you know, in a funny way, really quite profound truth in quite stunning form and function.

    "Moreover, the use of the doughnut-bagel device also has obvious connections to Thomist teaching - one immediately thinks of the accidents and substances of bagels and doughnuts and indeed the deep mystery of the hole. If Aquinas were around today we'd get whole new additions to the Summa! So, the sanctuary and altar are to get Catholics thinking "outside the hole" so to speak, or at least around it, or even in it. In fact think what you like, where you like and how you like basically - that's the whole, or should I say "hole", or should I say "wholly, holey and holy", hahahaha key to Catholicism. Finally, as we have recently heard from Rome, Homer Simpson, the King of the Doughnuts is himself a Catholic so obviously that's another level of deep reflection for those who will pray before this altar to consider."

    For those wishing to discover more about the Catholic faith and in particular the Thomistic mysteries of Eucharistic dougnuts-n-bagels and the saintly example of Homer Simpson click below:

    http://www.nytimes.com/1994/06/12/magazine/on-language-keep-your-eye-upon-the-bagel.html?src=pm

    http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE69H54K20101018

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  15. Well, I thought of a donut, then a mobius strip, but now upon pious reflection I think it is a tabernacle. I hope I am wrong.

    Jim of Olym

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