Conquering new spiritual heights, eh?
Getting into the Swing of Lent… literally
Lent is always a really exciting time in the Vatican II religion, at least in the churches of Germany and Austria. You just never know what you’re going to get when you step inside one of those buildings that still use the misleading label “Catholic church”.
Often the surprises and discoveries encountered in such churches are hard to put into words — they’re things one must simply see or hear to believe.
Perhaps the most bizarre spectacle ever to grace a German church was what took place on Mar. 6, 2019, in the Basilica of St. Cunibert in Cologne, currently occupied by “Cardinal” Rainer Woelki. It was a special Ash Wednesday liturgy “for artists”, and it is useless to try to describe it. It needs to be experienced:
Although the brief video clip embedded at the above-linked page is no longer available, the whole ‘Mass’ can still be watched here, which includes the entire sound circus, so you won’t miss a thing.
Today, however, we’d like to focus on something else, namely, an “art” installation that took place three years ago in St. Dionysius’ Church in Rheine, Germany (with a tip of the hat to the Catholic Conclave blog).
For Lent of 2020, pastor ‘Fr.’ Thomas Lemanski had an artist by the name of Mario Haunhorst install two swings inside the nave of the church, not merely to be looked at but also to be used by the people.
The following brief video report showcases how that turned out (it will be worth watching even though it is in German — the body language is priceless):
The video report notes that because the two swings face each other, when people use them, they enter into relationship, into dialogue with each other.
Clearly, the theological significance and spiritual profundity of this installation are simply overwhelming.
In addition to the swings, which are about 52 feet in length each, the installation also included twelve mirrors placed on the ground, reflecting the church’s arched ceiling.
St. Dionysius is, of course, a traditional Catholic church building, constructed in the 15th century. The Modernists want to defile real Catholic churches, after all, not their own, sterile multi-purpose buildings.
Installing swings inside a Catholic church is a telling testimony to the utter banality and stupidity of oh-so enlightened modern man. It shows the utter nuttiness experience-based theology can lead to. Just like swinging high up in the air, “faith, too, means taking a risk”, Mr. Haunhorst explains in the video clip. Using the swings allows one “to let the soul unwind”, we are told by the narrator, drawing on a common German idiom.
By the way: If the artistic swing in St. Dionysius seems familiar to you somehow, it could be that it’s reminding you of the “Pentecost Swing” at Nativity of Mary Church in Aschaffenburg two years ago. Mercifully, that things was at least not actually used by people:
And to think that Catholics pray the Stations of the Cross instead!
Image source: composite of screenshots from YouTube (Kirche-und-Leben)
Licenses: fair use
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