The following comes from a Jan. 14 release issued by Thomas Aquinas College.
In the final days of Christmas vacation, just before students began to return to campus, Thomas Aquinas College served as the filming location for a forthcoming video series, The Bible and the Virgin Mary. A production of Dr. Scott Hahn’s St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology, this 12-part catechesis will include discussions of the Scriptural roots of the Church’s teachings about Our Lady, an examination of the 10 Vatican-approved Marian apparitions, and stunning videography — shot almost entirely in and around Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity Chapel.
“Aesthetically, the Chapel was the most perfect place for our discussions of the Virgin Mary,” says Linda Kane Hitchcock, art director for the project and chief creative officer of Skyrocket Pictures. “The cleanness of the environment allows the viewer to focus on what is being said, while still understanding that we’re in this beautiful, majestic space.”
Matthew Leonard speaks in front of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity Chapel.
The Bible and the Virgin Mary is one of six parts of the St. Paul Center’s acclaimed Journey through Scripture study series, and it is based on Dr. Hahn’s 2006 book, Hail, Holy Queen: The Mother of God in the Word of God. Collaborating on the project are Ms. Kane Hitchcock’s Skyrocket Pictures and Falling Upwards Productions, whose president, Lannette Turicchi, is the wife of R. Scott Turicchi, chairman of the Thomas Aquinas College Board of Governors. The St. Paul Center’s executive director, Matthew Leonard, is the presenter for the series, delivering nearly six hours of Biblical catechesis.
“The Journey Through Scripture series is designed to help ordinary Catholics who want to gain greater insight into God’s word and deepen other aspects of their faith,” says Mr. Leonard. “This part takes all of the references to Mary that we find in Sacred Scripture, of which there are only 15, and unpacks them. Although some of the Marian doctrines and dogma are not explicit in Sacred Scripture, she is still woven into the fabric of the text, and we can pull that out and find where the teachings of the Church come from….”
Could not have chosen a better location. Really folks, this college is a gem! Looking forward to watching this new scripture series.
God bless Dr. Scott Haun and his family. He does a beautiful intelligent way of explaining our faith. Such a holy witness. Glad that he uses his gifts wisely.
This church, a striking piece of Catholic architecture, many know was designed to frame the traditional liturgy, with the architect focusing on the late Dr. Thomas Dillon’s 4 marks of a Catholic church: beauty, transcendence, permanence and tradition. It is a balanced piece of Romanesque and Mission Revival architecture, with other elements included, seen in the barrel-vaulted nave, focused on the central Bernini-like baldachino.
Now, if you are a good European cardinal, you might prefer this breathtaking ugly-as-sin Brave New World Church, Wortruba Catholic Church, outside Vienna:
https://shop.sophiainstitute.com/client/email_ads/email_images/cinderblock.gif
Or here is another one from Austria:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/25/St_Franziskus_Wels.JPG
And then there is always what has happened at Fatima lately:
https://www.fatima2017.org/pic/42324_nova_basilica_4c7d438d6eac4.jpg
Now the Novus Ordo communal social celebration will fit well with the latter 3, or many of the parish churches found in Phoenix built from 1978-2003, or those you can think of near you.
However, only the TLM, which is the true patrimony of the Catholic Church “works” in the STA campus chapel.
Now, I know a gaggle of Anonymous Novus Oregon Ducks will come quacking in to confuse facts, deny reality, engage in serial self-contradiction: it is their self-ordained vocation to “stand up” for the “fabricated” Nervous Ordo liturgy, no matter how mind-numbingly ignorant of facts and logic that they are. (BTW, it was Ratzinger who called the N.O. liturgy “fabricated” in his 1980’s review of Klaus Gamber’s book, The Reform of the Liturgy, so blame him.)
But above the din of their quacking, don’t forget to just look at the facts. Your heart will tell you the truth. “Tolle, lege”.
The chapel is great, but not without its flaws. Like, for example, that the sightline to the pulpit is blocked by columns from 20% of the pews, or that celebrants must rotate in order to pass between the altar and the too-close columns of the baldachino.
Last time I was there, the sound system sounded like it was hooked to the speakers from my dorm room – after I had put my foot through them imitating a Rory Gallagher high kick. I hope they’ve been replaced, or better yet, the entire amplified sound system abandoned.
Eternal rest grant unto Rory Gallagher, O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon him, May he rest in peace.
To see a short video by Dr. Scott Hahn about the importance of the “Catechism of the Catholic Church, second edition” go to:
“What Catholics REALLY Believe SOURCE”
https://whatcatholicsreallybelieve.com/
Pass the link to others.
God bless you DAVID V. Thanks for the link.