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Sunday, July 22, 2007

Preserving the past...

Have you ever wondered what happened to the lovely high altar in your old parish church? Or perhaps the statuary has been replaced by something a bit more modern and "up to date"...where are the old statues? Do you remember the old school and the convent beside it? After they were torn down, what became of all the furnishings and religious art?

It is quite possible, many of these items have found a home in the Jubilee Museum at Holy Family Church.

In an effort to preserve the rich heritage of tradition and beauty that is the Holy Roman Catholic Church, Fr. Kevin Lutz established the Jubilee Museum in Columbus, Ohio. Here is a brief statement taken from the above website:

“The Jubilee Museum at Holy Family was established in 1998 by Fr. Kevin Lutz, current pastor at Holy Family Church. Housed in the former Holy Family High School, its rooms contain many fine examples of Catholic religious artifacts, which include paintings, statues, vestments, altars, as well as items found in the home for personal devotion.
The inventory was acquired from churches and schools that have closed or from private individuals. For his efforts in preserving Catholic Church art and traditions, Fr. Lutz was recognized by Pope John Paul II, and appointed to the Pontifical Commission for the Cultural Heritage of the Catholic Church in May of 2000.
Some of the money generated by the museum helps to support the works of charity in the parish. “

A seminarian from the Diocese of Columbus who has been working closely with Fr. Lutz, has produced a slideshow that provides an excellent example of just how much we have lost, in the destruction of historic churches, chapels, schools, orphanages and convents:


If you happen to be in Columbus, call Father and set up an appointment to tour the Jubilee Museum. It is a lovely reminder of what once was and what can yet be...thank you Father, for preserving the past!

2 comments:

Barbara said...

Kimberly, My family lives in central Ohio and we recently visited the Jubilee Museum. Some intriguing material!

Anonymous said...

Oh, so heartbreaking! There was a beautiful neo-Gothic style Catholic church back in my hometown, built on the nickel-and-dime contributions of French Canadian immigrants. The FSSP offered to buy the church from the diocese. The diocese refused their offer and sold it to the city for a dollar. The city turned it into a "Franco-American Heritage Museum." I fear the other old churches in the area will not fare as well when they are closed down.