Spring 2007
Modern Worship recently had the opportunity to sit down with Joseph Oliveri, chief architect and planner of the new Threshold of Hope Basilica. The Basilica will be built near John Paul the Great University in the Scripps Ranch area of San Diego. The estimated completion date is 2016.
The full interview can be found in the print edition. What follows is a synopsis.
- ed.
First, an obvious question: has Pope Benedict officially granted "basilica" status to St John Paul the Great cathedral?
Weeks before I was even brought onboard the project, our steering committee had already contacted Archbishop [Gabriel] Montalvo, who was papal nuncio to the U.S. at the time, with questions about obtaining this designation; and the Archbishop assured us that we may proceed secure in the knowledge that the "basilica" status would be granted once the cathedral is complete.
The design of this new cathedral is certainly bold -- some have even described it as avant-garde. Was this your goal?
Naturally I did not set out to be provocative in creating a monument to John Paul II. My goal, rather, was to create something worthy of this great pope, perhaps the greatest of all popes; and at the same time, it had to bear favorable comparison to the ecclesiastical architecture of the past, to the cathedrals of Notre Dame and Chartres, and to the 20th century works of Le Corbusier.
In fact, people have told me that this new design surpasses all of its predecessors. Recounting such praise is not really self-congratulatory if we consider that the Holy Spirit was no doubt guiding my thoughts and my hands each step of the way in the creation process.
Please describe some of the building materials. In particular, tell us about the metallic facade.
We're using standard materials for the interior of the structure, including Leier concrete blocks manufactured in Malbork, Poland. The labyrinth in the "All Nations, All Faiths" hall is recycled marble taken from old altar rails; the marble will be pulverized and mixed with gravel from Assisi, forming a wonderfully vibrant symbol of ecumenical spirit. For the great baldachin tent over the altar, we found that a thermoplastic resin offers the best solution both in terms of budget and form. Virtually everything else you'll see inside -- ironbark seating, textiles for the banners and swashes, and so forth -- will be obtained from diocesan vendors.
For the exterior of the cathedral, we've chosen a remarkable sheet metal derived from compacted Soviet-era automobiles. Besides being economical, this choice also reminds the viewer of John Paul the Great's single-handed victory over Communism.
Let's turn for a moment to the Karol Wojtya cultus. As one enters the basilica, one of the first things he will see is a rather unique statue of John Paul II in the "All Nations, All Faiths" hall that depicts the late pontiff clenching a bullet in his teeth. Presumably this a somewhat colorful reference to the assassination attempt on John Paul II's life. Could you elaborate?
Ah yes -- that is a splendid piece. A local artisan was commissioned to create an icon or sculpture that best represents this pivotal event in John Paul's life, and I think she did an outstanding job.
Except he didn't actually catch the bullet in his teeth.
And yet a pious legend has grown up saying he did. The Church does not disapprove of pious legends as long as they draw the faithful closer to God. At any rate, let he who is without a St Christopher medal cast the first stone.
Incidentally, I should point out that this same artist is also responsible for the awesome Fatima sculpture that will be on the roof of the great hall. As sunlight catches the formation at daybreak, you'll be virtually transported back in time to the Fatima grotto, and you'll actually feel an indescribable exhilaration similar to what must have been experienced by little Lucia, Jacinta and Francisco all those years ago. With glorious rays of light glinting off the steel coils, you can experience the Miracle of the Sun more authentically than you could by looking at a mere painting. You can see the children huddled, at first terrified, then beaming joyfully before the Blessed Mother. The whole piece represents quite an artistic accomplishment.
Indeed. Just out of curiosity, what did the Fatima sculpture cost?
The piece was commissioned for $800,000; unfortunately, though, because of an oversight we failed to include the cost of installation, which will bring us about $100,000 over-budget. The extra expense was regrettable, but Bishop [Robert] Brom felt it was absolutely necessary.
If you would, bring us through the worship space and describe some of the things we see.
Well, we've already mentioned the great hall that forms a sort of gathering space between the narthex and the actual worship space around the altar. This hall is meant to anticipate or prepare us for worship. The title "All Nations, All Faiths" was selected as an obvious tribute to the ecumenical outreach that was so important to John Paul II throughout his pontificate. The hall should serve to remind us of our Lord's command to go and be reconciled with our brothers and sisters before we presume to offer ourselves to God.
The careful observer will note the lack of religious imagery in the "All Nations, All Faiths" hall. Of course this is by design. The idea was to have a multi-purpose space that could be used not only for ecumenical gatherings but for temporary booths and shops -- calling to mind the bazaar of ancient times, where diverse peoples from around the known world could mingle in harmony. Here too I envision acrobatic performances, trapeze acts, dances and the like. The possibilities go on and on.
Now, as an Easter people, as pilgrims on a journey, we should expect our churches to have an element of being transitory, of leading us onward. And so, if you follow the path inlaid in the "All Nations, All Faiths" hall and make your pilgrimage through the labyrinth, you will at last emerge into the glorious worship space. Observe how, even here, there is very little in terms of furniture that is actually fixed. Everything can be moved; all is in flux. From the chairs, to the ambo, and even the altar itself along with its canopy -- all of these can be rearranged to accommodate various liturgical events and seasons.
We are proud to note that St John Paul the Great basilica is the first worship space in the world to have a truly handicapped-accessible baptismal pool, as far as I know. The pool is in the form of a Greek cross about twelve feet square, with ramps, handrails, and a wheelchair lift at the North side.
As you look about you, you would notice closed-circuit televisions, a large projection screen, microphones and other audiovisual aids along the walls and suspended from the ceiling here and there. These worship aids will facilitate the people's active participation in the liturgy.
Gaze upward, and you will get a majestic view that soars hundreds of feet up to a grand prism-skylight. There is no bell tower. A bell tower or campanile, while not absolutely proscribed nowadays, is nevertheless a symbol of triumphalism. Such structures are expensive, unnecessary and altogether unsuitable to a modern worship space.
On the North wall is a mural depicting the risen Christ as a symbol of the Paschal mystery. (The crucifix, or cross with a corpus, was a Medieval development that would have offended the Early Christians, and therefore we had decided early-on that it would not be part of the basilica's design.) As you get closer, you'll notice that the mural is made up of tens of thousands of tiny portraits of joyful children -- both reminding us of our Lord's admonition to let the little children come unto him, as well as reminding us of World Youth Day, established and so dearly cherished by John Paul the Great.
Stations for reflection or meditation -- formerly called Stations of the Cross -- are discreetly placed along the walls. Our stations were designed by no less than Zbigniew Warpechowski, the renowned disciple of the post-modern "Krakow Group" school. Particular care was taken that the stations do not distract the assembly from the sacred action of eucharist. (I note parenthetically that, while a few reactionary commentators have objected to Warpechowski's interpretation of the Way of the Cross, we must remember that more traditional, realistic depictions of Jesus' suffering may offend other Christians and will usually frighten children.)
A visitor to the basilica will not find any statues here. Although it is customary in some places to have statues in the narthex -- never in the worship space proper -- of Jesus, Mary, or Joseph, or of the parish's patron saint, we had decided from the beginning not to follow that less-informed custom, opting instead for ancient Christian iconography reinterpreted in multi-media splashes of vivid color and geometric forms that will engage the modern viewer. Historically, statues often created confusion among the Christian people and fostered devotion of doubtful orthodoxy. Statues also have pagan connotations that many Christians find troubling. Accordingly, statuary was never included in my design.
A tabernacle for the reservation of the consecrated bread is located in a small chapel set apart from the main worship space. Kneelers may be brought over from the parish center for use in the chapel; however, my predominant concern was that the People of God should always be reminded that the consecrated bread is only reserved so that it may be brought to the sick and homebound. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament (or Eucharistic Adoration) was unknown in the Early Church, and unfortunately it gave rise to much superstition even among the clergy.
To the greatest extent possible, St John Paul the Great basilica will be flooded with natural light at all hours of the day by means of clear glass. Skylights, prisms, and reflective surfaces are to be preferred over candles and fluorescent lighting, and therefore I only included fluorescent lighting at the minimum intervals required by the building code. This striking feature is sure to have a positive impact upon the basilica visitor, drawing him closer to creation, to the natural world where John Paul II himself spent so much of his time walking and meditating.
When a visitor leaves St John Paul the Great basilica, what experiences or impressions should remain with them?
First and foremost, I would hope that they recognize the basilica is a place where the People of God gather to be Church in a truly authentic and meaningful way. I hope that they see the value in humankind's God-given diversity, no matter how we express our personal faith. And lastly, I hope that they can grasp the significance of St John Paul the Great, a prophet for our times whose spirit is destined to guide the Church for centuries to come.
Joseph Oliveri, Ph. D. is the author of Visioning the Journey: Liturgy as Pilgrimage (Paulist Press, 2001; now out of print). In 2003 he received the prestigious Ignatius Bonomi Laurel for outstanding accomplishment in the field of architecture.
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