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Cardinal Schonborn permits burial of Stalinist artist... before he headed off to Medjugorje.
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This Sunday an Austrian state-artist, Stalinist, blasphemer and pornographer Alfred Hrdlicka was buried in Vienna.The media hungry Viennese Cathedral Priest Anton Faber provided a Catholic burial for the blasphemous artist.What followed was a cabaret act where many of Vienna's leftist politicians came to mourn in the presence of unappealing bronze statues where Father Faber in his solemn black cope read the blessing for the unrepentant Communist and blessed him with holy water as his red lacquered casket was lowered into the ground with a hammer and chisel atop it in place of the traditional crucifix; meanwhile a gypsy choir sang Communist songs predicting the victory of the Red Revolution, which had cost the lives of so many Christians.It should go without saying that canon law forbids the burial of non-Catholics (Hrdlika was Old Catholic) and unrepentant sinners.The following video shows some of his hideous "artworks" which adorn the Barbara Chapel in the St. Stephens Cathedral in which his funeral service was held, where Fr. Faber announced that "we are hopeful of his eternal life"... - Go here to read more and view the video.
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Art: Blessed Mary Restituta Kafka, Martyr - by Alfred Hrdlcka - Read more.
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Did you notice that Weakland was concelebrating at the installation mass in Milwaukee the other day?
ReplyDeleteThere's lots of work to be done.
Pray for our priests and for our Church.
Sad.
ReplyDeleteRed lacquered coffin.
Cardinal Schonborn approved of it? Hmmm....Maybe there *is* something to all that "Medj is a political conspiracy" stuff that Rick Salbato goes on about?
ReplyDeletecheck it out:
http://tiny.cc/AK6u1
I saw this sculpture once.
ReplyDeleteIt gives me the creeps. Obviously, the artist was "projecting" his own disbelief/apostasy/despair onto the Saint, who, although may have died a horrible death, died a death "in Christo"...the reality of universal (and Divine) Truth, Beauty, Goodness and Unity, must somehow be reflected in Christian art, no matter how grisly or awful the depiction.
May he, and all the souls of the faithful departed, rest in peace. Amen.
Gette - I never heard of that one - I read it though.
ReplyDeleteWhat is " Old Catholic " ?
ReplyDeleteFather - I suppose I can understand how someone could make such a monstrosity, but I cannot understand how a Roman Catholic Cardinal could permit it to deface a historic Cathedral or any place of Catholic worship for that matter.
ReplyDeleteMaria - Old Catholic refers to the the schismatics/heretics who rejected Vatican Council I and especially the declaration of Papal Infallibility. They formed sometime in the 1870's I think. Since then the sect has degenerated even further and permits ordination of women, acceptance of homosexuality, married clergy, etc.
ReplyDeleteI believe some groups are united to Anglicanism - not sure how. In this country - at least locally, they tend to be very liberal and approve of all sorts of things contrary to Church teaching - esp. same sex marriage.
Terry wrote: " I suppose I can understand how someone could make such a monstrosity, but I cannot understand how a Roman Catholic Cardinal could permit it to deface a historic Cathedral or any place of Catholic worship for that matter."
ReplyDeleteTwo words - Los Angeles
Terry: I agree. Wholeheartedly.
ReplyDeleteI pray Card. Schoenborn is not being lead astray by the "spirit of this age".
He's written beautiful and sound books on iconography and the Faith.
What is happening here?
Ray from MN: If it's any consolation, I spoke with a priest from our diocese (La Crosse) who was there at the installation.
ReplyDeleteArch. Weakland was not, at all, the center of attention nor even alluded to (hardly)...interesting, no?
I think sneer quotes are appropriate around the words "artist" and "art".
ReplyDeleteTerry, have you ever read "Twilight of Painting" by R.H.Ives Gammell? Must-reading for any serious artist or lover of art. Sooner or later, the battle for a culture of life is going to have to consider Beauty, and when that battle is engaged, pseudo-artist crazies like this guy and his ugliness will hopefully be tossed out on their elitist behinds(philosophically speaking, of course, but I wouldn't mind a literal tossing out of this sort of garbage).
Thank you,Terry. I love your blog becasue I am always learning. Much appreciated. Cardinal Schonborn is so orthodox. I do know that he is very orthodox so all of this is very confusing.
ReplyDeleteI had never heard of this artist before. After reading the links I see that he had some serious problems. However, looking at the sculpture pictured here, without knowing anything else, I probably would have placed it in the same category as some of the very graphic crucifixes I have seen; an attempt to depict a disturbing image of the reality of the martyr's sacrifice.
ReplyDeleteThat is good, Father N.
ReplyDeleteHe still is a priest and was the ordinary. But in light of his recent book defending his life . . . .
Dear Terry: I have a question. HOW do you KNOW all this stuff?
ReplyDeleteMelody K: I am no expert here.
ReplyDeleteBut what I would comment upon is that in graphic depictions of our Lord's Crucifixion, the singular nature of His Sacrifice, in all its horror and gruesomeness is one thing; all the martyrs and saints are dying "in this Sacrifice" which includes His Resurrection and Glorification, although not visible to the naked eye. Somehow, the Catholic artist must signify this in some way (Terry, am I right about this?)
In the iconographic tradition, the glory of the Lord must always be present in His saints (no bloody, gruesome or graphic depictions)...in fact, many of the martyrs simply hold a cross to signify their martyrdom.
That's why a horrible grimace from this Saint, placed in a Cathedral for the veneration of the faithful, does not signify the Catholic faith.
Maria - I'm older than I look.
ReplyDeleteFather - I agree. Melody there is a huge difference between the two - Hrdlcka's image is filled with horror and is completely devoid of charity and love.
The Christos of Spanish devotion exudes love and compassion, meekness and humility, and above all mercy - even in its most primitive form.
On the other hand the image of Bl. Mary Restituta screams hatred, violence, rebellion, oppression, emanating from a bronze being without peace - it images the damned and cannot be confused with the beatified.
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In my opinion Hrdlcka depicted the saint as one damned to mock the saved and beatified, and by inscribing the names of communists upon the sculpted breast, he attempts to blame the Church for the Nazi oppression, as well as the demise of communism.
Father and Terry, thanks for the clarification. That would make sense, that it should show love and compassion. This work is not my type of art, especially when one learns the particulars of the artist's intentions.
ReplyDeleteI forgot to respond but I meant to say I actually like the Cathedral in Los Angeles. I love the tapestries.
ReplyDelete