forms of expression and ways of life

• churches are built facing east towards Jerusalem to remember the resurrection of Jesus as the sun rises from the East
• churches are built in a cruciform shape to represent the cross
• churches are build round to represent eternity (church of the holy sepulchre)
• churches are built in octagonal shapes to reflect a star bringing light to the world like Jesus
• churches are built with vaulted ceilings creating an open space pointing up to suggest a connection with heaven
• churches are built with spires to get as high as possible to get closer to God
• churches are built with stained glass windows to tell the bible stories because lots of people used to be illiterate
• 'you learn your faith through the church building, their surmons in stone and that's why they're so important' Duncan Stroik a catholic architect
• the confessional is a small room set aside to stress the important of penance and absolution it is where the sacrament of reconciliation may take place
• the tabernacle is where the consecrated host is kept and catholics genuflect to it as they believe it is where Jesus is really present
• the holy water stoop is for catholics to bless themselves with the sign of the cross when they enter and exit the church reminding them of the trinity and preparing them for mass
• the altar is the focal point of the church and it is where the priest offers mass. it is a symbol of Jesus offering himself as a sacrifice to God on the cross and the last supper
• during mass the priest represents Jesus and takes his role in teaching about the church
• the baptismal font usually at the entrance to the church and contains holy water that is used during baptism it is a reminder of how our sins are forgiven during baptism
• churches always have a crucifix which is a cross with a crucified christ on it as a visual reminder of his suffering and death to free us from sins
• churches have a variety of different statues of saints to help with worship as visual aids
• the lectern is a decorated book stand where the priest stands to give readings and sermons
• the stations of the cross are pictures from the passion of christ which are reminders of Jesus suffering for us
• 'the sacrifice of Jesus offers catholics redemption from sins and reminds them of the possibility of salvation' ccc1186
• 'This is a box, close to the altar where the consecrated host is kept' ccc183
• 'some churches have a baptismal pool for adult baptisms' ccc1185
• 'it represents the table at the last supper' ccc1182
• a sarcophagi is a highly decorated stone tomb like box for popes and saints which reflects the belief that the body will rise again and they give a focus for prayer
• hunger cloths are used in lent and are designed to show how God cared for the poor and were created to use in developing countries where people can't read so have pictures that retell key stories visually telling them God is with them and cares for their struggles
• hunger cloths are used in lent
• sacred vessels are made out of precious metals to reflect the importance of the body and blood of christ which they hold
• Sacred vessels are decorated with appropriate images of Jesus and saints because you can't always see the bread and wine but you can always see the vessels
• sacred vessels are taking sure of to make sure the bread and wine are safe and clean reflecting the believe in transubstantiation
• 'the cross, images of Jesus, Mary, angels and saints are to be exhibited in the holy church of God on sacred vessels' ccc1161
• the sacred vessels are the chalice, the ciborium and the paten
• the chalice holds the wine
• the ciborium holds the host before and after the consecration and when it is held in the tabernacle after mass
• the paten holds the larger host that is held up by the priest during the consecration
• the sacred objects are the sacramentary, the wine cruet, the monstrance, the purificator, the common cups, the thurible and the incense boat and the sacred vessels
• the wine cruet are small vessels with water and wine in them
• the monstrance is used for showing the blessed sacrament during eucharistic adoration
• the thurible and incense boat contain incense which is swung on a chain
• the purificator are special cloths used to clean vessels with
• the common cups are where the wine from the chalice is shared out into for the congregation to drink from
• the sacramentary tells the priest what he has to say and do during mass