The Crypt of Christ the King, La Crosse : Sub Tuum

Br. Stephen took some nice photos of the Crypt Chapel beneath the Christ the King Chapel at the La Crosse diocesan center.  Every first Monday of the month(7 pm) there is adoration for an hour for the intentions of vocations.  Come attend, if you are ever in the area. 

The crypt of the Chapel of Christ the King as seen from its narthex.

New Liturgical Movement has an ongoing series called, “The Other Modern.” By this term, the writers designate those buildings that, while incorporating modern features and style, maintained a sense of continuity with what had gone before. Other friends call this style, “End of the World,” denoting those last churches built before Vatican II that preserved much of the old but looked toward the future with the confidence typical of the period. Last October, the NLM series featured a piece by Matthew Alderman on the Chapel of Christ the King in La Crosse, Edward Schulte’s chapel for the diocesan seminary, using some of my photos. Yesterday, I found myself seeing a new part of Christ the King.

The Chapel of Christ the King.

We have been looking for equipment for the bakery and Steve Petrica mentioned that there was a large mixer in the basement of the former seminary, now the Holy Cross Diocesan Center, that the diocese might be willing to let us have. He also mentioned the chapel crypt, which I hadn’t known was there. On my way back from the Hermitage yesterday, I arranged with Mr. Newman, the Center’s director, to drop by and take a look at the mixer, which turned out to be exactly the kind of 500 pound steel monster we have been looking for. When I mentioned the crypt, he was happy to show it to me. The space was very dark, so the pictures are a bit cloudy, but I think they will give you a good idea of the space.

A small narthex holds four altars resting on four pillars, similar in style to the chapel’s high altar.

A single row of pews fills the space between the columns supporting the chapel above.

The pews were only put in when Fr Sam Martin began adoration in the chapel.  They are not even secured to the floor and slide around easily.

The high altar features a mural of the crowning of the Virgin in heaven, a wonderful example of its period.

Ten identical altars on each side fill the niches of the north and south walls and the space at the head of each aisle, bringing the total number of altars in the crypt to 15.

Seven large altars including the one in the center(I think).  Unless we are counting the credence tables.  I'm probably just confused.

These simple altars with matching crucifixes and candlesticks rest on two large pillars with a third pillar acting as a credence. It is spare, but reverent and retired priests living at the Diocesan Center say their Masses here. The space feels very much alive and used. I also noticed that one of the altars still had its cards.

 

Off the narthex, the crypt has its own sacristy, built to accommodate a large number of priests saying private Masses.

In the hall outside the narthex are these statues of Mary and Joseph, excellent examples of the statuary of the period.

Like the chapel above it and the rest of the Holy Cross Center, the crypt is beautifully maintained. It’s good to see that such a wonderful building is loved and well cared for.

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There is a Sub Tuum post from last August on the Chapel of Christ the King here.

I have a Flickr set of the chapel and crypt here.

And, if you haven't seen the new site, do take a look at Matthew Alderman Studios.

Sub Tuum