Evaluation  of  the  Sacred  Art  of  St.  William's  Catholic  Church,  Round  Rock,  Texas

    There is a massive amount of art at St. William's Catholic Church in Round Rock, Texas. I was not able to speak with any of the staff there about the history behind the art but all of it is new along with the building. All of the buildings on the campus were finished in time for Advent 2006. I had visited the old sanctuary before they built their new location which was finished on  November  18,  2006,  located on 30 acres of land within three blocks of the original sanctuary. 

    The new home of St. William's has the look and feel of a Spanish Mission that was crossed with a small basilica. It has limestone 'stones' as the facade. The roof (minus the basilica dome) is made of clay roofing tiles. The shape and style of the building overall make one first think 'Spanish Mission' with the two rectangular espadañas with ironwork crosses on the apex of each. The basilica-style dome appears to be covered on the outside with thin sheets of iron with an ironwork cross at the apex as well.

    

The atrium entrance is covered by a small covered walkway. The walkway is held up by four arches. Arches are a reoccurring theme throughout this building. The doors give a feeling of strength as if once you enter into this place you are safe with the simple but masculine details. The doors are made of heavy hardwood with details carved into them with wrought iron handles. 

    Once you get inside the massive front doors you are greeted with the darker, cooler, quiet atrium. The atrium is rather large with attractive tile for flooring. The ceiling is arched with decorative wood 'support' beams crisscrossing it to make perfect squares that have wood circles in the center of them. Directly across from the main doors above the doors to the sanctuary is a large framed painting of Jesus giving the keys of faith / the temple to Peter. Peter and Jesus are in the center of the painting with apostles behind both of them. With people and buildings in the background. Peter is on his knees reaching for the key or for Christ as if he was so moved or shocked he fell to one knee. The painting is very beautifully done in the Italian Renaissance style. The piece helps to remind you that you have stepped into a holy place and should be thinking of the scriptures or of your own relationship with God. 

    Just inside the main doors leading into the sanctuary proper to the right in the corner is a large sculpture of St. Michael the Archangel. The statue of St. Michael depicts him with wings outstretched, in full armor with his shield and sword raised standing on the fallen devil. St. Michael has a fierce expression on his face with the devil under his sandal has a stricken, fearful expression. St. Michael is dressed very similarly to that of a Roman Imperial Solider. The statue is meant to remind us that St. Michael can be called upon to protect us as well as the fact he is one of the warriors of God. 

    On the wall to the right of the St. Michael statue a few feet farther into the sanctuary is the first Stations of the Cross that you see. It is a small sculpted piece that has been attached somehow to the wall depicting Jesus meeting the daughters of Israel as he bears his cross through the streets of Jerusalem. In the background, there are what appear to be two young men dressed as Greeks. In front of them, covering them largely is the afflicted Christ with his cross over his shoulder with a Roman Solider in front of him (to his left) and a Solider behind him (to his right). In the foreground on her knees at Christs feet weeping is a Jewish woman and her child. The Jewish woman is reaching for Christ as if she desires to touch him as he goes by.  As with all images of the Stations of the Cross it reminds you of the hardship, pain, humiliation, loneliness, and turmoil that Christ went through and felt on his way to his death. It is, like all of them a very sombering piece that forces you to reflect on your own life and how you have wronged Christ by sinning.   

    A  few feet (or pews) farther into the sanctuary on the same wall is the first of the many large stained glass pieces. This stunning stained glass is also done in the Italian Renaissance style. It depicts Jesus performing the miracle of turning water into wine at the wedding. The center of the stained glass shows Mary to the left and slightly behind Christ in the traditional blue and white outfit she is often depicted in with a halo. Jesus is slightly in front and to the right of her. Christ is shown with a more golden halo and in red and white as he is also often depicted. He is facing the left of the stained glass where a servant is pouring fluid from one container to another. Behind the servant are wedding guests watching what is going on. To the right of and behind the Holy Mother and Christ is the newlyweds sitting at a table. There is a musician seated on the ground in the foreground in front of the husband in our line of sight. The location where they are celebrating their marriage is depicted behind the action as very grand and wealthy giving the appearance that the newly married couple comes from means. The stained glass is meant to remind us of one of the many miracles Christ performed in his public life. I found the piece to be very beautiful as well as thought-provoking. The next major piece of art in the sanctuary is another large stained glass window. This stained glass was done in the same style as the prior one and depicts Jesus sitting surrounded by children as well as a few of the his disciples and the children's mothers. This a depiction of Jesus welcoming the children after rebuking the disciple that attempted to turn the parents wanting Jesus to bless their children away. It is a reminder to us all that everyone, young, old, all races, all degrees of physical and mental health and so on are welcome in God's house. He will rebuke US if we attempt to turn someone away rather then welcome them.

    The next major artwork is another large stained glass window. This stained glass is done in the same style that is the apparently chosen style for all the art in the space. It tells the story of Jesus as the Good Shepherd. Jesus is shown in the center of the installment with a long shepherd's staff in his right hand holding a baby lamb to his chest with his left arm. The little lamb is looking into Christ's face while Christ is looking out at us. At his feet are two adult sheep, another sheep behind him that we can just barely see, and a fourth sheep slightly in front of the others on the right side in front of two of the apostles. Other than one sheep there is also a young light brown-headed apostle behind Christ. To the left of Christ are two wealthy Jewish men that one perceives to be Pharisees pointing at and presumably talking about Christ. Behind everyone are palm trees and a dark red and brilliant yellow sky. The work is beautifully done and tells it's story well.

    The next  major  piece of  art  as  one  follows  the  art  around  the  walls  from where  we  entered  and  took  a  left  and  have  continued  to  follow  the  walls in a counter  clockwise  manner  is  a  statue  of  a  saint  in  the  corner  beside another  door leading  into  the  sanctuary  from  the  outside.  I  do  not  know  for sure  who  the  saint is  but  I  believe  it  is  Moses.  The  statue  is  on  a  pedestal that  comes  to  about  my waist  and  the  actual  statue  is  approximately  four feet  tall.  The  statue  is  of  a  man with  slightly  gray  hair  that  settles  softly  on his  shoulders  with  a  full  slightly  gray beard.  He  is  wearing  a  long  sleeved yellow-gold  dishdasha  robe  with  a  rope  like belt  double  looped  around  his waist.  He  has  a  purplish-blue  abaya  on  secured with  an  aged  brass  colored medallion  cloak  pin  at  the  neck.  He  has  a  wooden staff  that  is  slightly taller then  his  waist  line  in  his  left  hand  and  his  right  hand appears  to  be  pointing  either  at  his  heart  or  the  medallion  securing  his  cloak. Just  barely above  his  head  is  a  small  orange  colored  flame.  I  interpreted  this statue  to be  Moses  though  he  could  be  another  saint  I  am  not  aware  of.  The Moses statue  made  me  reflect  on  the  Mosaic  stories  in  the  Old  Testament  as  well as  remember  the  plight  of  the  Jewish  people  in  Egypt.

 On  the  North  facing  wall  there  is  a  deeply  recessed  medium  (compared to the  others  in  the  space)  sized  round  stained  glass.  On  either  side  of  the recessed stained  glass  of  the  Eucharist  chalice  are  a  set  of  six  organ  pipes. The  pipes  are set  atop  wooden  shelves  and  are  to  my  best  estimate  three  or four  feet  long.  The stained  glass  between  them  is  a  fraction  of  the  size  of the  large  window  ones  but a  good  bit  bigger  then  the  small  stained  glass pieces  that  are  placed  high  up  on all  the  walls  depicting  various  saints including  Blessed  John  Paul  II,  Mother Teresa,  St.  Nicholas,  and  many others.

    The  next  major  installation  is  below  and  to  the  left  of  the  organ  pipes and oval  stained  glass  on  the  North  wall.  It  is  another  large  stained  glass window  this one  depicting  the  ascension  of  Christ  after  his  resurrection.  In the  center  of  the stained  glass  has  Jesus  wearing  all  white  with  his  right hand  raised  to  heaven and  in  his  left  hand  a  staff  with  a  pennant  attached with  a  version  of  the  cross  of St.  George  on  it.  You  gather  that  Christ  has just  started  his  rise  up  into  the  air since  his  foot  is  just  barely  off  the above-ground  marble  tomb  he  appears  to  have been  standing  on.  To  his right there  is  a  Roman  soldier  that  appears  to  be unconscious  and  an  angel behind said soldier  with  one  hand  outstretched  to Christ  as  he  watches  his progression.  To  the  left  of  Christ  there  are  two  soldiers one  turning  away and  shielding  his  eyes  and  the  other  bowing  on  one  knee  with  a look  of fear  on  his  face.  Directly  in  front  of  Jesus  is  another  soldier  who  also appears  to  be  unconscious.  Behind  Christ  is  the  cave  he  had  been  buried  in a  few trees  and  a  deep  bright  red  sky  directly  behind  him.  Above  Christ  is the  symbolic heave  that  is  in  most  if  not  all  of  these  large  stained  glass pieces. This  piece  is not  only  beautiful  but  also  moving  because  it  reminds us  that  Christ  not  only  died for  us  but  he  rose  again  and  will  return someday. 

    These are just a few of the very impressive art installations at St. William's Catholic Church in Round Rock, Texas. Everything from the building itself to the very floor you walk on is designed to bring your mind, your attention, and your whole being to thinking of who God is, what Christ did for us, who we are, and how we can correct ourselves to be in better alignment with leading a life modeled after Christ himself. The atmosphere that is created by the works, the lighting, and the temperature even of this space helps to calm you down and make you stop and think, stop and give reverence to your God. My companion who came with me to the church for the research for this paper was very moved by all the artwork found there in and I found myself moved by many if not all of the artwork. Though I was raised Protestant I have never found art in any space including a religious space distracting or negative. I have often found the art in various churches I have visited or been a member of to help me focus on the service or sermon going on around me and keep my mind from wondering off to what I need to do when I get home or to my own personal life troubles. I find spaces, especially religious spaces, without art to be cold and impersonal.