Campanile Church

Modernism in Churches

Architecture embraces a number of different goals, some of which include representing certain ideals, suggesting or representing uses for spaces, and conveying messages, among others. In terms of the Catholic Church, the church building is highly representative as it presents an image which is deeply associated with the religion. The building is more than a space for people to gather, it is a physical manifestation of the institution that is the Catholic Church. For centuries Catholic churches were traditional buildings that were represented through ecclesiastical architecture. Buildings have developed over many different periods adapting from Medieval architecture, to Renaissance architecture, to Revivalist architecture. After the Second Vatican Council, another major shift developed in the architectural style used to represent the Church. This time the shift was towards modern architecture. During the 1960s and 1970s there was an increase in the construction of churches and most of the new churches being built were of modern-styled architecture. The Campanile happens to be one of these new modern churches that was constructed in the 1960s. It was expected that, with the changes and reforms happening as a result of the Second Vatican Council, the architecture of church buildings would also change. As the Catholic Church attempted to adapt to fit in with the modern world, their outward projection had to change and adapt to these new characteristics as well. The most effective method to accomplish this was through architecture. As a relatively new architectural style and a style that matched with the idea of adapting to modern times, modern architecture was well suited to represent and portray the Church.

The decision to incorporate modern architecture into church buildings was not a universally-accepted decision. Some believed that even though the churches may have been strong examples of modern architecture, they were not ideal Catholic churches. The ways in which more traditional church buildings communicated and portrayed the Catholic faith were thought to be restricted by modern architecture. Some members thought the transition into modern architecture was disregarding traditions and leaving major parts of the Catholic faith behind. However, this does not seem to be the case for Campanile. The nuns recall  fondly their time spent at Campanile. They were searching for a more modern establishment and church, and they worked closely with the architect in order to design something that truly fit their needs. The architectural project was clearly successful and was very much appreciated by the Sisters of the Congress of Notre Dame. The community around Campanile seem to agree more with opinions expressing confidence for church buildings representing a new context from which the Catholic Church could be seen. The architecture is a representation of the ideals of the Catholic Church, but the activity and how the space is used, in this case the unchanged traditions of worship of the Catholic faith, is what forms a church.

The Campanile embraced the strong representation of modern architecture in church buildings. The use of bricks and concrete in and around the building and its clean lines show the modern aspects of the church's architecture. In addition, the large overhangs in deep-set windows present an aspect in the building display that was popularized by the modern architectural movement. The church also features a copper roof, which is a characteristic unique to the church; no other buildings within the complex possess this aspect. The art pieces that were selected for inside the building, such as the large sculpture hung from the skylight in the interior of the Chapel, help to reinforce the modern aspects of the architecture. It is very clear with these modern aspects that the Campanile Church is one of the many churches that resulted from the Second Vatican Council. The transition from the outdated buildings the nuns were originally residing in into Campanile shows acceptance of the agenda of the Second Vatican Council and an attempt to adapt the Church to the modern world. While it still appears that the nuns were unable to maintain a complex this size for more than eight years due to a lessening interest in the Catholic school and thus less enrolment in the nunnery, the Campanile still represents a piece of modern architecture that is highly valued by the community.

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