Saint Dominic Parish

Field Experience Essay

By Jeniffer Sams-Harrison
December 2, 2009
 Jeniffer Harrison
World Religions
Final Project – December 3, 2009

Reflections of Visiting a Religion Differing From Mine

I visited Saint Dominic Parish located at 630 E Street S.W. Washington, D.C.
20024 on Saturday October 17, 2009. I went to the church during the middle of the day
around two p.m. so that I could observe the art, architecture, and people without the
crowd or risk of disturbing a mass. Additionally, in all of my course classes which
concentrate on art history I have read and heard repeatedly that the Catholic Churches
were designed in such a way that just by being in the building, looking at the artwork,
and the stained glass a person can understand the rituals, religion, and atmosphere. On
my way into the door of the church a middle-aged man stopped me and asked me if I was
a member at the church. I was worried because I was not sure I would be allowed to go
inside. I said no and he then introduced himself and said he has been going to this church
as long as he could remember. He informed me that at the front left of the pews is a
plaque dedicated to Lyndon B Johnson who used to come to mass or pray with the priest
at all hours of day and night.

After entering the portal there is a rectangular room with double doors leading to
the Nave. The Nave has an arcade on either side with pews both on the inside of the nave

and on the other side of the arcade. I was very respectful as there
were several people sitting in the pews or kneeling at the pews who were there praying,
lighting a candle, or off on one of the side chapels. I sat down in the back pew after
taking a walk to view the church and “people watched”. I was surprised at how many
people come into that church at various times of the day for various reasons. There was a
diverse group of worshipers when I visited; however, there seemed to be more elderly
people than the younger generation. Some people seemed sad, some remorseful, some
simply seemed to be visiting just to worship but all the people who entered the church
were reverent. One thing that I noticed which I do not understand was about the coin slot
looking box by the chapels. I have attempted to find the answer, to no avail. Also while
I was watching an elderly woman came in kneeled at the back pew and did the cross with
her hand got up and sat in the pew, another man entered the confessional, which was at
the back of the church. After he was done, the priest came out and went to the front of
the church to greet the people there. He did not approach me possibly because I was
writing. He did appear to be praying with them. I truly felt like an intruder into this
world because the artwork, architecture, open-door policy, ritualistic settings and items in
the church, chapels, etc. I have never seen anything like this church except in books while
studying art history. It is a bit overwhelming at first.
Architecturally speaking Saint Dominic Parish is a neo-Gothic structure both on
the outside and inside. The Neo-Gothic architectural style was introduced to the
Americas by England when there was a renewal of the Anglo-Catholic self-belief, which
believed in nonconformist worship. The church has two very high primary steeples,
which is indicative of Gothic architecture because the Lancet arches

allowed the buildings to be built higher as the arch could

withstand significantly more weight than a typical support. On the exterior and visible
form the interior is a large circular window similar to a “Rose Window”; however, the
design is not consistent with the typical Rose Window, but the location and circular shape
is consistent. The round window on this parish is a six-point star radiating from the circle
in the center of the window. The nave of the church is constructed with a ribbed barrel
vault allowing weight to be increased for construction purposes and for esthetic purposes.
There are several radiating chapels arranged around the ambulatory of the nave. Gothic
vaulted windows here are designed to let in light thru the 24 stained glass windows,
which portray pivotal moments in Saint Dominic’s life. The apse of the church was
extremely ornate almost similar to what would have been found during the Baroque or
Rococo Movements rather than the Neo-Gothic Era. There were candles with some lit,
some not lit; golden cups and trays; and elaborate decoration from ceiling to floor. This
church is beautiful.

After visiting this Catholic Church I was intrigued by the open door policy. I
have only had experience with a Protestants church as a young child; however I do
remember that for the majority when there was not a service the church was closed. The
availability of the confessional, the candles to light, or just kneeling to pray are
remarkable. I noticed the people making the sign of the cross upon entering past the last
pew and upon standing up to leave. In my extensive studies of art history especially in
the Renaissance and Baroque periods, the Catholic Church utilized art and architecture to
portray how the worshiper should conduct their self in and out of church. This was done
primarily because during those times the majority of the people could not read and relied
on what the priests told them, the images they saw, and the rituals which were performed.
There was not always a right to be any religion other than the officially mandated
religion. Catholicism fell into that category prior to the Reformation, Counter
Reformation, and the Counsel of Trent. By the time that Protestants had churches, many
of the people were Catholic and stayed with the Catholic Church. I would say that it is
likely that many people stay with the Catholic Church for one or more reasons such as:
They are children of Catholic parents and by default that is how they were raised and they
do not question the validity of religion or they did and decided to stay within that
religion, the open-door policy does not put people in a “box” time wise which is very
important in our day, the ritualistic nature of the Catholic Church is primarily the same as
it was hundreds of years ago and people know what to expect. Even though the physical
building and the interior are steeped in rituals and context the Catholic Church has begun
to move into the 21st century. I would enjoy visiting another Catholic Church as I find
the art and architecture fascinating. Before this project there was no way I would have
gone into a Catholic Church because I did not know what to expect and I was too nervous
about intruding. Although I do not agree with the majority of the dogma associated with
any religion, I should mention that the experience of that massive, decorated, ornate
church created an atmosphere of reverence and I enjoyed the experience.