Exploring Catholic Churches as Translated by Art, Architecture, History and Culture

East Lake Academy Middle School Students took a special trip to explore Catholic Churches in Chicago as translated by art, architecture, history and culture.  These architectural beauties inspire, motivate and educate.  Our churches were created to speak the language of God to us and for Him.  Stunning architecture, generations of national and international tradition, and the strength of contemporary faith communities are magnificently at work in these edifices.  Each church is part of a larger cultural and historical landscape full of color and vibrancy.

With an experienced guide from Catholic Church Tours, Inc., the students visited the following Churches: St. John Cantius, St. Mary of the Angels, and St. Hedwig.  The relational, shared experience of pilgrimage is fundamental to the “heart-work” done in participants by our Creator.  Students learned about the historical origins and current use of basic structural elements, such as cornerstone, nave, asps, altar placement, columns and cornices.  They also learned about the history of the particular parishes and their ongoing progress. East Lake Academy forms future Catholic leaders for the Church and society.