I call this the forgotten parish, since I grew up not two miles up the road in East Oak Lane, and I never once went to mass here. Apparently, this part of Olney had a reputation as early as twenty years ago. Fortunately, I’m not one to be deterred by such things.
Anyway, this is a fine, fine church. It’s not as jaw-droppingly grandiose as Our Lady of Hope, but it’s close. A beautiful rose-style window and stately tower highlight the exterior, as well as some very nice molding. Sorry, no gargoyles. But the twin angels on either side of the main entrance are nice, even if harsh realities require that they be wrapped in a mesh screen to prevent vandalism.
Incarnation really excels in two areas: first, the stained glass windows, which are much larger than Our Lady of Hope. Second, the interior, which is much wider and offers more seating, so it feels much bigger. Also, Inky eschews a stone interior for plaster, which results in a warmer, less tomb-like sensation. The plaster allows them to do some different things, like creating an immense, drop-dead gorgeous mural that rises behind the altar. I’m usually not a big fan of straight paintwork, but this is marvelous.
Fat Girl Principle, v2: Enter Father Gerald Piñero, who I have no doubt will go down as the one of the more interesting priests we’ll see. The young, charismatic father was so excited to see us at mass that he picked us out during mass and asked us to stand up and say where we’re from. (I know I’m really pasty white, but am I that conspicuous?) Oh, and he excitedly met us after church and gladly gave us a tour of the aforementioned Upper Church.
Church Project Theorem # 3: Upper v. Lower Church: The first appearance of the dreaded “Upper v. Lower Church” conundrum, the single biggest detriment to this project. Many older churches have both a basement (lower church) and an upper church. In any given church, the upper one is larger, more ornate and thus generally more desirable. However, the costs of heating and/or lighting said upper churches can be prohibitive, especially for poor parishes. Thus, many of them hold their masses downstairs, especially in the winter.
Luckily, the Father Piñero was kind enough to give us a personal tour. And seriously, all jokes aside—he was great, and I just wish I didn’t come off like a big tourist. Father, if you’re reading this—I don’t wear many hats, but I’m putting one on and tipping it in your direction right now.
Size Rating: 8 out of 10
Ornamentation Rating: 8 out of 10
Overall Design Rating: 8 out of 10 crosses.
