Are Catholic churches only meeting halls where people gather?

Many Catholic churches built in the last 50 years look more like meeting halls than sacred spaces. While the specific design of a church is not something mandated by the Vatican, certain architectural styles can make the purpose of a church confusing.

In some instances it can be tempting to think that a physical church building is only a common meeting hall, a place where fellow Catholics can gather on Sunday and praise God.

While it is true that churches are places where Catholics can gather together, the church building is meant to be much more than that.

First of all, the Catechism of the Catholic Church points out that the Sunday worship of God is not tied to a specific place, such as Jerusalem, which is a change from the traditions of the Old Testament:

The worship “in Spirit and in truth” of the New Covenant is not tied exclusively to any one place. The whole earth is sacred and entrusted to the children of men. What matters above all is that, when the faithful assemble in the same place, they are the “living stones,” gathered to be “built into a spiritual house.” For the Body of the risen Christ is the spiritual temple from which the source of living water springs forth: incorporated into Christ by the Holy Spirit, “we are the temple of the living God.”

CCC 1179

This means that Sunday worship can be celebrated anywhere. The early Church knew this principal well, as they were being constantly persecuted. Initially there did not exist any physical Christian churches.

However, when Christianity was no longer persecuted, Christians were able to build churches, which was a natural development of the Catholic faith:

When the exercise of religious liberty is not thwarted, Christians construct buildings for divine worship.

CCC 1180

The first Christians did not build buildings that were only designed for social events. They were meant to be much more:

These visible churches are not simply gathering places but signify and make visible the Church living in this place, the dwelling of God with men reconciled and united in Christ.

CCC 1181

This is important, as it means that churches are sacred spaces to encounter God. Certainly we are encouraged to maintain fellowship with our local community of Christians, but that is not the sole aim of a physical church.

The presence of the Eucharist in particular is what should remind us that the church building is a holy place:

A church, “a house of prayer in which the Eucharist is celebrated and reserved, where the faithful assemble, and where is worshiped the presence of the Son of God our Savior, offered for us on the sacrificial altar for the help and consolation of the faithful — this house ought to be in good taste and a worthy place for prayer and sacred ceremonial.” In this “house of God” the truth and the harmony of the signs that make it up should show Christ to be present and active in this place.

CCC 1181

Churches have great meaning and are places where Christians can encounter Heaven on earth.

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