Saint Albert the Great Catholic Church — Attraction in Austin

Doesn't feel like a Catholic Church at all. First thing one notices upon walking in is a type of disorientation with there being a Cranmer table present like all modernist inspired architecture, however Saint Albert's is especially weird feeling in that the "altar" is in the middle of the church, with seats in the front and back and sides. There is an obvious lack of sacred statues and art, to satisfy any anti-icon inspired Protestants. This place is inspired and seemingly built for the post Vatican II - inspired false interpretation of "active participation", with a throng of extraordinary ministers of holy Communion ("Eucharistic Ministers"), and the choir complete with uncatholic guitars, electric bass, piano, and even a brass section being front and center. Forget about looking for a Tabernacle, as the modernist architecture purposely has hidden our Lord away. Instead of the Eucharist being the source and summit, the people are closed in, facing (and worshipping) eachother. This is just as the wreckovators of the 1970s and on had hoped for. Just a follow-up to all of the comments about "feeling welcome" and such, they perfectly represent the horrible catechisism we all have received. When one hides the Tabernacle and allows any lay person (one of which I know personally who abandoned his aging wife of 45 years causing me immediately to be scandalized) to handle the blessed sacrament, instead of only allowing the consecrated hands of the priest to handle, one can only expect the faithful to forget, not know, or reject the there being a sacrafice taking place. 75 plus percent of the people present recieving communion in the hand further protestanize this Church. Lex orandi lex credendi, stay away unless you want to be...

This church is stunning. Built out of the limestone that is common in the area, it's unique architecture emits a feeling of awe when you walk in for the first time and many times after that. I never got tired of entering this building as an almost spiritual sense of contentment entered my mind with its low light and hushed atmosphere. And on a hot summer day, it was a definite pleasure to be inside!

My favorite part of the church is, of course, the reredos which is a large, stained-glass piece which looks similar to a window with many separate panes. The crucifix hangs from the ceiling towards the top of the reredos and a picture of the Virgin Mary is stage right and another picture of Jesus of the Divine Mercy is stage left.

Hanging from the cracking above the altar is a monstrous (and I mean that by size, not by character) chandelier made of many sheets of gray glass at various angles. It is not usually lit, but looks beautiful even dark.

The baptismal font is a small stone monolith next to a cross-shaped pool in the floor. The walls are plain with just the limestone and a what looks to be ficus trees.

The altar is small and simple. The church as a whole is not ostentatious, but beautiful in its simplicity.

The Pastoral and parish staff are all very nice and helpful and seem dedicated to their calling and the community is very friendly and welcoming. I loved the church as a whole. It is on the smaller side, but that makes it just more...

Visited mass at 10am on Sunday, August 17. About 700 people in attendance. About 10 minutes into the service, the priest stopped the service and said (verbatim), "This is just a reminder that hats are not allowed in the church." He then singled out a man wearing hat, saying "sir, please remove your hat." It made us very uncomfortable, as it did everyone else in the room, that a man would be called out in front of so many people. Terrible, unwelcoming, and super intolerant. I understand that the priest wants his sanctuary to be respected - no problem there. But this could have been accomplished by having an usher or someone else on staff go quietly to the man and ask him to remove his hat. There was no reason for such a public display. This is the exact reason people want nothing to do with churches. For all we know, this guy was a visitor who had finally decided to come to church, needed some help, etc., and he didn't know any better (most other churches wouldn't care about a hat). Instead of treating him with dignity and respect, even in the midst of such an obviously grievous sin, he was made an example of. In front of hundreds of people. Well done, father. Keep preaching love and grace and doing...