Sermons in Stone: Why Church Architecture Preaches the Gospel - Fr. Brian Hughes - 08/26/2026

Fr. Brian Hughes, a retired priest of the Diocese of Sioux City who studied sacred architecture, joins Bo Bonner and Deacon Mark Campbell to talk about the meaning behind church design. Fr. Hughes's own master's thesis in architectural history at the University of Virginia was titled "Sermons in Stone: The Ecclesiastical Design of William L. Steele," examining the Sioux City architect who designed a number of Catholic churches across northwest Iowa in the early 20th century. Fr. Hughes was drawn to the program at the request of then-Bishop Lawrence Soens, who wanted a priest equipped to guide the diocese's church construction and renovation projects. Fr. Hughes explains the sacramental logic behind church architecture: just as the Church uses water, bread, wine, oil, and gesture to express invisible spiritual realities, so too can stone, iron, glass, and mosaic be crafted to "express the invisible realities of heaven." He traces how mid-20th-century church architecture, especially after World War II, often lost that sense of transcendence, and reflects on his own path — a teenage interest in architecture that led, after ordination, to formal study and eventually to coordinating the major renovation of the Cathedral of the Epiphany in Sioux City. For listeners hoping to see this history firsthand, Fr. Hughes recommends a northwest Iowa church tour: the Gothic Revival Cathedral of the Epiphany in Sioux City; smaller Gothic Revival churches in Remsen, Willey, and Roselle; William Steele's Sacred Heart Church in Fort Dodge, Holy Name Church in Marcus, and St. Joseph's Church in Milford; a Rambusch-designed church in Vail with windows depicting St. Anne; St. Mary's in Storm Lake, with stained glass and Stations of the Cross by Fr. Edward M. Catich, a Diocese of Davenport priest who founded the St. Ambrose University art department; and the contemporary 1960s-era St. Patrick's Church in Estherville. More on church architecture and design is available at LumenMedia.org. Heard on the Catholic Morning Show, weekdays at 7 a.m. Central on Iowa Catholic Radio. More at IowaCatholicRadio.com. #SermonsInStone #ChurchArchitecture #FatherBrianHughes #WilliamSteele #DioceseOfSiouxCity #SacredArchitecture #CatholicArt #CatholicPodcast #IowaCatholicRadio #CatholicMorningShow Credits: Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Ayden Pugh, Alexia Baker, and Brady Grimm. ENJOYING THE SHOW? Follow The Catholic Morning Show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you never miss an episode — and if this one was worth your time, please leave us a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating. It takes ten seconds and it's the single best way to help more people find the show. 🎧 LISTEN LIVE Catch The Catholic Morning Show live, weekday mornings on Iowa Catholic Radio. Listen Live · Program Schedule · Our Stations LINKSYou can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Tiktok! More on our website.If you would like to support Iowa Catholic Radio you can donate Here! More from Iowa Catholic Radio:Sunday Dive with Katie PatrizioMan Up! with Joe StopulosCatholic Women Now with Chris Magruder and Julie NelsonThe Uncommon Good with Bo Bonner and Dr. Bud MarrBe Not Afraid with Fr. Fabian Moncada and Fr. Bruce RiebeBe Not Afraid en Español con el P. Fabián MoncadaMaking it Personal with Bishop William JoensenFaith and Family Finance with Gregory WaddleThe Great Men of the Bible with Joe Stopulos Liturgy & DevotionsThe Daily Gospel Reflection with Fr. Nick SmithThe Daily Mass from St. Francis of AssisiThe Daily Mass from St. Pius XThe Daily Mass from St. TheresaSunday Mass from the Basilica of Saint JohnWant to support your favorite show? Click Here Iowa Catholic Radio - Connecting People to Christ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.