Everyone is invited to dine at the Café from 7.30 to 10am every Tuesday for a suggested one dollar donation per dish - or more - or less, if they wish. Continue reading

In September 2015, an appeal was launched to restore the cathedral's presbytery.

This aimed to raise at least $3 million.

As part of the appeal, the outside walls were covered with promotional banners.

However they have been victim to random attacks.

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Feminists approached the cathedral in Mar del Plata screaming "the Church is a piece of trash, you're a dictatorship".

Stones and bottles were thrown at Catholics praying the Rosary in front of the cathedral.

The activists, who were among tens of thousands at a National Meeting of Women, were pushed back by police.

The most violent demonstrators were arrested, but were released shortly afterwards.

The protestors want abortion on demand in Argentina.

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The archdiocese installed the devices at St Mary of the Assumption Cathedral in response to needles, faeces and other dangerous items regularly being left there.

But the system lacked a permit and may have violated other laws.

News reports observed that there were no warning signs about the devices.

The archdiocese said similar systems are used in San Francisco's financial district, but admitted the concept was ill conceived at the cathedral.

In a statement, the work done by the cathedral for the homeless was noted.

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It's impossible to believe that it has been single-handedly built by a former trappist monk who had never laid a brick in his life.

The as yet unfinished building, a little over 12 miles outside of Madrid, has been painstakingly built piece by piece over 50 years by 86-year-old farmer Justo Gallego Martinez.

He had no prior knowledge of architecture and no experience in the construction industry, but instead has spent five decades collecting junk and discarded building material in order to build the 131ft tall structure.

After working as a farmer and bullfighter, deeply religious Mr Martinez - or Don Justo as he is known - spent eight years at a Trappist monastery.

But he was forced to leave when he was struck down with tuburculosis in 1961.

During his illness, he vowed that if he survived it he would build a chapel and name it after the Virgin Mary to whom he prayed while he was sick.

True to his vow, Don Justo began building what he describes as his act of faith in 1963 and despite his lack of skills or building materials, is still working on the project today.

Despite the scepticism of many friends and locals, Don Justo has remarkably managed to build the place of worship without using so much as a crane.

The vast columns of the structure are made from empty oil drums, while the covering on one of the domes is made from discarded food tubes.

But, with Don Justo working on his own aside from occasional help from his six nephews, the cathedral is far from finished with windows left unpainted, one of the domes to be covered and the floor to be completed.

The inspiration of St Peter's Basillica with its huge central dome is plain to see, but Don Justo's ideas were also taken from the White House, and a variety of European castles and churches.

The church has never received planning permission, but it is believed that it is allowed to stay by local authorities because it has become something of a tourist attraction. Continue reading

The Catholic Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament (dubbed ‘the Basilica' by the media) on the edge of the CBD was also a landmark , and is being disassembled stone by stone, with the possibility of a rebuild. The soil underneath is being tested for load-bearing given the amount of liquefaction that occurred. Meanwhile the Catholic Bishop has taken over the city parish church of St Mary's Manchester Street as ‘Pro-Cathedral'. The Bishop and his advisors are contemplating the insurance payout, and options open to them.

In the middle of all this speculation an informal proposal surfaced along the lines of what quite a few people had been thinking: Why not have one Cathedral for Christchurch shared by the two Dioceses. One ‘cathedra' (throne) shared by two traditions. On their own ‘diocesan occasions' each Bishop would preside. Each has already got their temporary ‘home church', and occasionally both congregations can worship together. Unprecedented? Probably. Difficult to bring about? Very. An exponential leap forward in Ecumenism? Yes. A huge savings in resources for both dioceses? Yes. A common sense solution for a shattered city? Definitely.

To make it possible, the bishops would have to agree to explore the possibility in principle. Rome and Lambeth would have to agree not to veto. The dioceses would commission their theologians to come up with a plan capable of being accepted by both traditions, foreshadowing changes to canon law and even Acts of Parliament. Then it will be up to each Diocesan Authority to sell it to their own people, each having to make major concessions.

Sections of each Diocese will object strongly. It is up to the theological commission to anticipate these difficulties and answer them. I have already heard it said that the Anglicans will never allow statues of Mary in a shared Cathedral. But some of the most beautiful Lady Chapels in the world are in Anglican Cathedrals. What about the tabernacle? Well, a separate Blessed Sacrament chapel is standard in most new Catholic Cathedrals, so the problem may never arise.

This is a unique opportunity that may never arise again. A bold initiative like this would do much to restore the morale of the divided population of ‘quake city.' It may capture the imagination of the whole Christian world. Christchurch Unity Cathedral could become a place of pilgrimage.

Sources

• Fr. Brian O'Connell, S.M. in The Marist Messenger
• Image: Eventfinda

The Cathedral Management Board has met with Don Miskell, principal of Boffa Miskell, the lead company in a consortium of businesses that will design the central city rebuild, and discussed the place of the Basilica in the new plan, the church's strong links with the city and the future of the area surrounding the Basilica.

With 20,000 people expected to be living within the four avenues over the next 30 years, and the close proximity of the eastern green belt, it is important to understand the face of the new city.

One option that is gaining traction is the retention of the north and western walls of the Basilica as a memorial.

These can be braced and made safe and stand as a reminder of the magnificent building that stood on the site for over a century. The diocese could then talk to the owners of the adjacent former convent site about building a new Cathedral in that area. This is only an option, as there is still need to understand the soil and underlying status of the possible site.

If, in the end, the advice received is that it is impossible to rebuild the Basilica on the present site, the Board has agreed to recommend to Bishop Jones that a relic of the Cathedral will be left, which will be protected and preserved, as a memory of the earthquakes. Honorary Cathedral Architect Simon Pascoe is preparing a report, with the Bishop having the final decision.

Source:

• Chch diocese newsletter
• Image: apriestdown under

The debate was called by Aaron Keown, a Christchurch city councillor who wants the public to hear all the facts before the symbol of Christchurch city was demolished and lost forever.

The church did not want to take part because the decision to deconstruct the cathedral was final, he said.

"I hope that public pressure will have them come and front so that both sides can present their cases."

Keown said last week that the cathedral would be demolished "over my dead body".

"I would be in there chaining myself to the building to stop that and I know lots of other volunteers would come in to do that," he said.

Keown said it was important to have the discussion.

Sources

• The Press / Stuff
• Image: Stuff

Plusieurs organisations, associations et comités de défense ont immédiatement réagi en exprimant leur déception face à une décision « destructrice »« Dans ces conditions, il sera très difficile de conserver l'esprit de ce bâtiment très important, tel qu'il a existé », a estimé Bruce Chapman, directeur du Comité des emplacements historiques de Nouvelle-Zélande. L'évêché, pour sa part, a rappelé que les détériorations dues au séisme du 22 février 2011 ne venaient que s'ajouter à de précédentes secousses, depuis la construction de cette cathédrale, dans la seconde moitié du dix-neuvième siècle.

Anglican Bishop of Christchurch, Victoria Matthews says that rebuilding the Cathedral, which sustained further damage from severe aftershocks is too dangerous and expensive.

"The decision we have made has been made with prayer, with great deliberation, and an utmost concern for safety," Bishop Matthews told reporters.

The cathedral will be demolished gradually over a long period of time. Historical features of the building will be preserved.

"There will be no bulldozers, there will be no wrecking balls, this will be done with deep love and respect for a building that has served us so well," Matthews said.

Source:

• Tahiti Info
• Stuff.co.nz
• Image: Ladepeche.fr

Bishop of Christchurch Victoria Matthews said the proposal could help make the earthquake-damaged Square "welcoming and engaging" again.

She spoke about the idea during the visit of the Australian governor-general to Christchurch.

"One conversation that's just beginning is to do a Re:Start here [in the Square] and having a giant movie screen, [and] artificial beach and trying to bring people into a place that has actually caused fear to make it welcoming and engaging again," Matthews said.

The project would be similar to City Mall's Re:Start shopping area, she said.

The Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (Cera) released hundreds of pages of files they hold on the cathedral yesterday in response to ongoing debate about the future of the building.

The nearly 500 pages of files include engineering reports on the cathedral, emails, photographs, correspondence with the Christchurch City Council and minutes from meetings to discuss the future of the cathedral.

Insurance cover has been cancelled for the Blessed Sacrament Cathedral in Christchurch. Ansvar Insurance will pay out on the existing policy but will not cover the cathedral for further aftershocks.

Church spokesperson Simon Pascoe will not say how much the Cathedral was insured for, but says it was covered for its replacement value.

A lot of other churches may have to close if they are unable to afford increased insurance premiums.

The majority of New Zealand churches, valued at several billion dollars, are insured by Ansvar Insurance New Zealand. Ansvar, which specialises in church insurance, says premiums are likely to double, or perhaps even treble for pre-1935 churches in earthquake-prone areas.

Opus International Consultants was contracted to undertake the work. Initially there was only minor damage after September's quake, mainly involving falling hazards and the stability of parts of the two towers at the front. The Diocese and insurer asked Opus to assess and record the damage in order to identify appropriate repair solutions.

The building was red placarded (unsafe) until the assessment work was completed, but subsequent events have meant only engineers have been able to enter the building since September.

The outside assessment was completed by the end of the year, with the interior programmed for inspection after Christmas. However following the Boxing Day aftershock the towers wobbled, so had to be stabilised first.

Continue reading about an engineers view of the Christchurch Basilica

Sources

• Image: TV3

Contractors are currently deconstructing the top half of the severely damaged cathedral and have completed the removal of the copper dome.

Catholic Cathedral spokesman Lance Ryan says they're pleased with the way the stripping of the copper and wooden beams has gone so far.

"Contractors have assured us that at this stage the dome will be saved intact and will possibly be able to be rebuilt in its current form," he says.

Mr Ryan says a new plan for the deconstruction of the bottom half of the Cathedral has been submitted to the Christchurch City Council.

The Diocesan earthquake recovery group continues to meet weekly. This group is made up of Diocesan Personnel, Opus International Consultant representatives, the Diocesan Insurance Broker, Diocesan Insurer and Loss Adjustor.

Regarding the earthquake on Monday June 13th, the feedback from engineers is that generally there has been incremental damage to buildings that previously experienced damage. Generally no further significant damage has been reported.

• Nazareth House has sustained more damage from the recent earthquakes
• The Church at Little River has sustained a little more damage and some propping is taking place
• The Sumner and Lyttleton churches have suffered further damage
• St Albans Church is now closed as it has a yellow sticker. The parish is using the church at St Matthew's, Bryndwr.

The St Mary's school has returned to its site on Manchester Street (the school was sharing facilities at St Teresa's, Riccarton). There are no other changes to schools at this stage.

Source

• Yahoo News
• Christchurch Diocese
• Image: Sky Scraper City

When we spoke, Jones was still waiting to hear if a crane would be able to lift the dome at a distance, allowing engineers to assess the cathedral. "It's so dangerous that no-one can actually get near it," he says. "If there was another earthquake like the one on February 22, the engineers think the dome would actually come down. It's a death trap."

It's tragic and maybe defeatist to use the past tense, but it was a stunning building.

In an ideal world, would Jones want it restored to its previous condition?

"If it was feasible. It's an absolute treasure. But I'm not even beginning to think like that. It's just too soon."

Jones seems to be more open than his Anglican counterparts to the idea that the earthquake and subsequent demolitions and closures might give his church a chance to redraw its map of Christchurch.

"Our churches have all been built in communities that wanted churches where they were," he says, but "the point you raise is very interesting."

And the Catholic Diocese of Christchurch is considering these kinds of issues? "We are, absolutely." While the churches have good-sized congregations, "the real issue is whether they are the right places to have churches".

Asked if he thought the earthquake was an act of God, a punishment on the city, Jones says he hasn't heard people asking whether the city's sinfulness brought disaster upon it.

"It's the mystery of evil - it's as old as the world," he says. "We're just reading the book of Job. He's the innocent man and all sorts of disasters happen to him. He says, 'Why is this happening to me when I'm an innocent person?' That's as old as the Bible.

Read more as Bishops Jones and Victoria Matthews, the Rev Lynda Petterson, and Dean Peter Beck reflect on the Christchurch earthquake.

When asked if the Catholic diocese is considering these kinds of issues he said "We are, absolutely."Our churches have all been built in communities that wanted churches where they were," but "the point you raise is very interesting"." While the churches have good-sized congregations, "the real issue is whether they are the right places to have churches".

With the heavy concrete dome of the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament making the building still too unstable to approach, the diocese office next door on Barbadoes St is also been off- limits. Bishop Jones said people are working from home on laptops; no-one can get in to retrieve files and computers. "It's so dangerous that no-one can actually get near it," He said. "If there was another earthquake like the one on February 22, the engineers think the dome would actually come down. It's a death trap."

In an ideal world, would Bishop Jones want it restored to its previous condition? "If it was feasible. It's an absolute treasure. But I'm not even beginning to think like that. It's just too soon.

Many other Catholic churches have also been damaged. A final prayer service has already been held at St Mary's in New Brighton, which is to be demolished. Historic churches in Sumner and Lyttelton have likewise been hit hard.

Source
Christchurch Earthquake
Stuff 26/3/11

Photo
Stuff

The Anglican cathedral in the heart of Christchurch has become a forlorn, desolate tomb; felled by a destructive double-act of God. The massive earthquake of 4 September was the first blow which no doubt weakened it; the killer blow came in the form of the latest quake.

At the time of writing no one knows exactly how many are buried beneath its fallen bell tower and spire. But already there are the triumphant proclamations from the city mayor, Bob Parker, and the dean of the cathedral, Peter Beck, that it should be, and will be, rebuilt and restored to its former glory.

However, great weakness has been horribly exposed. Brick and stone buildings become lethal killers in an earthquake zone. My feeling is that, despite our need for national optimism, a stone building in Christchurch can never again be regarded as safe.

That ruined cathedral is like an old oak tree. It has provided shelter and beauty, and witnessed much joy and sorrow over the last 150 odd years. It is time to let it rest in peace, a witness to failure, both divine and human.

Read all of Dallas Graham's comment