Rite & Reason: There is disappointment in the Catholic Church at the refusal of permission to liturgically reorder St Colman's cathedral, writes Fr Patrick Jones.
At their June general meeting, the Catholic bishops discussed the decision of An Bord Pleanála to refuse planning permission for the liturgical reordering of St Colman's cathedral in Cobh. The bishops expressed their disappointment and concern at this decision.
At the final stage in major restoration work, a planning application was submitted to the local authority to have a more extensive and open sanctuary, with new altar, ambo and chair and, being a cathedral, the bishop's chair or cathedra. The proposed altar would replace the temporary plywood altar but the old high altar with its tabernacle, reredos, screens and old cathedra would be untouched.
All through the project, great care was taken to respect the architectural heritage of the building. The application was considered by the planning officer to be the best he reviewed.
The documentation included the liturgical rationale behind the design. The diocesan Historic Churches Advisory Committee had been involved and the architectural heritage guidelines, prepared by the Department of the Environment and accepted by the churches, was adhered to by the diocese and the planning authority. Planning permission was given. It was appealed and an oral hearing was conducted by An Bord Pleanála.
The board's inspector, who conducted the hearing, recommended approval, but the board itself decided against it. Many are disappointed. Many are not, including those who campaigned against the planning application and those who campaigned against any change in the sanctuary layout. Their objections are based on liturgy and/or heritage.
The design was a contemporary plan to express the liturgy of the second Vatican Council, which is characterised by "full, conscious and active participation". Wishing to have our liturgy as it was before the council or wanting it revised according to a "reform of the reform" agenda may be strongly held opinions.
It is a matter of grave concern that there are several different positions on liturgy adopted today, characterised by a strong element of disagreement, some of which oppose the charter of reform given in the council.
But given the vision of Vatican II and applying it to matters of architecture and the environment for worship, the overriding weight must be given to a design plan that is thoroughly documented in accordance with liturgical guidelines.
It must be endorsed by those charged in a diocese to offer advice on liturgy, architecture and heritage and which is certified as meeting liturgical requirements by the bishop who is "the chief steward of the mysteries of God" and has to act as "moderator, promoter and guardian" of the liturgical life of the diocese. Where this overriding weight is not given, it is a matter of grave concern.
For a church listed in the Record of Protected Structures, the law calls on planning authorities to "respect liturgical requirements" regarding declarations and planning applications. A commentary by department officials at the time of the drafting of the Planning and Development Act 2002, stated that "respect" carried a note of "heavy obligation", stronger than the usual "due regard".
This Act made provision for guidelines for use by local authorities. The pertinent guidelines, architectural heritage protection, have a chapter given to churches, which was accepted by the four main Christian churches in November 2003.
The chapter replaced a draft first published in a consultation document in March 2000 but unfortunately republished in December 2001 in a draft manual of guidelines for planning authorities at a time when the Department of the Environment was consulting the churches.
The churches strongly advised that the treatment of places of public worship should be omitted until there was agreement.
Stating that "the overriding remit of the statutory authority is to protect the special character of the protected structure" could be interpreted in a way to prevent working to a solution which gives a balance between liturgical requirements and heritage concerns. The November 2003 guidelines achieved this and remains the best way forward for all concerned: churches, planning authorities and An Bord Pleanála.
The sanctuary of St Colman's cathedral - like all the other cathedral sanctuaries in Ireland - was built for a very different way of worship. Keeping it unchanged would fail to respect the demands of a changed way of worship. It is a matter of judgment whether a particular design plan respects these demands and the protection of our heritage. The sanctuary designed in the 19th century is certainly inadequate.
Making temporary adjustments in the 1960s is also inadequate. Leaving in place the historic elements but creating a larger space is often the solution. A contemporary sanctuary can be built in a historic building and, far from taking from its character, enriches it. It also keeps the building as a place of worship.
The best way of maintaining a historic church is to maintain it as a church, as a place for today's worshippers, a place of living worship. This must be our common concern.
Fr Patrick Jones is director of the National Centre for Liturgy at St Patrick's College, Maynooth