Christchurch Catholic Cathedral facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Christchurch Catholic Cathedral |
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|---|---|
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| Location | Christchurch Central City |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Status | Design and naming |
| Architecture | |
| Architectural type | Cathedral |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 1,000 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Christchurch |
The Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament is a new Catholic church being built in Christchurch, New Zealand. It will replace the old cathedral, which had the same name. The original building was badly damaged by earthquakes in 2010 and 2011. It was later taken down in 2020.
This new cathedral will be the main church for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Christchurch. This means it's like the "mother church" for all Catholic churches in the area. At first, the plan was to build it in a different spot. But in April 2024, it was announced that the new cathedral would be built on the same land where the old one stood.
Contents
History of the New Cathedral
After the earthquakes, the old Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament was very unsafe. In August 2019, church leaders decided that the old cathedral had to be taken down. This was a big decision, as some people hoped it could be fixed.
New plans for a replacement cathedral were shared in December 2019. These plans included not just the church, but also new offices, a hotel, and a parking building. This big project was expected to cost a lot of money and be finished by 2026.
How the Project Was Funded
The Catholic church area, including the new cathedral, was planned to cost about NZ$100 million. About NZ$40 million of this was for the cathedral itself. The rest of the money was for offices, a garden, and parking.
The church planned to use money from its earthquake fund. They also planned to sell land they no longer needed. This helped to pay for the new buildings.
Legal Challenges to the Plans
In March 2023, a group of church members called 'The Gathering' disagreed with the building plans. They took their concerns to the Vatican's highest court, the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura. This court deals with important church law cases.
The group wanted to keep local churches open. They also believed the new cathedral should be built on the old site, not a new one. They also questioned if the Bishop had the right to take down the old cathedral and sell church property. Both sides sent lawyers who knew a lot about church rules to the Vatican to present their cases.
Building the Cathedral
Design Choices
Two groups of architects are working together to design the new cathedral. One is Warren and Mahoney Architects from Christchurch. The other is Franck & Lohsen Architects from the United States.
Franck & Lohsen are known for designing churches in a traditional style. Church leaders chose them because they wanted the new cathedral to look classic and elegant. They hoped it would have the same beautiful style that people loved about the old cathedral.
Where the Cathedral Is Built
Even though land was bought for a new location, the church announced a change in April 2024. The new cathedral is now being built on the original site. This is the same spot where the old Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament stood before the earthquakes. The land that was bought for the other site will be sold.
Naming the New Cathedral
In May 2024, the Bishop shared a letter about the name for the new cathedral. He suggested three possible names: St Francis of Assisi, St John the Baptist, or The Blessed Sacrament.
On August 4, 2024, the Bishop announced the final name. The new cathedral will be called The Blessed Sacrament. This is the same name as the old cathedral.
