Christchurch’s Catholic diocese is selling its large retirement village in central Christchurch to the Baptist Church. The proceeds from Maryville Courts will help fund the new $100 million Catholic cathedral and central city precinct, as well as new parish centres throughout the diocese. The Archer Group, a Baptist Church trust retirement village operator is paying Read more
After spending time at a Christchurch scrapyard the dome from the quake-damaged Catholic Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament has a new life planned for it. Sisters from Community of the Beatitudes who saved the cathedral’s inner dome from the scrapyard hope to resurrect it in the chapel they are planning to build. They have consent Read more
Work to demolish the Barbadoes St frontage of the earthquake-damaged Catholic cathedral in Christchurch started on Wednesday. The $1.8 million demolition project began in September. Bishop Paul Martin announced in August last year that he wanted to demolish the cathedral, which was completed in 1905. He said the building was too expensive to restore and Read more
The distinctive copper dome rescued from the earthquake-damaged Catholic cathedral in Christchurch could be sold as salvage. The dome was painstakingly rescued from the stricken Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament on Barbadoes St in 2011 and has been in safe storage ever since. Catholic diocese property head Tony Sewell said many materials recovered from the Read more
The head of the team working to deconstruct Christchurch’s Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament says they are endeavouring to save important features but have to weigh up costs and safety concerns. Tony Sewell is the project director for the Catholic Cathedral precinct, which includes the development and construction of the new Cathedral and the deconstruction/demolition Read more
A decision on the future of the earthquake-damaged Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Christchurch, New Zealand, has been delayed to March or April, rather finalised at the end of this year as originally planned. The Bishop of Christchurch, Paul Martin, said he is still considering whether to restore the cathedral, knock it down and build Read more
A writer living in the United States has made a plea for the Catholic Christchurch Basilica to be restored. Writing in First Things, Stephen Schmalhofer opines: “Let us hope that Macauley’s unknown traveler will arrive with plenty of practice sketching the restored cathedral domes in Christchurch. “To honor the blood and sweat of the missionary New Zealand Church and Read more
Former Ngai Tahu Property CEO Tony Sewell, has accepted a contract to lead the Catholic Diocese of Christchurch property team. A long-time member of the Catholic Cathedral Management Board, he has a deep understanding of property matters in relation to the Diocese. “The Diocese has tread a very sensible and measured path in dealing with Read more
Recent engineering and geotechnical reports are showing “positive” signs for the future of Christchurch’s quake-damaged Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, officials claim. Preliminary reports on the land and foundations on which Christchurch’s Catholic Cathedral sits are positive. The detailed content of the reports has not been made public yet. Property and Development Manager Keith Beal says Read more
CERA has given its approval under Section 38 to take down parts of the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Christchurch New Zealand. The Catholic Diocese of Christchurch has capped the cost for this first stage of the restoration at $45 million. It is seeking to fundraise raise $15 million of that total. The proposed Read more