Christchurch city centre’s new Catholic precinct will be a place people can bump into Catholicism says Christchurch diocese general manager Simon Thompson. Rising from the ruins of the devastating 2011 earthquakes, plans for the exciting development include a brand new Catholic cathedral, a commercial building, a 600-space car park, diocese offices, apartments and commercial space. Read more
The new Christchurch Catholic Cathedral complex is estimated to cost $100 million. The announcement was made Monday by the Coadjutor Archbishop of Wellington and Apostolic Administrator of the Christchurch diocese, Paul Martin. The diocese hopes the whole complex will be completed within five years. To fund the project Martin says the diocese is considering selling Read more
Heritage campaigners have given up their legal battle to prevent the demolition of Christchurch’s Catholic cathedral and say their only hope is to shame the local bishop into saving the historic building. Restore Our Catholic Cathedral (ROCC) spokeswoman Dame Anna Crighton said they had given up their legal battle after receiving legal advice from barrister Read more
The Catholic Diocese of Christchurch will be applying to disinter three bishops who are buried in the earthquake-damaged Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament. Bishop Grimes, Bishop Edward Joyce, Bishop John Cunneen, are buried under the floor of a side chapel of the cathedral. Grimes, the first bishop of Christchurch, was the driving force behind the Read more
This is a tale of two cathedrals. It’s a story of two bishops, a tragedy and even a prince. There’s more than one battle in this long saga and only one of the cathedrals will have a happy ending. Both buildings were severely damaged by the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes and aftershocks, and both sit Read more
The Christchurch Catholic diocese has spent more than $15 million on several blocks of riverside Christchurch land. The purchases are likely to be the first stakes in a larger site for a complex which may include a new cathedral. Property and company records reveal the Catholic diocese has bought 10 vacant properties in the central city block bordered by Read more
Big, 600 seat church buildings don’t “bring people” in Christchurch. Good healthy functioning communities small or large, with community – enabling priests and lay ministers, folk who include everyone in the mix, and allow all sorts of community lead projects to flourish, create the places where people want to come. In these places the interface Read more
People fighting to preserve heritage buildings are questioning the decision announced by the Bishop of Christchurch to demolish the Blessed Sacrament Cathedral. But Christchurch Regeneration Minister, Megan Woods says the city needs to accept the church’s decision and move on. Woods said she had many fond memories of the cathedral having gone to school next Read more
A new Catholic Cathedral in Christchurch could be built on a site beside the Avon River, a new four-minute documentary suggests. The documentary begins with filmmaker Gerard Smyth telling Paul Martin, the Catholic bishop of Christchurch, that he has heard “rumours” that the cathedral might be moving. To which Martin replies “It is very interesting Read more
Christchurch Regeneration Minister Megan Woods does not have the power to intervene and stop possible demolition of the Christchurch’s earthquake-damaged Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament. A spokesman for Woods said she “does not have the power to intervene as the rules under the Christchurch District Plan govern and enable the demolition of the Catholic basilica.” Read more