Canada: The Cathedral of Moncton May Be Destroyed

The city of Moncton, in Canada, may see its cathedral destroyed, for lack of finances to restore it.  At least that is what the archdiocese of this city of 65,000 inhabitants, situated in the east of the country, announced to the Press in the beginning of September.  The cost of the work being estimated at 7 million Canadian dollars (5 million euros), the Catholic authorities have decided to carry on a great consultation of the population during the month of September and until the beginning of the month of October.  “We would like to see an exchange open up within the diocese, in order to receive the opinions of parishioners.  It seems important to us to make the cathedral's condition known and to open ourselves to the suggestions of the population as to its future,” indicates Archbishop André Richard, Archbishop of Moncton.

From September 2010 until March 2011, a special committee explored the possible financing sources with governmental and community organisms.  “We are trying to get the cathedral recognized as a historical site.  Such recognition could help give it some other use than just for worship, “ declared the archbishop.  He added that neither the diocese nor the parish can pay the cost of the work, and so he does not altogether eliminate the possibility of demolition.

The construction of the cathedral of Moncton began in 1939, and was completed in 1955, the year of the 200-year commemoration of the deportment of the Acadians.  The edifice is on the site of the first chapel erected as the first Acadian parish of Moncton, dedicated to Our Lady of the Assumption. (Sources: apic/Radio Ville-Marie – DICI#241, October 1, 2011)

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