"Round Three" at Basilica: Renovation Still Divisive
Covington Catholics Say They've Been "Duped," Some Demanding Refunds
(from the Jan./Feb. 2000 issue)

COVINGTON’S BISHOP Robert W. Muench was on the firing line at a December 14 public meeting held to solicit opinions about renovation proposals for the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption. Approximately 200 people turned out to view the architect’s latest renderings depicting how he proposes to renovate the mother church of northern Kentucky.

Bishop Muench explained to those present that Bill Brown, the Colorado Springs-based architect hired to oversee the renovation work, prepared just three schemes, reduced from the eight that were presented at the October meeting with the public (SCR, Nov/Dec, 1999).

The first of these three schemes showed the Basilica interior in its present form, untouched by structural alterations. The crowd was overwhelmingly opposed to the other two proposals, each featuring a radically-revised sanctuary. Although the schemes presented at December’s meeting were somewhat less drastic than those showcased at previous meetings, the canopy-like baldachino, marble altar railing, and Appalachian oak woodwork remain fatalities in the current proposals. These two schemes, unlike the previous eight, did show the life-size crucifix present in various obscure locations in the sanctuary. Previous schemes did not include the crucifix anywhere in the designs. The new drawings also showed that the revised sanctuary would be raised by four steps—two to three steps above October’s eight proposals. Aside from these improvements, the designs remained essentially the same.

Bishop Muench defended the architect’s proposal to remove the woodwork and the baldachino. He appealed to "restoring the Cathedral to its 1910 plan," despite the fact that Brown’s proposed revisions bear little resemblance to the basilica’s 1910 layout. Enlarged photos of the cathedral’s interior during that period were on hand for the meeting. "Did the cathedral look Protestant back then?" the bishop replied to one critic.

David Hyland of Taylor Mill was not persuaded by that argument. "If you look at everything they did," he explained, "every ‘upgrade’ from 1910 to the present was basically done to sanctify the sanctuary." Brown’s present proposals are a clear break from that organic development, he added. "The architects are following some sort of trend that’s based on poor theology. This is truly an architectural manifestation of what has happened doctrinally in the Church," he observed. "It doesn’t just come down to the question of rearranging the chairs," added Hyland.

Victor J. Canfield, an historic preservationist, also opposes the proposals to remove the woodwork and baldachino. "According to the accepted standards of historic preservation, additions and alterations made subsequent to the construction of a building are generally regarded as important to the historic character of the structure. This is especially true when such additions are of artistic, cultural, or historic significance. This would apply to the massive, hand-carved Appalachian oak baldachino," he noted. The baldachino, which so many agree is the most notable of the basilica’s treasures, was consecrated in 1950. This qualifies it for continued preservation, noted Canfield. "So too does its spectacular artistry and craftsmanship."

Canfield, who was co-chair of the $1.5 million restoration of Covington’s Mother of God Church, also expressed his misgivings about unnecessarily involving an out-of-state architect in the project. During Mother of God’s extensive restoration project, he said, an architect was only involved once, and that was to design the new dome according to the exact specifications of the old one, which was fire-damaged.

"If the Cathedral Basilica is interested in necessary structural repairs and maintenance," stated Canfield, "these are generally supervised by a qualified preservation contractor and volunteer experts. The commissioning of an out-of-town architect on such a significant structure as the Cathedral Basilica could prove a temptation for [Brown] to add his own ‘signature’ to a renovation—versus restoration—of the present building."

Basilica parishioner Mary Pranger is also concerned with Brown’s involvement in the project. Reflecting on the proposals presented in December, Pranger found no evidence to believe that Brown listened to the people at the previous two public meetings. "Mr. Brown came in with his ‘canned’ plan that he uses in all of his church projects," she said. "This plan was the basis of the conceptual drawings, and thus far, it has turned out to be the end result." Pranger believes little will change in the architect’s plans heretofore.

Diane Nuxoll of Glencoe, Ky., feels that the diocese is not even considering leaving the sanctuary untouched, aside from any necessary maintenance work. "It’s going to be which of these last two poses you like best," she commented at the December meeting. "It seems there’s a conviction in the bishop’s mind, that he is not open to suggestions. He’s not going to back down. I’d say it’s cut-and-dried as far as he is personally concerned."

Nuxoll believes the basilica is a piece of world-class architecture. An estimated 70,000 pilgrims visit Covington’s masterpiece each year. "It might not be as famous as the Eiffel Tower or the Great Wall of China," she said, "but people do come from all over the world. You wouldn’t knock a couple curves out of the Great Wall of China, would you?"

On the day of the December meeting the diocese announced that it had reached its goal of raising the estimated $4.7 million allotted to the "restoration project." Brown told reporters that he felt this indicated that Catholics in the Diocese of Covington largely support the proposed renovations. But those present at the December meeting felt differently. Most said that they had no idea they were pledging their money toward a "renovation" project. Bishop Muench was approached by numerous irate Catholics who believe they have been "duped" into donating to the restoration fund under false pretences. The bishop, who seemed very approachable, assumed a defensive posture, emphasizing that no deceit was intended.

During the fund-raising period from August through November of 1999, the diocese consistently advertised the project as one of "preservation, restoration, and refurbishment"—repairing pews, woodwork, murals, stained-glass windows, and cleaning the exterior of 100 years of smog. For those who were not able to attend the public meetings, there was no way for them to know that the plans for preservation had somehow mutated into a full-scale remodeling of the enormous century-old Gothic revival church. Many diocesan priests even felt misinformed about the project at the time they were asked to assist with the fund drive.

"My husband and I feel like we were lied to," said Nuxoll, who contacted the bishop’s office to request a refund of her donation towards the $10 million Faith 2000 campaign, of which 47% is allotted to the Cathedral’s renovation. The diocese, she said, is apparently willing to return her donation.

Joan Jasper of Villa Hills also requested the diocese to return her money. "I had originally planned to donate a thousand dollars because I love the cathedral," she explained. But she was advised by relatives to give only a small amount to begin with, and wait to see how the plans to restore the Cathedral developed. She’s glad now she did wait, she admits.

"They lied to me about what they’re going to do with my money," said Jasper. "If they’re lying to me about this, what else are they lying to me about?" she wondered.

Jasper, a parishioner at St. Joseph in Crescent Springs, said she should have suspected what was going to happen because a similar incident occurred during the renovation of her parish church. "At St. Joseph’s they showed us the ‘final plans’," she explained. "The tabernacle was going to be on the altar. They collected all the money, and then afterwards they showed us some new final plans." The renovation eventually included moving the tabernacle to the rear of the church, a drastic move in the opinion of many from the Crescent Springs parish. "They already tricked us up there," she lamented. "And now we’re being tricked at the cathedral too."

RELATED ARTICLE: Resistance to a Renovation in Petoskey, MI

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