Opposition to Basilica Renovation Plans Grows
Covington Catholics Organize to Oppose Architect's Proposals
(from the March/April 2000 issue)

BY MICHAEL S. ROSE

EVER SINCE THE IDEA of renovating Covington’s cathedral was introduced last August, opposition to the plans has been growing. Now the resistance has taken an organized form. A group calling itself the Ad Hoc Committee to Save the Cathedral Basilica is petitioning Bishop Robert Muench to desist with his plans to remodel the 90-year-old Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption, the mother church for the Diocese of Covington. A March 1 meeting called by the Committee garnered front-page publicity in The Kentucky Post. Committee spokesman, Dr. Arthur M. Kunath, a Fort Thomas rheumatologist, explained the group’s intentions: "We respect the authority of the bishop to do what he wants," Kunath told a crowd of around 75 gathered at the Drawbridge Inn that night in Ft. Mitchell. "But as a good bishop, he will listen to his flock," he added.

Save the Cathedral members are circulating a petition in an attempt to gather 5000 signatures by Easter. The petition asks that the Diocese of Covington "maintain the structure, design, and character" of the existing sanctuary "by restoring and refurbishing the architectural features and appointments," rather than remodeling the historic cathedral according to the architect’s proposals.

The Ad Hoc Committee has also started a letter-writing campaign to the bishop, and is distributing bumper stickers which read "Save Our Sanctuary." They also plan to hold a candlelight prayer vigil in front of the cathedral sometime during Lent.

An overwhelming "no!"
The Committee’s sentiments were echoed in a telephone poll conducted by The Kentucky Post in early March. When asked if the Cathedral Basilica ought to be renovated, northern Kentuckians responded by an overwhelming 7-1 margin, "no!" According to the poll results published in the March 11 Post, callers said they want to see the Basilica repaired and cleaned, but not remodeled and changed.

According to the Post report, Patricia Pace Eschenbach of Burlington explained that when she donated her time to help start the gift shop and museum at the cathedral, she "did it in good faith" because she though they were going to use the proceeds to "restore" the cathedral. "Now I’m taken aback and hurt by the fact they want to use it for renovation," she told the Post. "It’s an historic work of art that should be preserved," she added. "Any type of renovation would be like defacing Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper."

Grace Dillon of Ft. Mitchell also felt that the cathedral ought to be restored not renovated, "except the kneelers should be returned."

Sue Archambault of Burlington voiced her opinion in the phone poll: "If we would make any of those changes, we would be dishonoring and violating the architects, the artists, and the craftsmen who envisioned and created those beautiful artifacts for this one particular cathedral."

Marie Bailey, a member of the Cathedral parish for more than 50 years, told the Post she "helped pay to put that beautiful marble down there; so did my mother, and I absolutely don’t want to see the sanctuary changed."

Miriam Ware of Southgate said she’s also against the changes being proposed—rearranging the seats, moving the altar, and dismantling the baldachino. "When I contributed," she said, "the idea was to clean up and paint up. That’s all that needs to be done."

The $4.7 million project was introduced as a "restoration," and "refurbishment" project, but has since escalated into a full-scale radical remodeling of the church—something which has raised major objections by donors to the initial fundraising campaign. Many have asked the diocese for a refund of their donations.

The bishop is responsible to make the final decisions on the project upon recommendations given to him by the 31-member Cathedral renovation committee. Covington Catholics, in turn, are praying and hoping, that the renovation committee has the decency to listen to so many of the Catholics who have legitimately lodged serious misgivings and objections to the renovation plans. The Cathedral basilica is scheduled to be closed from the Day after Easter, 2001 until Advent for the renovation work. Final decisions on the designs are expected later this year.

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