Building and Maintenance Policy
Appendix I
January 20, 2012
Guidelines for the Renovation of Liturgical Worship Spaces
Taking its cue from Sacrosanctum Concilium’s first principle of liturgical reform, the Sacred Congregation of Rites (Consilium) stated in Inter Oecumenici, First Instruction on the Orderly Carrying out of the Constitution on the Liturgy,
In building new churches or restoring and adapting old ones every care is to be taken that they are suited to celebrating liturgical services authentically and that they ensure active participation by the faithful.[1]
Because it belongs to the diocesan bishop to oversee the entire liturgical life of the diocese entrusted to his care (c. 835, §1), the building and arrangement of churches, oratories, and chapels is a concern not only for the parish community but also the entire diocesan Church. Ultimately, it is the Bishop of Stockton who approves all renovation plans.Therefore, these Guidelines are intended to assist pastors in determining the proper diocesan process concerning the building or renovation of a worship space.
The renovation of a worship space can encompass anything from simply repainting the interior walls to redesigning the arrangement of the liturgical furnishings. Canon 1216 reminds pastors that the consultation of experts is to be sought when building or renovating a church.[2]Clearly the breadth of consultation and the process required should reflect whether a community is building a new church or simply installing a different color of carpeting.
Within the Diocese of Stockton, the USCCB document Built of Living Stones is to be observed as local statute and followed.
Definitions
By worship space is understood any church, oratory, chapel, or room where liturgy is celebrated regularly. It means not only the “sanctuary” but the total environment for worship, including the seating arrangements for the assembly, auxiliary chapels, lighting and sound considerations, devotional areas, auxiliary rooms, and placement of sacred art as these affect worship.
By building is meant the creation and erection of a new worship space or the addition of new space or rooms onto an existing worship space.
By renovation is understood a permanent alteration of the worship space. A renovation can be major or cosmetic. A major renovation includes, but is not limited to, the relocation of liturgical fixtures (e.g., altar, ambo, chair, font, tabernacle), a reconfiguration of assembly seating, or change in an auxiliary area. Cosmetic renovation refers to the refurbishing of existing structures. Re-carpeting or re-painting, even if the same color and regardless of cost, are examples of this minor form of renovation. Maintenance of the worship space, e.g., touch up painting, heavy cleaning, etc, are not included under cosmetic renovation.
Processes
A 1 When a parish is considering a project involving worship space costing or valued less than $50,000 (even if cosmetic in nature):
The pastor is to submit in writing to the Vicar General with a copy to the Director of the Office for Worship a preliminary proposal, the reason for the project, the financial resources available to pay for the project, the appropriate consultations with the parish pastoral and finance councils, and a list of proposed architects, contactors and workers.
A 2 When a parish is considering a project costing or valued in excess of $50,000 the process is to be followed as outlined in the Diocese of Stockton Building and Maintenance Policyand the Process for the construction and Renovation of Churches and Worship Spaces in the Diocese of Stockton.
Appendix I, Page 1
[1] 26 September 1964, 90.
[2] See also, General Instruction of the Roman Missal, 291.