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As early as 2015, there have been discussions
of building restaurants and shops under the square
that faces the cathedral, which meant the cathedral
would need to have been closed during the con-
struction phase. Many people fear the roof and
spire will not be rebuilt as it was before the fire, but
according to more modern styles. Already, world
class architects have provided blueprints for the
rebuilding of the cathedral’s roof and spire. Sev-
eral renderings include a glass roof to afford the
tourists a scenic view of Paris. Since Napoleon, the
state has been responsible for the upkeep of the
churches. Notre-Dame Cathedral belongs to the
state of France, and the state will thus have the last
say in the matter.
Heavenly Message
We may never know the true causes of the
fire. Let us move on to the second question: What
spiritual meaning should we attribute to this event?
Was it a warning from Heaven, a call to conversion,
or a symbol of the Church’s current state?
A few days after the fire, Bishop Dominique Rey
of the Frejus-Toulon diocese, wrote the following:
“The dramatic fire that consumed essential
parts of Notre-Dame de Paris is no doubt a sign for
our times, but a sign for whom and for what? Since
Monday night, Europe’s most visited monument
[receiving 14 million visitors per year], the cath- The Pieta, or Descent from the Cross, is the work
edral of the eldest daughter of the Church [France], of Nicolas Coustou. The sculpture dates back to 1715
has turned to ashes. and was displayed in the nave of Notre-Dame de Paris
“The whole world has listened and cried as Cathedral. It was spared by the fire.
it watched this wound to the heart of Paris. But
beyond this stone building and the architectural Week, whereby Christians enter into the Week of
treasure, it represents, beyond the treasures of the Passion and Resurrection of Christ, brings great
memory, art and the spirituality it contains; it is sorrow. What does the Lord want to tell us through
a more pressing call that resounds in our hearts. this trial? Faced with deadly scandal, we are head-
“This fire is not a simple accident but a sign of ing towards resurrection. Our hope will not fail us
since it is founded, not on buildings made of stone,
our times. Will we hear the warning to build a new forever in need of repair, but upon the Risen Lord
spiritual temple that was destroyed by the evils of who remains for eternity.”
today? A temple whose cornerstone is Christ, and
whose keystones are Faith, Hope and Charity, the On April 17, 2019, Bishop Athanasius Schneider,
virtues that lead us to God.” Auxiliary Bishop of the archdiocese of Saint Mary
On April 16, Paris Archbishop Michel Aupetit in Astana, Kazakhistan, said the following concern-
ing the Notre-Dame fire:
2
declared what follows to “Le Figaro”, a French daily
newspaper: “The lightning vehemence with which fire en-
“Beyond rebuilding the stonework, it is the gulfed the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris left
one with the impression that an unexpected event
whole Church we must rebuild through the conver- had come like a bolt from out of the blue. And yet,
sion of our heart. Our Lord told St. Francis of Assisi: viewed as a phenomenon, this tragedy came after
‘Go rebuild My Church that is falling to pieces…’ a series of hundreds of systematic arson attacks on
We have lost the beauty of the jewelry case but we various sacred objects belonging to the Catholic
have not lost the treasure within: The Word and the Church in France over the last year.
Body of Christ offered up for us.
“The spiritual sign given us through the burn- 2 https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/bishop-schneider-notre-
ing of our greatest church on this first day of Holy dame-fire-sign-of-spiritual-conflagration-in-the-church

14 MICHAEL May/June/July 2019 www.michaeljournal.org