Following a meeting of the parish administrators in February, the two options which received the most support were -:

· build a Cathedral Complex somewhere in the central Vicariate; and

· restore/renovate the Cathedral in its present location.

Two other recommendations were discussed at that meeting, but did not receive significant support. They were:

· build a new modern cathedral on the site of the Catholic Centre and its attendant parking lot; and

· build a new and modern cathedral and use the present cathedral as a parish church.

Cost of the project has been estimated at $30 million.

Earlier this year, plans were being formulated to have a joint project to restore/renovate both the Cathedral and the Sacred Heart Church on Richmond Street at a cost of some $40 million, but it was argued that the cathedral church being the principal church of the archdiocese, should be dealt with separately.

Archbishop Gilbert is calling on all church leaders and administrators to discuss fully with their congregations, a questionnaire which will be circulated in all parishes and which should be returned to the Office of the Chancellor by May 01 2010.

“The challenge of making an informed decision about the Cathedral of the Archdiocese, along with the implementation of the Pastoral Plan from the Synod for the next five years could be an opportunity in this post-Synod period to develop a significant level of unity throughout the entire archdiocese.