The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception at Independence Square in downtown Port of Spain, the Minor Basilica of the Archdiocese of Port of Spain will be restored and renovated at a cost of somewhere between $30 and $40 million.

The decision was revealed by Archbishop Edward Gilbert, head of the Roman Catholic Church in Trinidad and Tobago in his weekly column in the Catholic News last weekend (read column) when he admitted that his decision was guided by the” substantial support for the renovation/restoration project of the Cathedral where it presently stands.”

As a result the Archbishop has requested from the architectural firm responsible for the project to submit to him as soon as possible an overall plan (Modernisation Concept) for the project.

He has also requested an outline of Phase One of the project along with its projected cost, which must include a list of the construction challenges to be faced which are at present affecting the stability of the building.

Archbishop Gilbert said on receipt of this information, “I shall continue and specify the base for the present consultation/information process to include the clergy, parish administrators, religious superiors and the leadership of public associations of Christ’s faithful.”

He added that on Tuesday June 8 he would begin consultations with the priests, deacons and parish administrators on the fund raising process for the project and he reminded his flock that the archdiocese raised $2.5 million in just over two weeks for the people of Haiti following the devastating earthquake which hit that country a few months ago.

Restoration of the Cathedral is the largest project ever attempted by the Archdiocese of Port of Spain.

Archbishop Gilbert said, “Processes similar to this project can facilitate broad-based ownership within the Archdiocese and bring the vicariates of the archdiocese into closer collaboration and deeper solidarity.”

He added that it was his hope that future consultations on this project (and other projects important to the Archdiocese) would see greater participation.