On Monday evening, Rachida Dati, Minister of Culture, and Mgr Éric de Moulins-Beaufort, President of the Bishops’ Conference, had a heated exchange of views on the question of free access to Notre-Dame de Paris, at the Catholic Church’s headquarters on avenue de Breteuil. The prelate received the minister to present the results of the first “États Généraux du Patrimoine Religieux”.

But three weeks before the reopening of Notre-Dame de Paris to worship, the idea launched last October by the Minister of Culture of charging tourists to enter the cathedral to create a fund that would be used to maintain France’s religious heritage, returned to the scene. The archbishop remained steadfast in his refusal. The Minister still hopes to convince him.

It was the archbishop of Reims who reopened this debate in his speech, relying on “the law of December 9, 1905“whichnotwithstanding its confiscation of property, is a law of liberty, guaranteeing freedom of worship and what we now call the religious liberty of citizens“. Consequently, “theplaces of worship are exclusively and wholly dedicated to worship, and access to them is free of charge“.

Betraying a vocation

Second charge, the president of the episcopate pointed out that churches, humble or majestic, “have always been places open to all, first and foremost to the poor, to those wounded by life, to those who need to mourn, to recover, to find refuge (…) Charging admission to maintain them would be a betrayal of their original vocation. In our societies, where everything is monitored and many things are accessible as long as you pay, France’s churches and cathedrals are a magnificent exception.“

Third charge: “Allow me to express the wish, however, that our churches and cathedrals be preserved from the increasing commodification of cultural sites, and from the fatal slope that transforms the discovery of their rich, full meaning, and the effort that this discovery requires, into a form of entertainment that spreads the messages that the public is supposed to be able to receive. The economic model that governs us, in which we live, has its limits; it doesn’t respect everything that humanity carries. “Even if, he conceded, “the religious, economic and social situation in our country is no longer the same as it was in 1905.“

And so, he concluded, “that it is good that these limits are made manifest. The vocation of religious heritage is to provide this service. No doubt it is costly for the community to hold that this heritage is not subject to economic laws, but such an attitude – the one adopted by our country for the moment – is promising for its future, if it is to be even more fraternal.“

Jdon’t despair, Monsignor, of convincing you.”

Rachida Dati, Minister of Culture

In response, the Minister of Culture first stepped out of her text, recalling her ” commitment to the Church “and ” protection of religious heritage “when she was mayor of this 7th arrondissement of Paris, evoking ” many battles “In this respect, we’ve been working with the Archdiocese of Paris, where Mgr Éric de Moulins-Beaufort was stationed. A first personal argument with this key: ” I do not despair, Monseigneur, of convincing you”..

She then developed the central argument in her speech: ” I am firmly convinced that a country that does not take care of its heritage is a country that does not take care of its future. That’s why I’ve made safeguarding religious heritage one of my priorities. And it’s also in this spirit that I’ve proposed that tourists who come to visit Notre-Dame should contribute to the preservation of the country’s religious heritage, through an entrance fee that would be donated to religious heritage throughout the country. “

Encouraging mobilization

For her ” this idea protects freedom of worship, and you know my attachment to this fundamental principle of our law. Above all, it could save a large part of our heritage. What could be more beautiful, more noble for Notre-Dame, rebuilt by the mobilization of all, by an unprecedented generosity, than to allow in its turn that religious buildings in danger can be saved? Beyond the material necessity of the measure, it is the symbolism of the measure that is most powerful. ”

She then acknowledged in conclusion: ” But I find it coherent, and I’d like us to be able to study it seriously together. “.

Improvising again, however, she retorted to the archbishop of Reims: ” I didn’t feel that I was ‘merchandizing’ religious heritage, Monseigneur, far from it, nor am I ‘merchandizing’ this place that so many French people need for their meditation. ”

Returning to her experience as mayor of the 7th, she repeated her personal argument aimed at achieving negotiation: ” With you, Monsignor, we achieved things together in a consensus and obviously with results. I hope we can find a way forward. “

Challenged by the press, the head of the French bishops observed “that it’s clear that state resources are not enough, and never have been, so it’s necessary to bring together state and private money, but religious heritage is not of the same nature as other parts of our architectural heritage. Visiting a church is not the same as visiting a château.. “

A guide to sponsorship

As for the Minister of Culture, she observed: ” I believe in a strong State, I believe in the State. And France can be proud of this strong State. Hence the need for public funding, because we need to be able to support freedom of worship, which I associate with religious heritage. So the State must never abandon its religious heritage, that’s my conviction. “But she added: ” Everyone has a responsibility to contribute to the protection of our religious heritage. “.

As for the “États généraux du patrimoine religieux”, the Church’s aim was to draw up an inventory of religious buildings: 87 of the 94 dioceses responded, with 40,068 churches owned by local authorities, and 2,145 owned by the diocese. The idea is to help owners, whether town councils or dioceses, gain a better understanding of the richness of their heritage, in order to enhance it.

Hence, in particular, the publication of a ” guide to sponsorship of religious heritage “The Catholic Church will be sending this guide to all French mayors to help them solve the problems of financing and managing restoration projects for their churches.

Another open avenue is the development of a ” convention “so that religious buildings are useful to the communities that own them, not only for the worship that is celebrated there, but also for other uses, particularly cultural ones. “said the president of the bishops. ” We are committed to the notion of “activities compatible with worship” in preference to any other formulation.“he insisted, in order to respect the religious nature of the premises while promoting “ an interesting dialogue between parishes and communes. “