Sir, - Anyone passing through Ballymahon, in Co Longford, cannot but be impressed by the beautiful stone built Roman Catholic Church. The interior of the building is equally delightful - that is, what remains of the original. Unfortunately the high altar, marble back drop, alter rails and one side alter have all been removed and replaced, some time in the recent past, with a flimsy free standing screen at the rear wall, and an incongruous card table type altar.
An architect's sketch on display in the church would seem to indicate that further internal modifications are proposed, including getting rid of the attractive remaining side altar. I respectfully suggest that this should not be done. Further, I believe that the most obvious way of enhancing the interior would be to restore the original altars, polished marble facing to rear wall, and altar rails.
Within that arrangement, it should by now be patently obvious to everyone, the requirements of Vatican II could be perfectly accommodated. Anyway, why should a hallowed and elegant ambience be desecrated on the basis of revisionist liturgical introversion? An exquisite interior, which has been achieved with a properly proportioned and splendidly crafted high altar as its central and focal point, is effectively eunuchated when the altar is replaced with the equivalent of a butcher's block.
I would hope that the parishioners of Ballymahon will be able to have regard for their priceless heritage. After all, and not far away, Longford Cathedral has only been denuded of its altar rails and, commendably, Mullingar Cathedral has preserved its total integrity.
The importance of these old buildings is such that even if religion were to go out of fashion, or more extremely were to be outlawed like in Penal times, they should be preserved intact. As venerated places of worship, it is totally feasible to do this and at the same time to comply with liturgical considerations. - Yours, etc.,
Kenlis Lodge,
Kells,
Co Meath.
PS: I think that this Ballymahon church must be Roman Catholic, although generally I depend on a rough and ready way of identification for these beautiful old buildings. Neat and well kept for Presbyterian dilapidated or needing attention for Protestant. But, to use a colloquial analogy, if its heart and guts have been pulled out, it must be Catholic.