Sir, - Thomas and Tessa Daly (November 5th) request "those who are proposing the alterations to Cobh Cathedral to write to Cardinal Ratzinger, who will confirm what Vatican II has to say on this subject."
The Cardinal gave his views on the reordering of churches in a reply to Bishop Ryan of Carlow on June 12th 1996 (produced in the Supreme Court in connection with a heritage case yet to be tried). Cardinal Ratzinger wrote: "Your Excellency, - Thank you for your letter of April 18th in which you asked for a clarification of certain observations attributed to me by Mr Michael Davies in a letter recently published by a local newspaper in your diocese.
"The context of these comments was a discussion of the church's liturgical legislation in the period after the Second Vatican Council. I could not but acknowledge that in this legislation there exists no mandate, in the primary sense of the term as a command or an order, to move the tabernacle from the high altar to another position in the church.
"With respect to the replacement of the tabernacle, the instruction Inter oecumenici (26/9/64) par. 95, which implemented the decisions of Sacrosanctrum consilium, states quite clearly that one option is that the Blessed Sacrament be reserved on the high altar, a possibility envisaged also by Eucharisticum Mysterium (25/5/67) par. 54.
"The fact that the post-conciliar legislation of the Church does not impose architectural changes, while at the same time not excluding them, provides the diocesan bishop with the necessary latitude for making decisions in the light of the pastoral needs of his particular church, taking account also of the situation in the neighbouring dioceses.
"It is certainly true that a great number of churches since the Second Vatican Council have been rearranged; such changes, while inspired by the liturgical reform, cannot however be said to have been required by the legislation of the Church.
"In conclusion, it is the right and the duty of the local bishop to decide on these questions and, having done so, to help the faithful to come to an understanding of the reasons for his decision.
"Trusting that this explanation proves helpful to you in your particular circumstances and with an assurance of kind regards, I remain sincerely yours in Christ, Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger." - Yours, etc.,
Clement T. Grennan, OP, St Saviour's, Upper Dorset Street, Dublin 1.