Religion: Costly Basilica

All churches must keep books as well as the Book. One of the odder financial problems besetting the Roman Catholic Church came to light in Lourdes last week. The occasion: a stern message to his flock from Bishop Pierre-Marie Théas of Tarbes and Lourdes, a churchman who has long battled commercialization of France’s famed shrine (TIME, July 21). This time Bishop Théas’ anger was aimed at Lourdes’ own Roman Catholic Information Center: “Henceforth Catholics must, as a matter of conscience, abstain from membership, gifts or subscriptions [to the center]. The presence on its committee of priests foreign to the diocese is an aggravating circumstance.”

Back of the aggravation was a history of near financial disaster which began three years ago with Bishop Theas’ approval of costly plans for a new underground basilica in Lourdes. To pay for the $2,800,000 structure, the bishop borrowed from bankers against future donations from pilgrims. But no sooner was ground broken than floods threatened to sweep away the foundations; the cost of repairs doubled the final estimate to some $5,600,000. With half the original funds already spent, Théas again applied to the bankers, but was turned down.

As work ground to a halt, Théas appealed to Pope Pius XII, who put him in touch with energetic, persuasive Monsignor George Roche, onetime parish priest in Poitiers, France, head of a lay order, Opus Cenaculi (work of the cenacle). The group, originally backed by Melvina Rivet, a wealthy Canadian widow in her 80s, had raised millions to build schools and churches in France and Italy.

Roche underwrote the basilica, but in return demanded complete control of all basilica finances in Lourdes. He formed a small controlling group called “Association of the Friends of Lourdes” (among the members: Backer Melvina Rivet), which promptly required shrine passes from all pilgrims (86^ for French, $1.72 for foreigners), launched sidelines to bring in more money—sale of medals, souvenirs, books. Aghast at more commercialism, Bishop Théas protested to Rome, which finally sent a coadjutor bishop to keep an eye on the enterprising association.

Last month the smoldering fuss flared further. The tinder: Lourdes’ new Information Center, founded with the blessings of France’s Cardinal Tisserant. Bishop Théas discovered not only that one of the center’s staff priests belonged to Opus Cenaculi, but that it was planning to start its own publishing house instead of devoting all revenue to the basilica.

Last week, as Bishop Théas called on his diocese to boycott the “foreigners,” the new basilica stood finally finished. Less splendid was the open feud among churchmen. As Paris’ Le Monde put it: “Monsignor Théas has paid a heavy price for his basilica in every sense of the word.”