History versus church rights

Mission leader takes on preservation board mandate

CARYN TAMBER - The York Dispatch
Wednesday, December 08, 2004 -

The leader of a church that is renovating a historic York City building is accusing the Historical Architectural Review Board of violating his religious freedom by trying to force him to uncover a date stone placed on the building by another church.

Saints Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Mission, a Traditional Catholic church, holds Mass at 129 S. Beaver St.

Since the building's construction in 1906, it has housed two synagogues, a Protestant church and now, the mission.

The stone in question, which is at the base of the building's north tower, bears the name of the Holy Chapel Church of God, which occupied the building in the 1970s, and the name of its pastor.

David Drew, chairman of Saints Peter and Paul, says asking a Catholic church to keep the name of a Protestant church on its building is a slap in the face -- so he covered it with concrete.

HARB had previously given the mission permission to cover the date stone with a plaque, but last month, the board voted to recommend that the church not be allowed to install its own plaque until it removes the concrete. Drew refuses to take off the concrete.

"Objectively, when you tell a Catholic they have to post a Protestant sign in front of their church ... that's religious bigotry," Drew told the York City Council last night. It is "nothing but bigotry to insist that a Catholic church has to have this kind of sign
out front."

Drew told the council he would not remove the concrete, no matter what city officials say, because "there are some things that are more important than HARB's view of what constitutes historical significance."

Closed session, delayed vote: The council votes on all of HARB's recommendations. After Drew's comments, though, the council went into a closed-door executive session to discuss the matter.

The executive session was called at the suggestion of solicitor Donald Hoyt to discuss the possibility that the church might appeal the council's decision to York County Common Pleas Court.

The council decided to delay voting on the date stone issue until Hoyt can review the case and give a legal opinion.

Drew is accusing HARB of violating the state's Religious Freedom Protection Act, which requires government not place undue hardship on someone practicing his or her religion.

Barb Raid, an advisor to HARB, dismissed Drew's charge of discrimination.

"HARB has no interest at all in who owns a building and what it's being used for," she said. HARB's mission is simply to "protect architectural features."

Raid said HARB members thought allowing the mission to put its plaque on top of the old date stone was a "good compromise," even though the new plaque would damage the corners of the date stone.

Raid also questioned why the Jewish symbols on the building "are apparently not a problem" for the mission.

Drew said the Jewish content, like stars of David on the building and biblical scenes on the stained glass windows, are not objectionable to Catholics. But he did hint that the church will endeavor to remove a "Masonic symbol" from one window.

"A Masonic symbol is not compatible with Catholicism," he said.

Drew also questioned how important the stone is to HARB, since they are willing to let it be covered.

Residents speak: City resident Ed Berry weighed in on the church's side.

"I don't see how you have any authority to tell the man what he can do with his church," Berry said.

But resident Michael Helfrich spoke of the community's interest in preserving the date stone.

"The fact that it does have the date stones is really a blessing," Helfrich said. He said he imagines people looking at the building in the future and saying, "look at what a neat building and look at how many different uses."

The mission has had other problems with HARB, too. Earlier this year, the council upheld HARB's decision to deny the church permission to take down the physically unstable top of the north tower. HARB recommended denial on grounds that the church had no plans to restore the tower later.

-- Reach Caryn Tamber at 854-1575 or ctamber@yorkdispatch.com .

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