Church spars with city over symbols

A Roman Catholic mission wants to mask Jewish, Protestant and Masonic features.

By MIKE HOOVER
Daily Record/Sunday News

A Roman Catholic mission already at odds with York officials for covering a Protestant date stone wants to replace a Star of David, cover a Jewish date stone and remove Masonic symbols from nearly century-old stain glass windows.

Saints Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Mission requested the changes as part of ongoing renovations at 129 S. Beaver St.

Because the building is in the city's historic district, exterior changes must be approved by the city council. The city's Historic Architectural Review Board is to review the changes Aug. 17.

City Council President Cameron Texter said he is reluctant to consider the requests because the mission defied a previous December city order to repair a 1973 Protestant date stone for New Holy Chapel Church. The date stone was covered with a layer of concrete by the mission, which said it found the Protestant symbol offensive and "anti-Catholic."

Texter said the mission did not get the proper city approvals, and when the council tried to enforce the rules, a mission member called him a "Nazi."

"They have no respect for the history of the building or for following the rules," Texter said.

According to the application filed with Historic York Inc., the city's historic consultant, a plaque would be placed over a 1906 date stone for Adas Israel Synagogue, a crucifix would cover the Star of David above the building's main entrance and Masonic symbols would be removed from the original stained glass windows.

Melinda G. "Mindy" Higgins, executive director for Historic York, said she is most concerned with altering the stained glass. Preservationists frown upon changes that destroy the building's historic fabric, she said. If the changes are made, they should be reversible to the original condition, she said.

"What they are proposing to do. Will it be reversible? Will the glass be maintained so it could be replaced in the future?," Higgins asked.

Dr. David Drew, chairman of the mission's governing body, could not be reached for comment.

Drew has said the Catholic church has fundamental and theological problems with the Masons, which he called a secret society with heretical teachings. He also defended removing the Protestant symbol, saying the city cannot order the restoration of a date stone offensive to the Catholic church.

Drew maintains the mission is protected under the Pennsylvania Religious Freedom Act, while city officials say they have the authority to protect and preserve historic buildings under Pennsylvania case law.

The battle over the Protestant date stone never emerged. Drew promised a common plea and federal court battle if the city followed through in the council's orders to restore the Protestant date stone. The city did not enforce the order.

Higgins and Texter said city officials and historic preservationists were aware of the mission's latest renovation plan last year. Texter said he hoped the mission would be reasonable and not force the city's hand.

"If we don't treat them like everyone else, we might as well throw our historic regulations in the waste bag," Texter said.

Higgins said she doesn't like the adversarial tone that began when the mission wanted to tear down unique copper domes, called onion domes, the area's sole example of Moorish or Oriental Revival architecture. The city refused.

"Just because they didn't cooperate in the past doesn't mean we won't try to get a reasonable solution. There is always room for compromise," Higgins said.

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