In 2022, during a visit to Paris, Fr Frank O’Loughlin took a series of photographs of Notre Dame Cathedral to show the work being carried out to restore the building following the fire in April 2019 (visit the Parish Blog Repairing Notre Dame).

Fr Frank has just returned from Europe, and his beloved Paris, where he once again took a series of photographs to show how Notre Dame looks one year later.

In the first picture of the photograph collage (left), we see Notre Dame from the left bank of the Seine.  You would hardly notice any difference.  Works are continuing at a pace; they hope to be finished by the end of 2024.

The second picture (centre) shows people at work inside the Cathedral; and the third picture (right) shows a grandstand-like structure which has been erected in front of Notre Dame so that people can get a view at the façade.

The new altar, lectern, Bishop’s chair and baptistery have also been designed.  But not everyone is happy with the “noble simplicity” of the designs requested by Paris Archbishop Laurent Ulrich, who asked that “the works presented be respectful of the place, its history, its strong symbolism constituted by the mission it has fulfilled over the centries”.   Read the full article and view the proposed designs at Notre Dame Cathedral’s New Interior Design Unveiled, National Catholic Register.