the essential
The Cantica Sacra association and the Catholic authorities have reached an agreement on the use of the Rocamadour organ. The mediation of the Lot prefecture played a role. But everything is not over, far from it.
It is a first step but there is still a long way to go: thanks to the mediation of the prefect of Lot Claire Raulin, the sanctuary of Rocamadour with the diocese and the Cantica Sacra association reached an agreement on January 15.
Before the program announcement
It concerns the use of the organ of the Saint-Sauveur basilica and the provision of the basilica and other churches in the Lot for the association's concerts. It was about time: on January 17, Cantica Sacra was to unveil the program for the 2025 Rocamadour Festival that it is organizing. However, the previous agreement to occupy the premises ended on December 31, 2024. And over the years, relations had become strained between the association and the sanctuary. “The conflict could prevent the association from accessing the organ,” says Stéphan Perreau, its president. At one time, there was even talk that the 2025 festival would not be held in the sanctuary.
Jean-Jacques Brot, advisor to the rector of the sanctuary, nevertheless underlines the desire of the bishop to obtain an agreement before January 17: “Monsignor Camiade wanted to give visibility to Cantica Sacra which is a cultural company which has employees “. So “in a spirit of harmony and fairness, we signed,” says Stéphan Perreau, especially since the association feared not even being able to access the other churches in the Lot.
The license expires on February 25
In short, the agreement determines who can use the organ and in what context: religious, cultural, educational. What rejoices the president of Cantica Sacra: the organ was little used and these instruments must “be played” to function well. If the prefect, in a press release, “thanks the parties for their constructive spirit and the solutions found” in order to strengthen “the influence of Rocamadour and its territory”, these “parties” also thank her for her involvement. So, the chapter is closed?
-Not sure. “It’s a convention that needs to be lived. We need to deepen the discussion on the distribution of burdens,” says Jean-Jacques Brot. Then it only lasts one year, renewable by tacit agreement. Cantica Sacra would have liked a five-year agreement to match the duration of entertainment entrepreneur licenses. And we come to another difficulty. The license awarded to the association expires on February 25. Without it, it would be impossible for each entity to program more than six concerts in the basilica. What threatens the festival programming? No, reassures the president. At worst, “we will undoubtedly cut back on Organ Moments. Not on state-owned concerts”.
“We own the organ”
The next mediation project will focus on this license. Will anyone be a candidate? Cantica Sacra? Nobody is speaking out. In any case, the application will be studied and validated by the State services. For Jean-Jacques Brot, “this will only be resolved when the municipality of Rocamadour takes part in the discussions”.
There remains one last, crucial problem: the ownership of the organ. Cantica Sacra collected donations to finance it, pays for its maintenance, etc. “We own the organ in the legal sense,” assures the president. An Amadourian collective does not share this opinion. “We don’t make property an absolute priority,” says Jean-Jacques Brot, referring to the collective. “No one wants to go to trial,” sighs Stéphan Perreau, “because basically, we make music and music softens morals.”
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