We scientists don't know how to do that

There is nothing new about the above quote I suppose but it was rather nicely put. I found it in a timeline yesterday and I copied it off for the Senior Cat - who rather liked the way it was put as well.  And then, in this morning's paper, there is the news that the world heritage listed cathedral in our city is in urgent need of repairs - about $9m worth of repairs. 
The cathedral has been seen by millions of people around the world on more than one occasion. It is probably almost as well known as the places like St Paul's, Notre Dame, and Milan. Any cricket tragic would recognise it. It is the backdrop to the oval on which many a Test Match has been played. It sits on the small hill and looks down on the city. 
It is not a particularly ornate cathedral. If you want to see something very similar to it then visit St Mary's in Saffron Walden, England. No, St Mary's is not a cathedral but the architecture of the two places is so very similar that the two big pencil sketches of St Mary's I own have fooled more than one person into believing that they are of St Peter's instead.
I know that there will be a slew of letters in the paper tomorrow asking why the state government should be expected to provide anything towards the restoration. "It's a church. Who is interested in churches? People don't go to church. If the few who do go to church want to save it then let them pay for it."
And over the past decade or so "the church" has had some really appalling publicity, mostly about sexual abuse but also some financial and other scandals. Of course "the church" isn't alone in all this but it is somehow far worse when it is an institution which is supposed to teach the most important idea of all, that of "love one another" - and do it  unconditionally.
But, should that stop a cathedral being repaired? Over the past decade the cathedral has changed the way it functions. It is no longer just a place of worship. It has become a venue for concerts and theatre and art exhibitions. There are more people who go to visit it than ever before. Does that make it worth saving? 
Is there some point in saving one of the great organs of the world? That needs to be disassembled and sent back to England for repairs. It's an enormous undertaking in its own right. Some of the organ pipes literally weigh a tonne and are three storeys high. Yes, I know not everyone likes "organ music" or "church music"  or "hymns". It merely suggests to me that not enough is known about these things because the variety is immense - and often very modern.
I wonder whether selfishness, greed, and apathy will get in the way of repairing a cultural icon? Will it require some sort of spiritual transformation if the cathedral is to be saved? Is it less important than the oval it looks down on and which the government poured millions of dollars into "upgrading"? 
No, I don't go to church but I still think the cathedral is worth saving. It will be worth saving if just one child somewhere in the future walks into the building and says, "It's big. How did they make it?" or "I like those windows. I'd like to make something like that" or "that concert was cool man. Let's do some more."
Cathedrals have many uses.