The approximate 10-metre silky oak railing with stainless steel supports was donated to Christ the King Church at Taralga when it was built in 1934.

Parishioners are also questioning the Catholic Church hierarchy’s right to remove internal items from the State Heritage listed Romanesque style structure.

Parish Council member Shaun Fanning, a parishioner of 10 years, said the removal in early September had upset people.

“A lot feel it was an unnecessary act which doesn’t achieve anything,” he said

“They also feel it was placed there as a bequest but it’s been removed arbitrarily.”

Mary Mudie donated the rail to the church in memory of her late husband, according to ‘History of the Catholic Church in Taralga’ by Patricia Blay.

The Mudies ran the Taralga Hotel in the 1920s. Details of the bequest were provided to the State Heritage Office for the 2004 listing on the State Heritage listing, along with information about other internal items.

Mr Fanning said parish priest Fr Dermid McDermott first mooted the railing’s removal last February, explaining that it got in the way when celebrating Masses. It was also problematic when moving coffins during funerals.

But Mr Fanning said this had not been an issue in the past.

When Fr McDermott first floated the idea, Archbishop Mark Coleridge quashed the removal after parishioners wrote to him, according to Mr Fanning.

“It surfaced again in September and within a week it had been removed. Some people feel it was done without consultation,” he said.

“I think people feel it is an unnecessary interference with the fabric of the church.”

Parishioners are also at a loss to understand the Archbishop’s turnaround.

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