Anger at bishop's plan to close dozens of Lancashire churches

BY FREDDY GRAY
THE DIOCESE of Lancaster has announced plans to shut down dozens of churches in the former Catholic heartland of central Lancashire.
Responding to rapidly shrinking Mass attendances, diminishing vocations and rising church maintenance costs, the dicoese has set out a proposal to merge a large number of its parishes and close more than 20 churches, including the Grade I listed St Walburge's, widely acknowledged as Preston's most striking building.
Many Lancashire Catholics are enraged at the news. On Sunday there was a protest against the pro posals outside St Walburge's.
Jim Aherne, a local Catholic, said: "I am deeply incensed, particularly about St Walburge's. We don't have much heritage in Preston, but that church is an important part of it.
"More than ever we need these vital churches. It was the poor people of Prestonwho built churches like St Walburge's in the first place. They should be given a chance to save it now."
The plans are part of the year-long "Fit for Mission?" review, initiated by Bishop Patrick O'Donoghue after it emerged that Lancaster diocese was £10 million in debt. However, the bishop said that the proposals had "little to do" with the diocese's financial crisis.
The review, which focuses on the areas of Preston and the Fylde, proposes a radical overhaul of the diocese's parish structure. It suggests turning some churches into "lighthouse churches" in which other religious groups can worship.
The latest figures released by the diocese show that the number of worshippers has dropped from 17,023 in 1974 to 6,427 in 2004. By 2020 it is estimated that there will be 4,500 faithful Catholics in Lancaster.
The review claims that by 2020 the diocese will have 10 priests under the age of 65. At present there 110 Lancaster priests, only 30 of whom are under 65.
According to the proposals, the number of parishes in Fylde, which includes the seaside town of Blackpool, would be cut from 27 to 13 by 2020. In Preston, meanwhile, 25 parishes would be clustered into 12. Ten of the city's 24 churches are to be closed.
Bishop O'Donoghue said that the draft review was published "to get the ball rolling" and encouraged his flock to "engage generously and courageously" with its proposals. "In this Mission Review what we are seeking most of all is the breath of new life," he wrote in a pastoral letter. "Under the Spirit we will fmd new ways of working, planning, sharing, building, witnessing and praying together. This indeed will not be without some pain."
Canon Aidan Turner, who is leading the "Fit for mission?" review, also denied that church closures were connected to Lancaster's financial problems.
"We have sorted out the crisis," he said. "We are OK now. We've clawed back the debt. We are not overspending."
Canon Turner added that "nothing was cut and dried" about the proposals. "If people want to have a col lection to keep a church open, we would be delighted to oblige," he said. "But we have to be realistic about the years to come."
He pointed to the example of St Walburge's, which he said attracts only 100 worshippers a week and is in need of more than £2 million for essential repairs.
He said: "In the next 10 years there will be half the number of worshippers. We need to reorganise so that we can continue to spread the message of peace and God.
"People might think we are being negative, but all we can do is look at numbers.
"If there is a sudden upsurge in Mass attendance, we would need much more suitable buildings than St Walburge's which was built 150 years ago.
"The aim of Preston Catholics back then was to say 'we're back, don't you dare persecute us now', which was great but was of the time.
"But we need to show what our vision of the Church is, what we think is important."
While parishioners expressed dismay at the draft review, Fr Michael Docherty of Our Lady Star of the Sea in Lytham St Anne's — the same parish as Canon Aidan Turner — wrote on the diocesan website: "As a young priest beginning a long ministry in the diocese ...
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