Row over chapel transfer

AN EXTRAORDINARY row has broken out among Catholics in Sheffield following the transfer of a chapel from one parish to another.
A number of the parishioners in Hackenthorpe, who were involved in the establishment of the chapel fifteen years ago, say that the building is their only social centre and they accuse the Diocese of Hallam of acting undemocratically.
Bishop Gerald Moverley of Hallam, and top diocesan officials, claim that the situation has been blown out of proportion by a small unrepresentative. number of parishioners, but the objectors say that at a recent Sunday Mass more than 90 per cent of the congregation signed a petition objecting to the transfer decision.
They further claim that they were only given a couple of weeks to object to the transfer of the chapel of St Anthony in Raeburn Road, Gleadless, to the Parish of St Theresa of the Child Jesus in Manor, Fr Pat O'Connor, parish priest at St Theresa's, said the move was an administrative matter that had been accepted by a majority of parishioners. It was the bishop's decision, he said, and it was the bishop's job to decide on the priorities of the diocese.
The decision to transfer the chapel came after one of the two priests at Hackenthorpe was moved to nearby Rotherham, leaving just Fr Ned Bedford at the parish's main church, Our Lady of Lourdes.