Jesuits announce church reprieve

THE JESUITS this week announced a reprieve for the church and parish of St Mary's on the Quay, Bristol.
The decision to stop the closure followed a public outcry. The church's future had been put in jeopardy by the crippling costs of a proposed restoration scheme.
The Jesuit's provincial superior. Fr 14 I Maher, out
lined a new scheme when he spoke at all Masses in St Mary's last Sunday. He said it would cost about £350,000 at today's prices. whereas the original scheme would have cost more than £400,000 a year ago.
Fr Maher said benefactors had givena "watertight guarantee" of a £100,000 grant, and this would he backed up by a public aPPeal.
He said that local feeling was in favour of maintiang St Mary's bacause it was the only Catholic church in the centre of Bristol, and was used by many people from other parishes, especially on weekdays.
Last year's closure decision stipulated that the Jesuits would continue to work in Bristol in a pastoral centre. But, efforts to find inexpensive alternative premises or to share with other churches had failed.
The new scheme will include only essential restoration work and a new presbytery will be built on the site of two adjoining church halls. The existing presbytery will be sold. Parish investments will contribute £80,000, but £135,000 will have to be Found through the appeal.
The Superior at St Mary's, Fr Thomas Connor, siad the value of the church would be enghanced because the priests would now be "on the spot". The present presbytery is a quarter of a mile from the church.
St Mary's, which is a "listed" building, was built by the Irvirtgite sect in 1790.
Bill read
THE HOUSE of Commons last week gave an unopposed first reading to a private member's Bill which would repeal the 150year-old offences of sleeping rough. begging and being found on enclosed premises. The Bill, presented by Catholic MP for St Pancras North, Jock Stallard, is due to get its second reading today.