Catholic churches facing closure

Photo: Phil Cunningham

Father Paul Daly, from Our Lady and St Joseph’s Parish, Heywood

Four Catholic churches in the Borough are facing closure as part of a major reform of the region’s Catholic diocese.

With fewer people going to church and a shortage of priests, it is said to be “no longer sustainable” to keep the present number of churches open, and a consultation is under way to establish the best way to make cuts.

The proposed closures that concern the borough of Rochdale are:

• Sacred Heart, Rochdale and St Mary, Littleborough and St Patrick, Rochdale (with suggested closure of one church)
• Holy Family, Rochdale and St Gabriel & the Angels, Rochdale and St John the Baptist, Rochdale (with suggested closure of one church)
• St Vincent, Rochdale
• Our Lady and St Joseph, Heywood (with suggested closure of Our Lady)
• Our Lady of the Assumption, Middleton and St Peter, Middleton and St Thomas More, Middleton and St Agnes & St John Fisher, Middleton (with suggested closure of St John Fisher – and would need two priests)

Bishop of Salford John Arnold said in the report: “This consultation is concerned to produce the best possible distribution of buildings and priestly availability for the whole Diocese. Personal loyalties and affections for buildings or priests need to be put aside if we are to be as objective as possible.

“I can well understand that there will be disappointment among people who may see proposals for their churches to close or their habitual times for Masses disrupted or the possibility of their priest being moved. We must be thinking of the best possible arrangements so that our parish communities can focus on developing their missionary character.

He added: “We might well have considerably fewer priests than in the recent past in the light of the fact that we have enjoyed the presence of so many Irish priests who have generously served in our Diocese. They are now reaching retirement or have already retired. They will not be replaced.”

Father Paul Daly, from Our Lady and St Joseph’s Parish in Heywood, explained how churches are expensive to maintain and that it is simply no longer sustainable to keep them going. He said: “Many people will be very saddened by the news that it is proposed to close Our Lady and St. Paul’s church. However, it won’t come as a surprise to the congregation. We have been talking openly at Mass about the possibility of closure for many months now.
At a parish meeting everyone who expressed an opinion recognised that the Mass-going Catholic community of Heywood cannot afford to keep two church buildings. Both churches are incredibly expensive to maintain and every penny of the running costs of the parish has to come from those 500 or so people who come along on a Sunday to Mass in Heywood.”

He added: “Our Lady and St. Paul’s church holds a lot of memories for a lot of people. Many people in our parish can remember it being built. Whatever final decision is made, we will find ways to keep those memories alive.

“Nothing about the proposal affects Our Lady and St. Paul’s Primary School, which will continue to be such a vital part of our parish community. Both churches (St. Joseph’s and Our Lady and St. Paul’s) have been one parish since 2010; regardless of any decision, we need to grow together as one community, grow closer to God in our worship and prayer, and look outwards to where people are hurting or hungry in Heywood and in the Developing World.

Currently, the proposed closures are at consultation stage and it is understood no decisions have been made.