Keep Existing or Build New Church - Split

[Son_of_Zebedee]

Hi - there our parish is split on the issue of keeping our existing Churches (3) or build a new one. Both sides are very deep in their positions and things are starting to get ugly. Anybody else have the same issue or have gone throught the same? Thanks!

 

[Ferdinand_Mary]

I have moved this thread here from another sub-forum - I’m hopeful you will give the OP your usual good advice.

Mane Nobiscum Domine,
Ferdinand Mary

 

[anna1978]

It depends…why is there a need for a new church? Is the congregation growing? Do people feel the old church is not pretty enough, or too ‘old-fashioned’…What are the arguments pro and con?

Our parish had this problem several times in its history: in 1893, when Catholicism was allowed openly again in Britain a small church was built, initially for only 3 or 4 families, at Nunsfield. Then, as the congregation grew that ‘chapel’ became part of an old-people’s home, as their Catholic chapel, and a new, bigger church was built only a street away…When in the 1940s that building was outgrown, the choice was to extend the church and make it bigger, to knock it down and build a new one, or to build a second church. At the time, a lot of Catholic Irish were moving into Priorswood, half an hour up the road, and it was decided to build a second church there…So, that’s how our parish has dealt with it. But it really depends WHY this is happening, and how the problem could be solved .

Anna x

 

[asquared]

first step is for pastor and committee he appoints to meet with the bishop, because status in your neighborhood is evaluated along with needs of the entire diocese. then go from there. Might already be a plan in the work to add new parishes, change boundaries etc.