The Future of the Parish of Holy Cross & All Saints, Warley

Transcription

1 The Future of the Parish of Holy Cross & All Saints, Warley Introduction In every age the Church has, with faith and trust, faced up to a multitude of challenges, confident always that Christ is with us until the end of time. When, however, the Church has sometimes lost its way and retreated into itself, its mission has suffered and the good news of God s grace has ceased to be proclaimed with true hope and vitality. The ever present danger has always been that we may prefer tangible earthly securities to the eternal truth, and thus to resign ourselves to the familiar rather than to embrace the glory to which we are all called. In these circumstances the Church is reflected in our own likeness while the good news is no longer life-giving. The Church, even now, is forced to confront a multitude of problems. How, for example, are we to communicate the good news of Jesus Christ, and to profess our faith in a way that is both authentic and attractive? How are we to be a force in society for justice and peace, and how are we to deepen our understanding of the sacramental mysteries entrusted to us by Christ? How are we to make our worship of God the source and summit of all that we do? And how are we to rethink structures, that may have served us well in the past, but which are now in this twenty-first century no longer fit for the evangelising mission of the Church? These fundamental questions lie at the heart of the anxieties and challenges being considered by priests and communities across the land, and are particularly relevant when considering the future of the parish of Holy Cross. The roots of the difficulties at Holy Cross may be thought of as follows: i. Being a linked parish. Since 2000, Holy Cross has been linked with the Cathedral parish. Inevitably, the linking has caused unhappiness among some Holy Cross parishioners, which has never been satisfactorily resolved. For them there has always been the fear that the parish might eventually face closure; and this anxiety has tended to make this section of the community inward-looking and defensive. This has also inhibited their ability to imagine new ways to invigorate the parish and make the gospel known beyond the confines of the parish. It should, however, be recognised that there are also many parishioners, who, although fully committed to Holy Cross, have a real sense that the mission and needs of the Church are ever changing. For example, these Holy Cross parishioners would not be reluctant to attending services at the Cathedral. They are also happy to be involved and to contribute to social activities originating in the Cathedral community. Furthermore, there are examples of people from both parishes praying and working together, deepening a sense of their unity in Christ as the primary expression of their common identity and purpose. Nevertheless, the linking of one very small parish with another much larger parish like the Cathedral, which also has a special role as Mother Church of the diocese, has proved problematical. Many parishioners from Holy Cross have come to feel that this inequality of size has put them in a position of inferiority, a feeling which has been recognised sympathetically by many people at the Cathedral both clergy and laity. Many older parishioners will remember a time when there were four or five resident clergy in the parish, but sadly now we are faced with a grave reduction in the number of priests. This paucity, together with increasing demands at the Cathedral, has meant that Page 1

2 the clergy have been forced to concentrate most of their energies and efforts at the Cathedral. Inevitably, some Holy Cross parishioners have felt that they have not received the attention they deserve either from their clergy or from fellow parishioners at the Cathedral. On occasions this has caused tensions and even recriminations leading to a very unhappy atmosphere. Again, however, it must be said that many parishioners from Holy Cross do recognise the unique pressures and demands that the priests have faced since the linking, and are most grateful to them for their efforts. In brief, there is a widespread feeling that this linking has been beneficial to neither of the parishes, and that for Holy Cross it has led to stagnation both of liturgical practice and evangelization, together with a general diminution of social involvement. ii. Financial Matters. The current offertory income is insufficient to cover the cost of running the parish of Holy Cross; and the parish has survived financially on the rental income derived from the presbytery and the parish hall. Initiatives to improve the situation by encouraging parishioners at Warley to Gift Aid their offerings have met with little response. The parish treasurer, Michael L Estrange, writes that, From a financial perspective, it is difficult to see how Holy Cross, Warley could be an independent parish again. Since 5 April 2012 to 5 January 2015 the parish General Fund has reduced from 66,360 to around 27,555 with around 2,500 having been raised for the Organ Fund. Admittedly during most of this period the presbytery has been empty and significant amounts have been spent on repairs undertaken to it but without rental income from the presbytery this decline is likely to continue. Now that the presbytery has been rented out, hopefully this decline will be halted but obviously outgoings for the provision of a priest are limited to the contribution made to the Cathedral parish. There have also been some necessary costs in relation to the church and hall (including the car park and grounds) and the quinquennial survey has yet to be carried out so there may be additional costs to be borne. The weekly offertory collection has reduced slightly from 476 per week in 2012/13 to around 465 per week over the last couple of years. To stay solvent the parish will be reliant on rental income (both the hall and the presbytery) as offertory income on its own will not cover the cost of running the parish. As most of the sacramental and catechetical costs are borne by the Cathedral with Warley making a contribution, in reality most of the finances are combined. A complex formula has been devised to establish the level of this contribution but in reality the funds of the Cathedral and Warley could easily be combined and it would be simpler if it was not necessary to run two bank accounts and keep the accounts separate as is required by the existence of two parishes. Financial matters should never dictate the need or otherwise for a parish s existence but Warley could not survive on its own and from a purely financial perspective it would be easier to run the financial position of the parishes as one but running two sets of accounts is not impossible we have been doing it for a number of years. iii. The Vigil and the Sunday evening Mass. The number of people attending the Vigil Mass on a Saturday evening has increased. This is explained, in part, by families who have children on the First Holy Communion Programme who prefer to attend this Mass. Therefore, especially during this period, the Saturday Mass attracts significant numbers of families who might otherwise attend the Cathedral or perhaps not attend at all. This Mass has a good number of altar servers, readers and ministers of the Eucharist. There is, however, no choir and no musical tradition. The perception among some of this congregation that this is the quiet Mass or the quick Mass is surely a very long way from the Church s understanding of how the community should be celebrating Mass on the Day of the Lord, and such absences impoverish the worship of God. The numbers of people attending the Sunday morning Mass appear to be declining and, although there are committed families with children who attend this Mass, the overall age profile of this congregation is significantly older than the Vigil Mass. This Mass has only a few altar servers and a small rota of readers and Eucharistic Ministers. Although it does have a musical tradition and a committed choir and organist, the choir is small, and attempts to invite people to join the choir have met with little response over the years. There is a children s liturgy which can attract a good number of children, and there is tea Page 2

3 after Mass which attracts a small, but committed number of parishioners who enjoy fellowship together. These two communities, generally, act as separate entities. It is, of course, not uncommon in a parish setting for different people to attend different Masses, and thus to associate with the people at that Mass. However, when at Holy Cross there have been attempts to mount spiritual or social activities in common that cross the Mass divide, these have met with mixed results. The most striking example of this in recent years has been the poor attendance at and commitment to the Triduum. Even this, the spiritual highpoint of the Church s liturgical year, could not attract people from the two Mass communities This division has caused a certain amount of frustration and resentment among some parishioners; and there are those who hold the view that this rift has fundamentally weakened both the community and its ability to spread the gospel in an effective manner. iv. Supply Priests. Currently, when one of the clergy is away, for example, on holiday, the remaining priest says the Saturday evening Vigil Mass at Holy Cross as well as the four Sunday Masses at the Cathedral. In addition to this commitment, there are normally many other pastoral and sacramental duties, for example, weddings and baptisms. It has, in fact, proved increasingly difficult to find supply priests who will are willing and able to say the Mass at Holy Cross on a Sunday morning. Consequently this Mass has quite frequently had to be cancelled, and parishioners have then been encouraged to attend one of the other six Sunday Masses available in the parish the Saturday Vigil Mass, the four Masses at the Cathedral and a Sunday morning Mass at the Marillac in Warley. Sadly, many priests who were once available to supply now have to look after parishes themselves. Thus, the remaining pool of supply priests is very small; and these priests are often supplying in parishes where there may be two or three Masses to cover, in addition to baptisms, etc. Religious orders, understandably, are cautious about being used as a potential stream of supply priests. The result is that it has proved very difficult and at times impossible to find a priest to come to Holy Cross on a Sunday to say the am Mass. Meeting the Challenge How should we confront these specific challenges and attempt to build a community that is fit for the mission of proclaiming the good news? How are we to become more open to Christ s message Do not be afraid, and how are we to become more faithful stewards of our resources so that they may be better used for the proclamation of the gospel? The following proposals have been created on the assumption that there are two resident priests in the parish based at the Cathedral. Proposal 1: To close Holy Cross Holy Cross has a long history in the life of Brentwood, first as chapel to serve the needs of Catholic servicemen at Warley barracks and then more recently as a parish church. Holy Cross is an historic part of Brentwood and the church is a listed building. If Holy Cross was closed it would inevitably cease to be a place of worship and would become a mere museum piece. Page 3

4 There exists a community at Holy Cross, many of whose members are very comfortable with the look and feel of the building and truly love the church as their preferred place of worship. They greatly appreciate it as an intimate place of encounter with God, while for others there may also be long family associations with the building and the parish community. They have made friendships there, and are happy that the Mass times work best for them. If Holy Cross were to be finally closed then these parishioners would experience a deep and lasting sense of loss. At the Cathedral, such closure would also have adverse knock-on effects for events, such as concerts, that are commonly held in the Cathedral on a Saturday evening. The Cathedral s outreach to the wider community would thus be adversely affected. Proposal 2: To find a priest who would have spiritual and pastoral responsibility for Holy Cross. Although, in the short term, this might seem to answer some of the issues outlined above, one has to ask, given the small number of priests, how easy would it in fact be to find such a priest. And if such a priest were found, would the issues which Holy Cross is presently facing simply reappear when the priest was either moved, or decided to retire or died? Furthermore, financially, the situation would be difficult if the priest occupied the presbytery thus denying the parish of the rental income; and one has to ask whether the parish of Holy Cross could really support its own priest. Proposal 3: To break the link with the Cathedral and to stand alone as a parish Although this would seem to answer the dissatisfaction felt by those who have never been happy with the linking, the questions would then arise as to who would have the spiritual and pastoral care of Holy Cross (see Proposal 2); and with what resources would Holy Cross ensure its future as a vibrant community of faith, and what role would it be able to play in the mission of the Church? Proposal 4: To break the link with the Cathedral and to link with another parish or parishes Although this would also seem to answer the dissatisfaction felt by those who have never been happy with the linking, the question would then arise as to with which parish or parishes Holy Cross could be linked. It is not at all clear which parish or parishes might realistically be available, and even if a new linking could be established it is doubtful if this would this answer the issues faced by Holy Cross. There is also the more fundamental question around linking itself, highlighted by the document Building on Experience: A Report on Linked Parishes in the Diocese of Brentwood, 2010 when it reports that the experience of linking to date shows it to be both expedient and not successful as a temporary stand-in. However the lasting consequence will likely be severe and it is not the best solution in the long run. (p.28) Proposal 5: To continue with the present situation Accepting the current situation would keep Holy Cross functioning, and would meet the needs of some parishioners. Sadly, it would not, however, address the real underlying issues that Holy Cross and its clergy have been facing over a very long period of time. Many people are truly dissatisfied with the current position and recognise that the problems confronting Holy Cross (and many other communities across the diocese) need to be properly managed if we are ever to build attractive, vibrant communities of faith that have the spiritual energies and practical resources to witness to the gospel in the twenty-first century. If all our efforts went into maintaining the status quo at Holy Page 4

5 Cross, it would be hard to see how the community could grow and flourish in order to meet the spiritual and pastoral challenges of the Church in our own age. Proposal 6: To find ways to improve on the present situation There may be ways to ameliorate the present situation and, over the years, there have been a number of attempts to bring about improvements, for example, by having social events and creating a separate Warley newsletter. Sadly these efforts have had only limited success due to lack of support and interest. Even if one were to find ways to improve on the present situation, this would not remove the fundamental issues, such as, the linking with the Cathedral parish and the increasing demands on priests. Cosmetic improvements would not answer the longstanding and profound issues faced by Holy Cross. Proposal 7: To end the linking and make the Cathedral and Holy Cross into one parish Under this proposal, Holy Cross would revert, in a sense, to its original role as a mission church, that is, a special, distinctive place of worship that would support the work of a single unified parish. Although, in this way, the long term future of Holy Cross would be assured, there would inevitably be sacrifices as well. Thus, for example, it would be very hard to justify in this new union the continuance of the am Sunday Mass at Holy Cross. As a single parish, however, there would be a real opportunity to develop a common sense of purpose and mission - no longer two communities, coexisting in an unequal and uneasy relationship, but one community united in its desire to live by word and sacrament in Christ and committed to become a more persuasive beacon of hope to the wider community. The clergy, supported by the people, would now meet the sacramental, spiritual and pastoral needs of one unified community, rather than having to share their efforts between two very different parishes. The laity, supported by their clergy, would renew their involvement in the life of a single larger parish, using their distinctive gifts to build up the Reign of God. In this way, the energies and resources of these two communities would be harnessed into one so that we might better make known the good news of God s grace in a more effective and credible way. This is, in fact, happening in terms of catechetics our baptism, First Reconciliation, Holy Communion, Confirmation and marriage preparation programmes already cover the needs of all parishioners in both communities. Similarly, the RCIA programme exists for all parishioners. More liturgical (e.g. the Triduum) and devotional exercises (e.g. the Forty Hours Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament) now take place in common. Thus, the foundations already exist with which to build a single, vibrant and united parish. Of course, canonical and administrative changes would be required; and both communities would have to readjust to living as one parish community. This would require new, creative ways of thinking and restructuring, for example, of the parish council and other groups. There may well be initial challenges that would have to be met with faith, hope and charity. But, with faith and good will, none of these challenges is insurmountable. Creating a single parish would mean using Holy Cross church in new ways. (i) At Holy Cross the Saturday Vigil Mass would continue to be celebrated, while the am Sunday Mass would come to an end. Thus, on a Sunday there would be five Masses available for people to attend in the parish (including the Saturday Vigil Mass) plus a Page 5

6 Mass which is celebrated at the Marillac in Warley. (The exact time of the Vigil Mass may have to be considered.) (ii) Weekday Masses would continue to be celebrated at the Cathedral. (iii) In addition to the present number of Masses celebrated at the Cathedral, there would be a Mass celebrated at Holy Cross church on Christmas Day and Easter Sunday. (iv) Baptisms, funerals and weddings would continue to be celebrated in Holy Cross church for those who requested them. (v) We should also think of ways to use Holy Cross church for services and gatherings that might require a more intimate sacred space. (vi) We should also think of ways to use Holy Cross church to attract outside groups, such as, chamber choirs and orchestras. (vii) The upkeep, maintenance and care of Holy Cross church would be the responsibility of the whole parish. (viii) Liturgical provision for the Vigil Mass and any other liturgical celebrations at Holy Cross church would be the concern of the whole parish. (ix) There would be one parish council, one Finance Committee and one liturgy group. What happens next? In due course, this summary and these proposals, along with correspondence, statistics and the views of parish priests will be presented to the Bishop's Diocesan Planning Committee for its consideration. After due consideration and taking into account the needs of the whole diocese, it will indicate what course of action is to be followed. In order to help the committee in its deliberations, Fr Martin is inviting you, once again, to write or speak to him with your views about these proposals. It is important that comments should be constructive, realistic and, guided by the Holy Spirit. They should seek to help us to plan for a Church that has Christ as its focus and is fit for mission in the twenty-first century. Correspondence that is not constructive and only states what people do not want to happen will not help the Bishop and his Diocesan Planning Committee in their work. It is vital that we try to offer creative, reasonable and faith-filled ideas that might help to meet the challenges presently faced by the Church. Please note that the deadline for written comments is Sunday 5 July. Please also note that any anonymous correspondence will not be presented to the Bishop s Planning Committee. Page 6