Fr Helmut Schüller said merging independent parishes into vast, impersonal parish associations is "pretty much the most unimaginative thing one can do".

In the long run, the Church will not be able to avoid issues such as women's ordination and who can take over the leadership of priestless communities, Fr Schüller told Austria's Salzburger Nachrichten.

Fr Schüller founded the Austrian Priests' Initiative for church reform in 2006.

The initiative wants to pave the way for a new model of priesthood rather than merging parishes.

In 2011, Fr Schüller initiated a "Call to Disobedience", which pushed for distribution of Communion to all people of good will, without waiting for Church reforms.

Asked about lay leadership of parishes, Fr Schüller replied: "The Catholic Church is standing at a crossroads on this question."

"Either it succeeds in providing its communities with priests or it must begin to develop new forms of community leadership.

"Latin American communities are reacting to the situation very pragmatically.

"As far as we know, that is exactly how early Christian communities reacted. Community leadership was developed simultaneously in different forms."

But despite the crisis in parish leadership, bishops' conferences agendas have hardly changed, the priest said.

They are keeping to their defensive administrative strategy of merging independent parishes into vast, impersonal parish associations.

"I think many bishops are above all determined not to do anything wrong at the present moment because if this Pope does not come out on top, they could expect little good from those in leading positions in Rome," Fr Schüller said.

In a 2013 speaking tour in the United States, Fr Schüller was banned from speaking in Catholic churches in Detroit and Boston.

Sources

• National Catholic Reporter
• The Plain Dealer
• Image: America

This makes an unprecedented three parish merger appeals won by St Louis Catholics determined to defend their parish homes.

Historically Rome has upheld bishops in merging a parish but upheld Catholics who appealed the relegation of their church to profane use — usually prior to being sold.

In other words, the bishop could close their parish but not — if Catholics appealed — close and sell their church.

Now, it appears Catholics have a chance of winning both types of appeals.

The dicastery did not find just cause for St Angela Merici Parish to be merged with St Norbert and Holy Name of Jesus parishes.

Neither did the dicastery find just cause to merge St Martin of Tours Parish in Lemay, Missouri, with St Mark parish.

In an earlier Feb. 5, 2024 ruling, the dicastery also reversed the archdiocese's attempt to close and merge St Richard Parish in Creve Coeur, Missouri.

It is significant that the Vatican disputed the archdiocese's demographic projections and said St Richard is "large enough to be a viable community," including 374 registered parishioners under 49-years-old "in their prime earning years."

A July 2020 Vatican instruction about parish reconfigurations specifically said a bishop should not merge a parish or sell a church because of "the lack of clergy, demographic decline or the grave financial state of the diocese."

Yet until now it has been exceedingly rare for the Vatican to reverse a bishop on a parish merger.

It is rarer still to see the Dicastery for the Clergy defend the viability of one smaller parish, let alone three of them.

These rulings are good news for smaller — yet viable and vibrant — parishes that may pursue recourse in the future.

I have been helping with FutureChurch's Save Our Parish Community initiative since it launched in 2007.

I lived through Cleveland's massive parish downsizing initiated by Cleveland's then-bishop, the late Richard Lennon, and saw firsthand how destructive the indiscriminate closing of smaller viable parishes can be — both to the faith of Catholics and to the well-being of the poorer neighbourhoods those parishes served.

I rejoiced when 12 Cleveland parishes won their parish merger appeals, and the bishop was forced to reopen them after being closed for two or more years.

I am so passionate about this parish merger issue that (spoiler alert) I spent three years writing a book about the late Sr Kate Kuenstler's ground-breaking canonical work finding a pathway through canon law.

Because of her creative contribution to new jurisprudence, Catholics now have a shot at due process when their bishop makes misguided decisions to merge their viable parishes and close their churches.

If all goes as planned Rowman Littlefield will publish Bending Toward Justice: Sr Kate Kuenstler and the Struggle for Parish Rights this coming December.

It is deeply gratifying to see Sister Kate's pioneering work bearing fruit.

It is also gratifying to see faithful St. Louis Catholics organize to defend their parish homes.

In May 2023, after an 18 month "All Things New" planning process, the Archdiocese of St Louis announced it would reduce the number of parishes from 178 to 135.

Catholics opposed to restructuring had begun organizing months earlier.

In April 2023, "Save Our St. Louis Parishes" sent a petition with 3,000 signatures asking Rozanski to halt restructuring plans altogether.

Early feedback from laity apparently convinced the archdiocese to decrease the number of planned closures from 80-100 parishes to just 43.

"Save Our St. Louis Parishes" worked closely with canon lawyer Phillip Gray from the St Joseph Foundation in submitting numerous appeals to Rome.

Other appeals were submitted by other canon lawyers, including Robert Flummerfelt, who has guided numerous canonical recourses since Sr Kate's untimely death.

In an email to me, Flummerfelt found recent Vatican rulings in St Louis to be a positive development:

"The Holy See has generated strong jurisprudence on these matters positively affecting the rights of parishioners in retaining their parishes. It is encouraging to have those jurisprudential developments implemented and honoured to respect the rights of the faithful in saving their parishes and churches."

Continue reading

• Sr Christine Schenk an NCR board member, served urban families for 18 years as a nurse midwife before co-founding FutureChurch, where she served for 23 years.

Pastoral planning

The proposed parish closures and mergers were part of a major archdiocesan pastoral planning initiative.

Archbishop Mitchell Rozanski announced the parish closures and mergers a year ago in a plan called "All Things New".

Fewer people were attending Mass, he explained.

Furthermore, parish boundaries hadn't changed as shifts in population from the city to surrounding counties eventuated.

He said the archdiocese planned to close 35 churches by merging them with neighbouring parishes, and to merge 15 others to create five new parishes.

All up, 50 of the archdiocese's 178 parishes would not continue in their present form.

He stressed that the "All Things New" plan sought to create a sustainable future for the archdiocese.

Wide consultation

Feedback was an important part of the decision-making process.

Before announcing the changes in May 2023, the archdiocese held 350 listening sessions. There was at least one session in each of the 178 current parishes.

Additional feedback came from 70,000 Catholics in the archdiocese who participated in a survey. Besides this, feedback from 18,000 school parents, staff, teachers, donors and community partners was garnered.

The archdiocese also held focus groups and talked with civil and business leaders.

Parishioners appealed

Soon after the diocesan announcement about the planned closures and mergers, twelve parishes decided make an appeal to the Vatican.

The planned mergers were put on hold pending rulings from the Vatican Dicastery for the Clergy.

The Dicastery would be looking at two factors in particular.

Canon Law says:

• A diocesan bishop has the authority to alter parishes but only for a just reason specific to each parish
• Concern for souls must be the principal motivation for modifying a parish

Vatican ruling - yes, no

The Vatican has announced its decisions concerning some of the twelve parishes. It is still studying the remainder.

In one case, the Dicastery found no just reason under Canon Law for one of the parishes to merge with two others. It was therefore unable to sustain Rozanski's decree.

It said while these parishes would retain their status as three separate parish communities, all three would remain under their shared priest's pastoral guidance.

The 'no just reason' criterion also saw plans for a proposed parish closure cancelled. The plan had been for the parish to merge with an adjacent one.

The Vatican dicastery upheld Rozanski's decree however for a parish to be subsumed by another.

The ruling means the parish closure actually occurred some months ago - effective from 1 August 2023. The parish school is set to close this month.

Moving on

The "All Things New" plan changes, as originally presented, would have left the archdiocese with 44 fewer parishes - down from 178 to 134.

Even with the appeals and the Vatican decisions to date, the original plan is largely intact.

It will be completed in 2026.

Source

• CNA
• Crux

The new thinking marks a departure from the construction plan on Armagh Street.

As part of the change in thinking, Bishop Gielen has initiated consultations with professional specialists and within the diocese to gauge opinions on the most suitable site for the Christchurch Cathedral.

Highlighting the transformation in global circumstances since the initial decision in 2019, Bishop Gielen cited

• the COVID-19 pandemic,
• the Abuse in Care Royal Commission findings, and
• the significant rise in inflation as factors necessitating a reevaluation of the cathedral's construction.

Clarity a priority

In a letter to the Christchurch diocese, Gielen emphasised the urgency of clarity regarding the Christchurch cathedral, stating that it's time for decisiveness.

The new Christchurch bishop says it has taken time to get to know the diocese and engage with various faith communities.

A recurring theme in his discussions with diocese members is the need for clarity about the cathedral's location.

Gielen envisions a Christchurch cathedral that is aesthetically pleasing, timeless, and represents their faith tradition.

"My vision is that our new Cathedral is beautiful, timeless in design and is a worthy house that honours God and respresents our faith tradition.

"It must be a place where all feel welcome so we can continue to foster the faith we have received and to grow in our own call to holiness.

"It will be a unique place of worship that current and future generations will be proud of," writes Gielen

He then addressed the key question of the cathedral's location, proposing three potential sites:

• Barbadoes Street - the site of the former cathedral
• Armagh Street - until this letter the current proposed site
• Manchester Street, the site of the St Mary's pro-cathedral.

In his letter to the diocese, Gielen explained that each site was evaluated based on its historical and spiritual significance, its capacity to support additional facilities, future growth potential, accessibility, parking, and financial viability, considering the diocese's broader financial obligations and responsibility towards those harmed in Church care.

Gielen says his preference for Barbadoes Street is rooted in the diocese's humble and historic beginnings.

He shared his personal connection to the site, having lived there for the past 18 months, and highlighted its spiritual significance, larger size, financial viability, and accessibility compared to the other sites.

Actively looking for feedback

However, Gielen says that while his considered view is the Barbadoes Street site, he is open to feedback.

He is now inviting the Catholic community in Christchurch to reflect on this crucial decision and share their thoughts.

He plans to consider the community's input before making a final decision.

The diocese will engage in a three-month period of dialogue and discernment, including a survey on 18 December where people can express their views.

The final decision will be based on various factors, including parish group feedback, technical and financial considerations, stakeholder feedback, and guidance from diocesan advisory bodies.

Sources

• Catholic Diocese of Christchurch
• Frequently Asked Questions
• CathNews NZ

The role is newly created, and the successful person will work closely with the bishop, general manager and senior leadership team to provide revenue growth, supporting the diocese's mission.

In the position's Candidate Brief, the diocese states that it is in the midst of an exciting chapter in its history with many upcoming fundraising opportunities.

However, the single fundraising opportunity identified in the Candidate Brief is the Cathedral Precinct development.

"Currently in the planning stages, the Cathedral Precinct development in the central city will strengthen the future of the Catholic Diocese of Christchurch."

The Candidate Brief refers to this opportunity as a "once-in-a-lifetime project" that includes "a cathedral, diocesan offices, parish offices and other associated buildings."

Earlier in the year, following the Christchurch City Council's revised CBD roading plans, the future of the Cathedral precinct was put in doubt.

Michael Gielen, Bishop of Christchurch, expressed concerns about the project's viability.

He stated, "I am committed to creating thriving parishes and building a worthy cathedral within the Diocese of Christchurch.

"However, I am aware that the cathedral represents a significant financial commitment for the diocese.

"It will be a legacy of my tenure as bishop, and I want to ensure that any decision regarding the development project is made with utmost care and comfort, as anyone in my position would."

The project was then further set back when Christchurch's "The Gathering Group", mounted a Canonical legal challenge to the Vatican

The Gathering Group sought to halt the sale of land and the construction of the new cathedral.

Gielen responded by way of a letter read out at all Sunday Masses.

In the letter, he informed Catholic congregations that the further sale of land, parish mergers and the construction of the new Christchurch Catholic Cathedral have been suspended until the diocese receives a response from Rome.

In April, it was reported that new City Council recommendations might allow the Christchurch Catholic Cathedral precinct and a 600-space parking building to proceed after all.

Bishop Gielen has assured the diocese that he will collaborate synodally on future plans.

Sources

• Catholic Diocese of Christchurch (Last accessed 14 July, 2023. Job applications closed 16 July, 2023.)
• CathNews
• CathNews
• Stuff

The 29 March move came after there was considerable interest in the letter's contents, particularly from Catholics who could not be at Mass on the Sunday it was read.

Those at Mass who heard the letter also wanted the further opportunity to ‘digest' it.

CathNews originally sought a copy of the letter through the Church's National Communications office, but the National Communications Office was told the Christchurch diocese considered the matter a local issue.

Evidence suggests otherwise.

Putting a halt on building a new $100m Cathedral precinct, pausing parish mergers and the non-publication of the bishop's letter garnered considerable local, national and international attention.

Now able to read the letter, a New Zealand communications consultant labelled it "excellent" and said he could not understand why the diocese was keeping it secret.

"People replace silence with their own meaning, making it easy for your message to get confused or be diluted," he said.

Simon Thompson, general manager for the diocese, told the Christchurch Press the diocese had been informed by the Vatican of the legal challenge and advised by lawyers to halt all work on the plan.

Thompson says the diocese is not hiding anything but did not wish to hinder the legal process.

He says the diocese wants to respect the legal process and, at this point, is unaware of the precise details of the canon law challenge.

Thompson told the Christchurch Press that once the diocese receives the full details of the challenge, it will have more clarity on its path forward.

CathNews understands the legal challenge primarily relates to communications processes surrounding the formulation of the diocesan plan - "Our Faith Our Future," the post-Christchurch earthquake demolition of the Catholic Cathedral in Barbadoes St, and the sale of Maryville Courts retirement village.

On being named Catholic bishop of Christchurch, Gielen was quick to endorse the diocesan plan "Our Faith, Our Future," saying the begun work stands the diocese in "fantastic stead going forward."

While initially excited by the challenge, Gielen's letter suggests that after talking with people across the whole diocese, he has changed his mind about the diocesan plan "Our Faith, Our Future."

He wants to move forward together and in prayer.

Sources

• Supplied
• Christchurch Press
• CathNews NZ

The news was delivered by a letter read on behalf of the Bishop of Christchurch, Michael Gielen, at all Sunday Masses.

Christchurch diocese parishioners told CathNews that Gielen had put a hold on the development until the diocese hears from the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura.

The Tribunal is the highest judicial authority in the Catholic Church.

Gielen also told parishioners that future developments would proceed in a synodal way, communally and in prayer.

The bishop's letter was sent to parish priests with the instruction that it was not for display or publication.

"It's a bit odd, a lot of Catholics are not as regular in going to Mass anymore; how are they to be told," a parishioner commented to CathNews.

Seen by others as a compassionate and welcoming message, they are concerned that the likes of the infirm, some elderly, those shut-in, or those out of town for the weekend are excluded from an important message.

"The letter needs to be made public; everyone needs to be informed by the bishop, not just those at Mass; last Sunday.

"Everyone needs to sing off the same song-sheet.

"Publishing the letter helps avoid confusion and builds trust," they say.

However, despite confusion around the delivery and what people actually heard, the news pleased "The Gathering Group," a 300-strong group of Christchurch Catholics who launched a Canonical legal challenge to the then apostolic administrator Archbishop Paul Martin's actions.

The Gathering Group told CathNews that it had written a 70 paragraph submission to the Apostolic Signatura via Cardinal Luis Tagle, Prefect for the Evangelisation of Peoples.

Tagle is responsible for the Church's mission territories, including New Zealand.

Among the concerns giving cause to a legal appeal to the Apostolic Signatura is canon 212.

The Group maintains parish mergers reducing 12 city churches to 5 meant Martin did not meet his obligation to cater for parishioners' spiritual needs.

Following the Christchurch earthquakes Bishop Barry Jones reduced the number of parishes from an estimated 50 to 24.

The group says Martin's actions made a difficult situation even more difficult.

The Group suggests that defining a parish community by the weekly availability of a priest is a clericalist response to the problem.

They say people understand that they may not have access to Mass in their local community each week, and while they hope parish communities could participate in the Eucharist as often as possible, the baptised can still gather in their parish community and exercise Christian ministry aided by well-trained lay ministers.

The Gathering Group maintains an abundance of theology and pastoral modelling is available for Bishops to deal with a shortage of ordained priests.

They cite the 2020 decree from the Congregation for Clergy on "The pastoral conversion of the parish community at the service of the Church's evangelising mission."

The Group's appeal also focuses on how Martin, through the Diocesan Property Team, planned to deal with "surplus assets" from the sale of parish property.

They maintain the diocese was not adequately consulted on the Plan; instead, they were presented a "fait accompli," something "already decided on by a tiny cohort of priests and property developers."

They say, "The Plan was presented as a "Proposal" (and) the Proposal, in substance, did not change and became the Plan.

The Group also alleges Martin demolished the Barbadoes St Cathedral and sold the Maryville Courts retirement village when he was Coadjutor Archbishop of Wellington and was acting in Christchurch only as Apostolic Administrator of the diocese.

The Group says in case it is necessary; it is also exploring New Zealand civil action to prevent the diocese from further land sales.

When ordained bishop of Christchurch, Gielen quickly praised Martin's work, saying he looked forward to consolidating the city's parishes.

"The work he (Martin) has done in paving the way for the consolidation and strengthening of our parishes and schools stands the diocese in fantastic stead going forward," Gielen said.

"It is an exciting time to lead the diocese through this next growth phase of the Catholic Church in Christchurch."

CathNews spoke with Kevin Campbell, a lawyer assisting the applicants through the canonical judicial process.

Campbell told CathNews that because the matter was sub judice, he wanted to respect the legal process and, at the moment, could not comment.

Sources:

• Supplied

Also, throughout New Zealand and Australia, parishes are being combined or merged with other parishes. Major questions arise concerning leadership and the role of priests. Church buildings are sometimes being sold for profane use or used as educational facilities, rather than as places of worship.

These changes in parishes raise a number of pastoral and canonical issues concerning leadership, ownership of property, consultation and the procedures required. In fact, suppressions and alterations to parishes elsewhere in the world have been successfully challenged by recourse to the Holy See.

Scripture

The early Christian community is described in Acts 2:42: "... they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers". This text expresses four key elements of Christian communities at any time in the history of the church: (1) education, (2) community life, (3) Eucharist, and (4) prayer. Besides being a compendium of the principal norms of church life, they express basic constitutive elements of parish life today.

Origins of Parishes

Parishes came into existence in the history of the church in the fourth century. Christianity spread rapidly once the Emperor Constantine issued his Edict of Toleration of Christianity in 313. By 380 the Emperor Theodosius recognised Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire.

The spread of Christianity into rural communities necessitated the appointment of priests to look after these communities and to serve the faithful. This development led to what we know now as parishes.

Council of Trent

The Council of Trent encouraged the establishment of parishes. When people could not receive the sacraments because of distance or inaccessibility, the council encouraged the establishment of new parishes even if the priests involved were opposed to this.³

1917 Code

Parishes became an established church structure in canon law. The 1917 Code required that, for the care of souls, the diocese should be divided into distinct territorial parts called parishes.⁴ However, parishes that were not territorial, such as ethnicity- or language-based groupings, required the special approval of the Apostolic See.⁵

Vatican II

While the Second Vatican Council did not provide a precise definition of a parish, it frequently expressed its insights in a variety of documents. The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy spoke of:

... groupings of the faithful. Among these the parishes, set up locally under a pastor who takes the place of the bishop, are the most important: for in some manner they represent the visible Church constituted throughout the world ... Efforts also must be made to encourage a sense of community within the parish, above all in the common celebration of the Sunday Mass.⁶

This council document recognises the importance of the parish in the life of the church. It is the parish where most people experience what it is to be church, and it is from the Sunday liturgy that the sense of community flows.

Parishes are envisioned as basically Eucharistic communities. The Decree on the Pastoral Office of Bishops in the Church stated: "In carrying out their work of sanctification parish priests should ensure that the celebration of the Eucharistic Sacrifice is the centre and culmination of the entire life of the Christian community".⁷

The church is experienced most of all in the Sunday Eucharist celebrated in the local community. That has always been the case. Even when the church has been persecuted behind the Iron Curtain and in all kinds of circumstances in history, Christians have continued to meet, in the catacombs and other similar places, for the celebration of the Eucharist. If Christians stopped gathering to celebrate the Eucharist, they might have been safer since they would have been more difficult to apprehend. However, it is an essential part of being Christian that Christians gather together to celebrate the Eucharist united with Christ.

Role of Priests

Vatican II reminded parish priests of their duties within the parish. These duties included leading the people to have a wider sense of church life, something which goes beyond the parish:

... parish priests and their assistants should carry out their work of teaching, sanctifying and governing in such a way that the faithful and the parish communities may feel that they are truly members both of the diocese and of the universal Church. They should therefore collaborate both with other parish priests and with those priests who are exercising a pastoral function in the district.⁸

Thus, the council fathers highlighted the interconnectedness of the communities of the faithful in parishes. Since "Parish priests are in a special sense collaborators with the bishop",⁹ there is an essential relationship between the parish communities and the diocesan community.

Parishes in some manner "represent the visible Church constituted throughout the world".¹⁰ Parishes are in some ways images of the church. Through these often small and scattered local communities which are part of the diocesan and universal Church, "Christ is present through whose power and influence the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church is constituted".¹¹

Priests "gather the family of God ... and lead it in Christ".¹² The whole purpose of their authority is to build up the body of Christ. The building up of the Christian community is essentially through the Eucharist because "no Christian community is built up which does not grow from and hinge on the celebration of the most Holy Eucharist".¹³ This is particularly true of Sunday celebrations of the Eucharist.

Collaborative ministry by priests and lay faithful is an essential part of parish life. The Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity stated: "The laity should develop the habit of working in the parish in close union with their priests ... The laity will continuously cultivate the `feeling of the diocese', of which the parish is a kind of cell; they will be always ready on the invitation of their bishop to make their own contribution to diocesan undertakings".¹⁴

Rationale for Parishes

The Decree on the Life and Ministry of Bishops pointed out that "the parish exists solely for the good of souls".¹⁵ Logically, Vatican II taught that "the same concern for the salvation of souls should be the motive for determining or reconsidering the erection or suppression of parishes and other changes of this kind".¹⁶ Clearly the council fathers appreciated the need for changes to existing parishes forty years ago.

Pope Paul VI issued the apostolic letter, motu proprio, Ecclesiae Sanctae, on August 6, 1966, to implement some of the decisions and decrees of the Second Vatican Council. He stated in number 21, concerning the erection, suppression and changes of parishes:

§1 Every effort should be made that parishes in which, because of an excessive number of the faithful, or too large a territory, or for any other reason, apostolic work can be done only with difficulty or less effectively, be divided or dismembered in the way best suited to the circumstances. Likewise, parishes which are too small should be united insofar as the situation demands and circumstances permit ...

§3 A diocesan Bishop can on his own authority erect or suppress parishes or change them in any way, after hearing from the Council of Priests.¹⁷

Both the Vatican II and the post—Vatican II documents consistently taught that the "good of souls" is the principle for making decisions about parishes. These souls, that the bishop is concerned with, are not just the souls of parishioners in a parish, but include all those in the diocese.

1983 Code

A parish is described in canon 515 §1 as "a definite community of the Christian faithful established on a stable basis within a particular church". A decree of the diocesan bishop formally constitutes a community as a parish.

The parish is a public juridical person from the law itself.¹⁹

This means that the parish is recognised in canon law as having legal standing; it is a subject of rights and obligations. The parish owns its own property which it administers in its own name. In a parallel way, corporations are recognised in the secular law as legal systems.

The parish property is not owned by the individual parishioners, or even by them and the parish priest.

A parallel is the Trust Fund for the Remuneration and Sustentation of Clergy, which is not owned by the priests of the diocese.

The diocese does not own the parish property either, even if it is vested in the name of the bishop as corporation sole, or by some other similar instrument of secular law.

Of its nature a public juridical person is perpetual.²⁰

Hence, once established, the parish has a right to permanent existence.

It is an artificial, legal construct that continues to exist when individual parishioners die, or when the parish priest is appointed to another parish. Parish property is owned by the parish as a juridical person according to the basic principle of church ownership expressed in canon 1256. ²¹

Parishes acquire, retain, administer and alienate property on their own authority. ²²

A parish is a public, non-collegial juridical person made up of an aggregate of persons. ²³

It is `public' because, having been constituted by competent ecclesiastical authority, it acts officially in the name of the church.²⁴ The parish priest acts in the name of the parish, representing the parish in all legal matters, so it is non-collegia1.²⁵

Each parish has its own finance committee to assist the parish priest in administering the assets of the parish.²⁶

The Congregation for the Clergy has outlined four possible parish modifications:

i extinctive union (sometimes known as merger): A and B unite to form C, only C remains (cf can. 121)

ii extinctive union (sometimes also known as merger, or as amalgamation): A is subsumed into B, only B remains (by analogy to can. 121)

iii total division: A is divided into B and C, only B and C remain (cf. can. 122)

iv suppression: A is extinguished ... nothing remains (cf. can. 123).²⁷

Any modification of a parish requires a just cause: "A parish is a community of the faithful which, being a juridic person ipso iure, is perpetual by its nature (cf. can. 120 §1, and can. 515 §§1, 3). It cannot be extinguished or even notably altered without just cause".²⁸

The congregation also reminds everyone that "the principal motivation for modifying a parish is a concern for souls (Christus Dominus, no. 32) and this modification should be undertaken when the good of the faithful requires it (Apostolorum Successores, no. 214)".²⁹

So that any decision is not pastorally damaging or ineffective, there needs to be full and genuine consultation with parishioners. Pastorally effective consultation is far more demanding than merely fulfilling the minimal requirements of canon law. Lawrence Di Nardo gives the example of someone on an administrative board:

... who said that canon 515 §2 of the Code of Canon Law permits the bishops to "erect, suppress or alter parishes" provided he "has heard the presbyteral council." This simple action would seem to make the process very efficient. Just gather a list of the parishes to be suppressed, present them to the priests' council, elicit their counsel and then issue decrees suppressing those parishes and the issue is resolved.³⁰

But Di Nardo raised the issue of the rights of the parishes and parishioners in the parishes to be closed, and how they could vindicate their rights. Subsequently the Pittsburgh diocese embarked on a five-year process of parish reorganisation. This process involved wide consultation with priests and parishioners. Pittsburgh diocese would claim that the faithful were informed and participated effectively in the decisions affecting them and had an opportunity to defend their rights as parishes were restructured.³¹

James Coriden likewise asserts the rights of parishioners to know about matters that will affect their community whether they originate from within or outside the parish.³²

Furthermore, the canon law on financial matters needs to be observed, because, for one thing, non-observance of canon law can impact on collections. Another factor is that, if parishioners become disillusioned, there is always the risk that people will cease going to Mass if they have to travel some distance to a church. Secular law requirements also need to be kept in mind in relation to trust funds and intentions of donors.

However, when circumstances require it, a diocesan bishop can suppress an existing, public juridical person.³³

When a diocesan bishop suppresses a parish, the parish assets then belong to the next highest juridical entity, which would be the diocese.

However, the diocesan bishop could only take this course of action if there were no more parishioners living within the parish. If a new parish acquires the parishioners, it acquires the assets. The intentions of the donors have to be respected.'

Usually, the diocesan bishop is combining or merging parishes in a diocesan restructuring. When the diocesan bishop merges a parish with another parish to form a new parish, a new juridical person is created.³⁵ This new juridical person acquires the assets and debts of both former parishes. Then the parishioners, as well as the assets and debts of both parishes, belong to a new juridical person that has been constituted.

Another possibility is for the diocesan bishop to divide the parish, and either join the parts to other parishes, or make the parts of the original parish into new parishes.³⁶ In such a situation, the diocesan bishop must be careful to see that the intentions of donors and founders are faithfully fulfilled. All acquired rights have to be observed.

Parish Priest and His Role

The parish priest ³⁷ is the spiritual head of the parish and so canon 519 states:

The parish priest is the proper pastor of the parish entrusted to him. He exercises the pastoral care of the community entrusted to him under the authority of the diocesan Bishop, whose ministry of Christ he is called to share, so that for this community he may carry out the offices of teaching, sanctifying and ruling with the cooperation of other priests or deacons and with the assistance of lay members of Christ's faithful, in accordance with the law.

The duties and responsibilities of his offices are spelt out in detail in canons 528-530 and 534.

The parish priest is the centre of a parish community and he leads the community in Christian living most of all by his example. Therefore, a parish priest normally resides among his people and serves them.³⁸ The same provision applies to assistant priests who work with the parish priest and share his duties.³⁹

Parishes Entrusted to a Clerical Religious Institute or a Clerical Society of Apostolic Life
When a parish is entrusted to a clerical religious institute (such as the Society of Mary) or to a society of apostolic life (such as the Columbans), the diocesan bishop must appoint one of the priests as the parish priest or as the moderator.⁴⁰

The parish may be entrusted to the religious institute or the society of apostolic life in perpetuity or for a determined period of time. In either case, there should be a written agreement between the diocesan bishop and the competent superior defining the work to be accomplished, the persons to be assigned and the financial arrangements.'"

Team Ministry in a Parish

Priests can be assigned to care for a parish or a number of parishes in what is often called a "team ministry". Canon 517 §1 states: "Where circumstances so require, the pastoral care of a parish, or of a number of parishes together, can be entrusted to several priests jointly, but with the stipulation that one of the priests is to be the moderator of the pastoral care to be exercised. This moderator is to direct the joint action and to be responsible for it to the Bishop".

The whole group of priests is responsible for what happens in the parish or parishes. However, one priest must be appointed by the diocesan bishop as the moderator to coordinate the activities of all the priests. Edward Sweeney argues that "the term in solidum usually means that each member of a group operating in solidum is personally responsible to see to it that all of the obligations of the group are fulfilled and has personally all of the rights arising from the obligations of the group and from membership of the group".⁴² The priests have stability in office and must have all the qualities to be a parish priest. Each is bound by the obligation of residence according to canon 543. If the moderator ceases from office, by taking up a new appointment, or if he dies, the parish does not become vacant. In such a case, the most senior priest, by appointment to the parish or parishes, fulfils the moderator's function until a new moderator is appointed.⁴³

There is no mention in canon 517 of a shortage of clergy being a reason for this approach to pastoral care. 'Ihe "circumstances" mentioned could well include shortage of clergy, but they could also include other reasons such as priests being involved in other ministries such as being teachers or tribunal judges.

Only one priest can be the "moderator"." He alone takes possession of the parish.⁴⁵ Canon 543 §2, 3° makes it clear that in all legal matters, it is the moderator alone who represents a parish."

Pastoral Care of a Parish by a Deacon, Lay Religious Community or Layperson

Because of a shortage of priests, canon 517 §2 allows for the appointment of a person or persons who are not priests to participate in the exercise of pastoral care in a parish:

If, because of a shortage of priests, the diocesan Bishop has judged that a deacon, or some other person who is not a priest, or a community of persons, should be entrusted with a share in the exercise of the pastoral care of a parish, he is to appoint some priest who, with the powers and faculties of a parish priest, will direct the pastoral care.

This canon, while still allowing great flexibility, requires that every parish has a priest with the powers and faculties of a parish priest.

The 1997 instruction on Certain Questions Regarding the Collaboration of the Non-Ordained Faithful in the Sacred Ministry of Priests pointed out that non-ordained people could not have the title of "parish priest" or "moderator" as these persons always had to be priests or bishops.47 Nor could these laypersons be called "community leader".⁴⁸

The appointment of a priest with the powers and faculties of a parish priest implements canon 526 §1: "A parish priest is to have the parochial care of one parish only. However, because of a shortage of priests or other circumstances, the care of a number of neighbouring parishes can be entrusted to the one parish priest". The second paragraph of canon 526 demands that there be only one parish priest or moderator in each parish.49

The canon speaks of a "shortage of priests".

This shortage could be because of a general shortage of priests, or it could be because priests are unavailable for appointment as parish priest because of appointments to other ministries and responsibilities such as a seminary position.

It is possible for the priest to be fulfilling duties in more than one parish because there are not many parishioners and the parishes are relatively close to one another. The priest appointed can certainly rely on lay people to do many things with and for him.

However, when a priest becomes available, canon 151 requires the bishop to make an appointment as soon as reasonably possible.⁵⁰

Canon 517 §2 is dealing with an extraordinary situation.

Although it might have become common practice in some dioceses, it is not considered to be the norm.

However, it is in accord with the Directory on the Pastoral Ministry of Bishops, number 198, which speaks of how the bishop in relation to all members of the faithful "shares the apostolic mission and to them he entrusts responsibilities, according to the norms of prudent pastoral cooperation".

Accordingly, the layperson, deacon or lay religious community sharing in the pastoral care of the parish should not limit the involvement and activity of all the parishioners in the life of the parish.

James Provost, writing about "Canon 517: Priest as Moderator of Parish", sums up the situation:

... the priest moderator in a canon 517 §2 situation may be the pastor of the parish who is aided by deacons and others in a "pastoral team" arrangement. He may be the pastor of a neighbouring parish who has been entrusted with the pastoral care of this other parish, and who is aided in this additional parish by a deacon or others; or he may not be a pastor at all, but moderates the participation in pastoral care provided by a deacon or others for a parish without its own pastor. In the first two situations, the priest is indeed the "proper pastor" of the parish in question In the third situation, however, there is a priest who moderates the pastoral care given by a deacon or others.⁵¹

This priest in the third situation is provided with the powers and faculties of a parish priest, and is the priest who directs the pastoral care. John Renken points out that such a priest is the community leader but is not technically the parish priest.⁵²

Any deacons, lay religious, or laity collaborating in the pastoral care do not have the full care of souls, which can only be exercised by a priest.⁵³

While a certain degree of authority can be delegated to them, the responsibility for pastoral care remains with the priest directing the pastoral care in the parish.

Altering Parishes, and the Consultation Involved

Canon 515 §2 states: "the diocesan bishop is not to erect, suppress,
or notably alter parishes without hearing the presbyteral council".
This is the only canon in the 1983 Code to use the word "notably".

Since the parish is essentially a community of Christ's faithful, what "notably" means is really about the number of parishioners involved in any change.⁵⁴

Many groups such as the diocesan pastoral council may advise the bishop, but the involvement of the council of priests, which aids the bishop in the governance of the diocese, is crucial. It would be a mistake if the task force or some other planning group completed a total package and then informed the council of priests of the result. The impression could be given that the council was being consulted too late for its advice to be significant.

The consultation with the council of priests must be genuine consultation. The bishop cannot simply tell them what he plans to do, or announce what is going to happen before the council meets.

The consultation has to take place prior to a decision being reached in the matter. Otherwise, instead of being consultation it would be a rubber-stamping of a decision that had already been made. Recourse against diocesan restructuring has been successful where there has not been genuine consultation. "Between 1985 and 1995, the Apostolic Signatura handled 22 cases of recourse involving parish closures and/ or relegation of a church to profane use."⁵⁵ Two of these cases of recourse were successful, and both times it was because a diocesan bishop had not properly consulted the council of priests. The recourse could be taken by a priest who disagrees with the decision, or even by an individual parishioner.

When a legal act calls for the advice or the consent of others, they must be convoked and polled according to legal requirements. The statutes for the council of priests might spell out how the consultation may take place. Some statutes allow for phone consultation to take place. But it is best that canon 127 be carefully followed, with the council of priests actually meeting, so that the consultation follows the letter and the spirit of the law:

Canon 127

§1. When the law prescribes that, in order to perform a juridical act, a Superior requires the consent or the advice of some college or group of persons, the college or group must be convened in accordance with Can. 166, unless, if there is question of seeking advice only, particular or proper law provides otherwise. For the validity of the act, it is required that the consent be obtained of an absolute majority of those present, or that the advice of all be sought.

§2 When the law prescribes that, in order to perform a juridical act, a Superior requires the consent or advice of certain persons as individuals:

1° if consent is required, the Superior's act is invalid if the Superior does not seek the consent of those persons, or acts against the vote of all or any of them;

2° if advice is required, the Superior's act is invalid if the Superior does not hear those persons. The Superior is not in any way bound to accept their vote, even it if it is unanimous; nevertheless, without what is, in his or her judgement, an overriding reason, the Superior is not to act against their vote, especially if it is a unanimous one.

§3 All whose consent or advice is required are obliged to give their opinions sincerely. If the seriousness of the matter requires it, they are obliged carefully to maintain secrecy, and the Superior can insist on this obligation.

When the council of priests is convened, the issue should be presented for advice, and each member of the council of priests should have the opportunity to give his advice. It is very important that accurate minutes be kept of that portion of the meeting so that the advice given by each member is clearly recorded. It should be recorded, as well, which members had no opinion about what should happen. These minutes can then clearly establish that true consultation has taken place. Finally, when a vote is taken it is important to record who voted for and against a proposal, who abstained and who the tellers were.

Respecting the Intentions of Donors

In altering parishes, bishops have to respect acquired rights of donors and founders and any acquired rights." In some instances people may have donated money to start a parish or build a church. They may have to be consulted to know their intentions prior to a major change being made to a parish. These donors are in a different situation to parishioners who, under canon 222, donate money to generally support the parish including maintaining the church building(s).

While people who can demonstrate a genuine involvement in the parish need to be involved, and while they may have acquired a right to pastoral care in the parish, the bishop is not subject to their veto because it is the bishop who has the final responsibility concerning parishes. Canon 122 requires the bishop to respect their acquired right to pastoral care in canons 213 and 214 in particular, but the bishop can amalgamate or alter a parish without their consent. A parallel to this whole situation is the consultation that happens when a diocese is divided or dioceses are amalgamated. The Apostolic See does not give each individual member of Christ's faithful in the diocese, who has donated money to the diocese, a determining say about the decision."

A parish is part of the broader community of the church.⁵⁸ The Catholic Church is a communion of local Eucharistic communities, not a federation of community churches. As the letter of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, on May 28, 1992, stated: "in every particular Church, the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church of Christ is truly present and active. For this reason, the universal Church cannot be conceived as the sum of the particular Churches, or as a federation of particular Churches".⁵⁹ It would be contrary to the nature of the church to have someone, or one community, undermining the communion or pastoral welfare of the rest of the diocese.

Once the diocesan bishop has consulted the council of priests and those whose intentions and rights must be respected, he must make a decision about the proposed matter. When the diocesan bishop has made his decision, he should issue a proper decree, notarised by the chancellor, so there is a verifiable juridical act.

It is always advisable to have on record a list of dates and consultations that have taken place.

Church Buildings

Merging parishes does not necessarily mean or include closing church buildings or turning them over for secular purposes. Often, when parishes are merged, country churches are closed. This is the source of huge upset, especially when church buildings are sold directly to other ecclesial communities for them to use as places of worship. Decisions like this only add to the difficulties of the situation. Sometimes the churches are used as parish meeting places or for religious education purposes. This is quite different from giving them over for profane use, such as allowing them to be sold so they can be converted into houses or haysheds. There is a completely separate procedure for alienating or reducing a church to profane use to the procedure for altering parishes. The Congregation for Clergy explains:

There is a clear disposition both in law and in tradition that a sacred edifice which has been given over perpetually for divine worship should retain that sacred character if at all possible, and only a grave reason to the contrary is sufficient to justify relegating a church to profane but not sordid use (cf. can. 1222 §2). Even more so, altars do not lose their dedication or blessing when the church does, and can never be turned over to profane use for any reason (cf. canons 1212 and 1238).⁶⁰

A bishop has to consult the council of priests when building a new church.⁶¹ When a church is being relegated for profane use, the bishop has to obtain the consent and not just the advice of "those who legitimately claim rights regarding the church".⁶² He also must ascertain that relegating this church to profane use will not impair the good of souls. People do not have a right to pastoral care in a particular church building. The good of souls includes the souls of all Christ's faithful in the diocese for whom the bishop has obligations to provide pastoral care. One particular group of the faithful should not be receiving a level of pastoral care in a way which leads to other members of the faithful being deprived.

Those who could claim rights regarding a church building would include donors.⁶³ Those with rights certainly would not include all current parishioners. The person responsible for the juridical person of the parish is the parish priest." While it is advisable that the bishop consults with all current parishioners, the required consent is that of the parish priest.

Once the bishop has the consent of all those who legitimately claim rights in relation to the church and has consulted the council of priests, he could grant permission for profane use. The bishop needs to consult only the council of priests. It might not be wise for him to do so, but he could act contrary to the advice that has been given by the majority of members. A definite decree should be made and there should be a record of all the consultations, minutes, consents and votes.

Conclusion

The present situation clearly calls for vocations to the priesthood and religious life to be more valued and to be more actively promoted.

In the short term, bishops, priests, religious and parishioners often face very difficult decisions concerning parishes as the clergy age and decline in numbers, while other factors such as the urban drift from the country accentuate the problem. Everyone can see that changes are inevitable. However, as Pope Francis reminds everyone:

The parish is not an outdated institution; precisely because it possesses great flexibility, it can assume quite different contours depending on the openness and missionary creativity of the pastor and the community. While certainly not the only institution which evangelizes, if the parish proves capable of self-renewal and constant adaptivity, it continues to be "the Church living in the midst of the homes of her sons and daughters."⁶⁵

For a long time official church documents and canon law have allowed for changes to come about. 'The law is clear about who makes the decisions and provides the procedures to bring about change. How successfully changes come about often depends upon clerical leadership, the consultation process, education and individual Christians living their vocations in new ways. There is no doubt that changes to parishes will be more smoothly introduced when people feel listened to, a consensus is reached, and lay leaders are properly trained. Ultimately, all those involved with diocesan restructuring need to appreciate as Saint John Chrysostom said in the fourth century: "You cannot pray at home as at church, where there is a great multitude, where exclamations are cried out to God as from one great heart and there is something more: the union of minds, the accord of souls, the bond of charity, the prayer of priests".⁶⁶

• Brendan Daly is a priest from the diocese of Christchurch and a Doctor of Canon Law. He taught at Holy Cross College, Dunedin and then at Good Shepherd Theological College, Auckland. In 2002 he became principal at Good Shepherd College and is now a Lecturer at Te Kupenga. Brendan is a judge on the Tribunal of the Catholic Church for New Zealand.
• Chapter in Canon Law in Action, Chapter 7: Parishes: Leadership and Other Issues associated with Clustering and Mergers ¹.
• Republished with permission.
• Footnotes are available as PDF only.
• Download Chapter 7 of Canon Law in Action "Parishes: Leadership and Other Issues associated with Clustering and Mergers"

After consultation over the past year, Cardinal John Dew announced in June that of the five Wairarapa Catholic churches only Featherston's St Teresa of Avila and Masterton's St Patrick's Church would be kept. Martinborough, Greytown, and Carterton churches were set to close and the properties sold. Continue reading

Two years of death-defying earthquakes then the grief-stricken, the demolition, the dying, the rebuilding aftermath.

Followed by March 15, 2019, with 51 people dying while at prayer in the mosques, and while we are prayerfully and painfully recovering ourselves, we now have, on June 9, 2019, Paul Martin turning up with his Roman-like directions to demolish or sell off seven of Christchurch's 12 Catholic parish community churches that have managed to survive the earthquakes.

All this is not because we don't have enough parishioners in our churches.

Our parishes are full and some overflowing.

It is because he hasn't enough male celibate priests to minister to them.

He is using a North American big church heavily oil-dependent model - parishioners travelling, not the priest.

And because he can't seem to consider the practice that is common in the rest of Oceania, Latin America and Africa - in fact throughout the whole of the Southern Hemisphere, where lay ministers - married folk and women - can minister the liturgy of the Word with Holy Communion, without a priest being present, and the priest can turn up once every month or two and celebrate Mass and support them.

Maybe he sees the writing on the wall for clericalism and wants to finish it all off as quickly and painlessly as he can.

So he looks at the oldest, strongest base community parishes, churches like Sacred Heart Addington, St Teresa's Riccarton, Christ the King Burnside, strong parishes with high daily Mass attendance and university student communities and sells these churches or bulldozes them.

These communities and their attached schools have taken decades to build to the strength they are today.

You don't get rid of the places where your strength lies.

These churches and halls are our marae - the places where we gather to celebrate our births, deaths, weddings, first communions and ordinations. They are like cloaks that support our schools.

They were built with the blood, sweat and tears of our communities over generations.

Consultation?

He has not consulted with the priests, with the staff, nor with the parishioners. He simply announces his plan. He claims it is a proposal.

We are to pray and discuss it, but that his proposal will all be carried out within one year.

Our priests and staff and parishioners should have been consulted, involved and listened to, not just briefed.

Announcing a fixed plan and pretending it is a consultation, when it has been already decided upon, is the practice of clericalism at its very worst.

Shortage of priests

Currently we have 30 ordained priests in the diocese.

In 10 years we will have 12.

What about in 20 years?

In 20 years we will have four priests - if the trend continues. Something needs to be done about this.

Unlike the Anglicans, there is not a shortage of parishioners.

We need lay ministers - married people and women to be able to minister, for the Catholic Church to survive in the Christchurch diocese in 20 years' time.

Ten years is far too short a timeframe.

Knocking down churches and building a few new ones is not going to solve the long-term problem.

We need to be planning for 20, 50 and 100 years' time.

These lay ministers need to be trained and supported in ministry and in preaching and this is the place where our empty seminaries need to be putting their energy.

Working from strength

We need to work from the old strong base hub parishes and support the work the priests do there, with work by lay ministers in the surrounding churches.

In South Christchurch we want none of our four churches to be sold or destroyed.

We have had enough of death, destruction, building, selling and rebuilding.

Sacred Heart, Addington is the oldest and largest parish in our region and the safest church earthquake-wise - it is on good ground that doesn't break open or have springs or liquefaction rise up from below. (It is well worth checking the old black map of Christchurch springs.)

We suggest that Sacred Heart be our hub church.

The other three parish churches can remain having Mass celebrated once a month there by a Priest and a liturgy of the Word with Holy Communion by lay ministers on the other Sundays and days of the week if the community has able lay ministers.

We don't want more church name changes.

Name changes are not new here, they are old hat, we have had enough name and street and church and building changes to last a lifetime.

We want the emphasis to be on strengthening our communities and educating our lay ministers, not on demolishing and erecting buildings.

We want energy to go into how we can minister to one another in the absence of a priest.

We want to know how to be present to each other and to our beloved priests, who have done an amazing job in our parishes of all shapes and sizes through such a long difficult and continuing period of unrelieved upheaval.

• Kathleen Gallagher is a Christchurch author, playwright and film-maker. She is a member of St Peter's Church, Beckenham.
• First published in the Christchurch Press. Republished with permission.

The proposed changes were announced at Sunday masses throughout the Diocese via a video message on Pentecost Sunday.

Parishioners have been asked to provide feedback by August 30.

The five new parishes would be Christchurch North, Christchurch West, Christchurch South, Christchurch Central and Christchurch East.

Some churches would be surplus to requirements and would close.

There will be one church in each of the Central and North parishes.

The parishes in the east and the west will each have 2 churches.

Where there are two churches parishioners could choose where they attend mass, Martin said.

The Central Christchurch Cathedral parish would be formed from a merger of the Bryndwr, St Mary's Pro-Cathedral Parishes and Te Rangimarie Maori Community and based either at the Cathedral on Barbadoes St or at a new site.

Martin says he hopes a decision on the cathedral's future will be made by mid-August.

The existing parishes of Riccarton, Sockburn and Hornby would be merged to form the parish in West Christchurch.

It would be based at the Our Lady of Victories, Sockburn site on Main South Road.

The parish in East Christchurch will be based at the St Anne's, Woolston site on Ferry Road.

This parish would result from a merger of Ferrymead and Christchurch East Parishes.

Addington-Beckenham and Hoon Hay-Halswell parishes will be merged to form the parish in South Christchurch.

It would be based at the Our Lady of Assumption site on Hoon Hay Road.

A new Selwyn parish would be based at Rolleston with a newly built church and school.

This parish will be formed from a merger of the existing Akaroa, Lincoln, Leeston and Darfield parishes.

All of those existing churches will be retained.

A merger of Waimakariri and Hurunui parishes into one new North Canterbury parish was being considered.

Some Catholic schools will lose a parish church on the same site, but in those cases, chapels would be built to ensure students could still attend weekday Masses.

Martin said his desire was to make the parishes stronger, able to last into the future, financially viable and able to be staffed by priests and parish teams so they can focus on the mission to spread the Gospel more effectively and to be welcoming to those who have not heard of Christ.

"As a new Bishop to the Diocese, I was familiar with some aspects of the diocese, but not all, so have been able to ask questions about why we do things the way we do.

Martin said that he and his pastoral team have been studying trends here and overseas and they can see, from parishes that are thriving and growing, that part of their success comes from strong leadership and a real desire to work collaboratively with the laity.

"These thriving and growing parishes are also much larger than the parishes that we have now. They have a critical mass of people, less plant, more staff and financial resources that are leading to vibrant and flourishing parishes."

Source

• stuff.co.nz
• voxy.co.nz
• Image: stuff.co.nz

The most significant effect will be that at several of the four parishes affected, the number of Sunday Masses will be reduced from two to one. This will mean that the number of Masses celebrated in Invercargill will reduce from 12 to 9 on Sundays. .Continue reading in NZ Catholic

Following the merger of its Paraparaumu and Waikanae parishes, the church has decided to sell both its existing churches and the current St Patricks School site in Paraparaumu.

In their place, the church has bought a 4.2 hectare block of land on Milne Dr to build a new church and school, which would open at the start of 2017. Read more

The inaugural Mass for the combined parishes of Heretaunga Plains drew almost 1000 Catholics.

The celebrant for the service was Bishop Charles Drennan, the second Catholic Bishop of Palmerston North.

The move to unify follows the amalgamation of the three parishes of St Mary's, St Patrick's and St Thomas More in Napier, presently celebrating Mass at the combined parish's temporary site at St Mary's in Greenmeadows. Continue reading

The move is part of the plan to centralise parish facilities on the Kapiti coast.

The parishes in Waikanae and Paraparaumu were merged just over a year ago to form the new parish of Our Lady of Kapiti

Parish development committee member David Sowry said the existing facilities are not up to earthquake standards and upgrading them would not be economical.

St Patrick's church and school land in Paraparaumu and Our Lady of Fatima church and land in Parata St Waikanae will be sold to help pay for the new development.

The Bunnings site is on the corner of Kapiti Rd and Milne Drive, behind a Z service station.

It has a direct view of the well known 14 metre high Our Lady of Lourdes statue.

The sale was unconditional and the parish would take over the site on Milne Dr at the end of June, Sowery said.

He said the parish had ambitious plans to create a complete catholic centre at an estimated cost of $15 million, for the parish and for the wider community.

It is hoped that the new complex will include a church, a 5 classroom year 1 to 7 school, a hall and a garden of reflection.

The parish would look to have a new school open by February 2017, and the school might have a new name, potentially Our Lady of Kapiti School in line with that of the parish.

Source

• Stuff.co.nz
• Kapiti News
• Image: Stuff.co.nz

The school, in Christchurch New Zealand, is to be closed along with another school, St Paul's in Dallington, which was damaged in the Canterbury earthquakes.

A new school 495-pupil school is planned to be opened on the Our Lady of Fatima site.

It will be called St Francis of Assisi Catholic School.

The school merger will take place after a long period of uncertainty and consultation.

The Catholic parish in Mairehau failed to come to a consensus on the future of the two schools. Bishop Barry Jones was therefore forced to make the final call.

The parents say they thought consultation on the details of the decision was open until late July because the Ministry of Education still has its own ongoing consultation, which does not finish until July 18.

This consultation will decide when the new school will open - the start of term 3 in 2015 or the start of term 1 in 2016.

The ministry has no role in putting forward change options when integrated schools, like Catholic schools, are involved. It was providing support and information throughout the bishop's consultation process.

Source

• Stuff.co.nz
• Image: Stuff.co.nz

In an open letter to Catholics in Wairarapa, Father Julian Wagg says all parishes in New Zealand face unprecedented challenges because of a wide range of factors and the Archdiocese of Wellington.

"As a result we are required to undergo the most dramatic changes since the Diocese was first formed 163 years ago," Wagg says.

The One Wairarapa Parish is to be united by February 1, 2015.

'"The approach is to be collaborative, a shared Mission of Evangelisation; the future of our local church depends on all the gifts in our parish communities being used for the good of the Body of Christ."

Representatives from all three parishes have formed a working group comprising clergy, lay pastoral leaders and chairs of the parish pastoral councils and finance committees.

To assist this group, and involve as many parishioners as possible, three subcommittees have been formed to discuss pastoral, communication and finance issues presented by the merger.

Two updates on progress have been released to the three parishes and a website and email address have been created to foster a two-way flow of information. Continue reading

About 200 people turned out last week to a series of presentations given by a steering group which has the task of explaining the move and organising consultation with the community about the proposed changes. The group is made up of representatives from each of the three parishes.

Father Craig Butler, one of six people on the steering committee, said the changes had been initiated by Bishop Charles Drennan as a way to strengthen the faith in the city as well as make the best use of resources.

As regional dean, Butler will focus on supporting the other priests and Catholic schools in the area, along with facilitating the pastoral care of St Philomena's congregation after their church was destroyed by fire in January.

To do this, he will step aside as parish priest at St Joseph's New Plymouth and will be replaced by Father Adonis Rancho.
Butler said although change was not always easy, there was an opportunity for parishioners to be part of the final plan, which is due to be in place by Easter next year.

Source

• The Taranaki Daily News
• Image: cruisenewzealand.org.nz