Relentless Ministry – In a new series written by Priests, we will explore what most priests describe as “Relentless Ministry” and the challenges of being a priest in Ireland today
The issue of closing churches has been grappled with so far in a seemingly haphazard way that needs to be tackled sooner rather than later. The costs of upkeep of churches takes up far too many resources for parish priests and bishops, not only financial but also time and energy. With declining Mass attendances and lack of ordinations, there are vastly too many churches, over 2,600, for the actual number of practicing Catholics. Cultural Catholics that once filled the pews at Christmas, Easter, Communions and Confirmations are becoming less numerous even at these times of the year. The next generations will have even less of a pull to attend church occasionally than previous ones. This is evidenced by the fact that soon there will be more civil ceremonies than Catholic marriages taking place in Ireland. But with so many churches no longer needed in Ireland, what will happen to them?
Crisis
For many the closure of churches is already a reality. Churches have closed across the country but in so few numbers that the difference is negligible. In a few years, if measures are not taken, we will face a crisis of empty churches, many of which will either be sold in a chaotic firesale or need to be demolished like the Church of the Annunciation in Finglas. According to Canon Law, when a church is no longer used for divine worship it can be relegated to profane but not sordid use. Examples of profane use might include office space, a library or accommodation. However, the issue arises, what is a profane or sordid use? If not categorically stated what the building can be used for, the grey area between the two will lead to developers taking advantage which will inevitably leads to abuses. What if a church used as an art gallery displays sacrilegious art? What if a church used as a performance area or theatre shows a sacrilegious play? Some will be happy that the buildings are being used at all. But this isn’t good enough. It isn’t good enough for sacred places where the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass has taken place thousands of times.
Individual Churches could be cherrypicked but the Government won’t come to the rescue”
Other uses of former churches across Europe include: swimming pools, health clubs, gyms or rock climbing halls. But there are increasingly examples of former churches, mostly Protestant for now, around the world being turned into bars, breweries and night clubs. This is the fate awaiting many Irish Churches if steps aren’t taken. My own personal view is that, if churches aren’t listed buildings, or important for historical/artistic reasons, many should be bulldozed rather than have them used and abused by bad faith actors. Churches that can be given to fellow Christians such as Coptics or the Orthodox should be. There are relatively not many churches that would be of interest to the OPW, most that would be are in the hands of the Church of Ireland. Individual churches could be cherrypicked but the Government won’t come to the rescue.
Strategy
Dutch Cardinal Eijk has taken a lead in showing the necessity of restructuring Dioceses to better suit the needs of the future. Eijk believes spending money on maintaining near-empty churches is unjustified and limits the missionary outreach of the church. Bishop Cullinan of Waterford and Lismore has expressed similar sentiments in the past. Closing churches won’t win popularity contests as Eijk and examples closer to home have found. I have sympathy for bishops who are already overworked and have a litany of problems to attend to but this is a ticking time bomb that, if left unaddressed, will result in bad, avoidable mistakes. Ultimately, the decision comes down to a local bishop and their bravery to invite criticism. One can understand the hesitation to court unpopularity when he is just starting in his role or else a couple of years from retirement. But the time has come, bishops need to be brave in the face of the predictable local backlash for the long term good of the Church.
Tough decisions are needed which will result in loud condemnation and backlash”
Reviews looking at the island as a whole and in each diocese need to take place, looking at long term plans based on where population centres will be in the future, where churches and resources are best placed. Decisions will need to be based on a series of criteria, the most important of which should be the strategic location of churches for the reevangelisation of Ireland. The current solution in many areas of elderly priests serving several rural churches will come to a shuddering halt in a couple of years. The practice of keeping things ticking over and plugging leaks is holding the Church back. Part of the issue is that when attempts are made to close churches, local parish communities have the right in Canon Law to object. The relegation of a church to profane use must be done with their ‘consent’ which is why church closures should be planned with dialogue. But perhaps most importantly, a vision for how closures would aid a diocese or community is needed to get buy in. Tough decisions are needed which will result in loud condemnation and backlash. But the alternative is much worse.
Reasoning
As with so many other issues facing the Church in Ireland, sticking our head in the sand is not an option. Efforts to save churches are often just stays of execution, delaying the inevitable by a handful of years. The Church is not a democracy. If there are legitimate, considered reasons coupled with a plan for the future, the laity should humbly accept that maybe their local church might be the one that will have to close. What is more important, your own personal reasons to keep ‘your’ church open or the long term good of the Church in Ireland?
Wasting resources can’t continue, the Church can’t continue throwing good money after bad. With the resources and money saved and gained from sale of land, money can be put towards victims of child sexual abuse, reevangelisation and tackling other hefty expenses such as caring for priests in retirement. For the Church to become the missionary church of the Second Vatican Council, it must shed part of the infrastructural baggage that it holding it down.
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Ronan Doheny is an archivist and is involved with his parish as well as conducting historical research on the 1932 Eucharistic Congress.