Thank you for gathering this evening as part of the consultation about the future of the pastoral and spiritual care of the parishioners of St. Joseph’s parish, Hoghton/Brindle.

My pastoral letter proposed that the future pastoral and liturgical life of the parish will focus on and be provided by St. Bede’s, Clayton Wood and various reasons were given for this choice. By the term ‘pastoral and liturgical’ I do not only focus on the celebration of Eucharist but the wider care of the parish by the priest of St Bede’s which includes working with all the baptised for evangelisation and mission, care of the sick, reconciliation etc.

Since the departure of the Benedictines of Ampleforth Abbey from the parish, I am most grateful to Abbot Robert Igo for providing a licence of use until January 31st. While I understand that AAT would consider extending the licence, this only delays the final decision. I am also obliged to consider the health and well-being of the local clergy who have been generous in serving St. Joseph’s and face other challenges because of age and sickness in the deanery, as well as the parishioners of the other parishes. Proposals for pastoral and spiritual care require the qualities of stability and sustainability.

Thank you for the 31 responses sent by letter and email since 3 January as well as the more developed response from the Transition Group. As I indicated in the pastoral letter of 3/4 January, earlier letters/emails focused around three areas: the Catholic life of the parish, the Catholic heritage of the parish and its connections with St Edmund Arrowsmith, and the community facilities which more widely help to build up the local community (e.g. the parish hall). In these responses, there is near-unanimous opposition to my proposal to remove religious services or suppress the parish of St Joseph’s, Brindle. No submission explicitly supports the proposal. Contributors consistently describe the proposal as premature, unjustified, and harmful, particularly given what they consider to be the vitality of the parish. Opposition is expressed not only by regular parishioners but also by non-residents, non-practising Catholics, and non-Catholic community members, as well as others further afield indicating broad-based concern beyond the immediate worshipping community. As is understandable, these representations draw upon a number of divergent perspectives and preferences. However, my own concern (and the decision which I am required to make) is directed to the pastoral and spiritual care of the parish as a faith community.  

I will outline reasons for this proposal:

Although it was signalled over ten years ago, that Fr Raphael would be the last Benedictine priest, only recently has this become a reality. I suspect many did not expect it to happen. Since the development of Archdiocesan Pastoral Plan in 2021, the Archdiocese has begun a process of discernment, deanery by deanery, about our future mission. Yes, there will need to be a wider plan in the future as Chorley deanery has about 14 active priests of the approximately 94 available for parish work. This is high.  This discussion takes place now about St. Joseph’s because of the change of situation with the departure of the Benedictines.

The property of Ampleforth Abbey Trust (hence AAT) includes the church, presbytery, tenanted cottages, parish hall, car park, graveyard and the maintenance of the unadopted road. The Trustees of Ampleforth Abbey Trust would be willing to gift this to the Archdiocese but do not exclude some claw-back if properties were to be sold. The Trustees of the Archdiocese have considered the proposal and taken into account their legal and financial responsibilities to the Archdiocese as a whole. They have determined that the diocesan Trust cannot assume these liabilities. In their judgment, and having taken appropriate advice, they do not consider that the parish could sustain the operational liabilities in the longer-term. This decision of the Trustees limits the options available. The properties will remain with AAT.

I have proposed that the merger with St. Bede’s provides the most sustainable and long-term viable option for the good of the pastoral and liturgical care of the parishioners who form the faith community within the parish. This would ensure the necessary stability to ensure a parish priest (presently Fr Mark Beattie) who builds up relationships with the local school, provides gifted parishioners to develop the wider new parish and helps sustain the future of Catholic life in this part of the Archdiocese. The implementation of such a proposal brings both challenges and opportunities; the recent Radio Lancashire News item heard people expressing their pain and lament. I recognise that some people could not walk to church but a good community would enable lifts and transport to be provided. The parish priest would do his utmost to build a new community. I recognise too that some people would choose to go to other parishes. This is regrettable but probably realistic. The proposal would provide the opportunity to build up its local links within the Deanery as a whole. We are not removing the Catholic presence; we are seeking to ensure its sustainability. Nor are we removing the heritage of the martyrs and their link with the parishes of this area, which contribute to us being the living stones of today’s Church.

One proposal suggested that the diocesan order of the Holy Family Fathers and Brothers of the Youth would take over the parish. Some of you may know that they are an order founded in Nigeria in 2003 and has developed a presence in some dioceses of this country. They are committed to missions, parish life and especially the youth. I consider that while they have many gifts, their charism is better suited to urban parish life where there are greater needs and more young people. There are also practicalities to consider. The publicly available information confirms that the Order first registered with the charity commission in October 2024. As such, they are new to our regulation and procedure. The information published by the Charities Commission confirms that the Order does not own or lease land or property. Further, AAT has indicated that they could not give the properties to a relatively new religious order without a guarantee from the Archdiocese to cover the liabilities. This is not possible.

In this part of the Archdiocese, we have many parishes founded by Jesuits and Benedictines after the Reformation. This is an important historical heritage, not only particular to St Joseph’s Hoghton, but much wider. This historical pattern of parishes has previously served the faith community and reflected the lived experience of the local community.  However, it is not viable for the future. A changed demography, changed patterns of worship and practice, and better means of travel between locations have each contributed to the need for revised community structures to ensure the viability and sustainability of our local faith communities and the contribution the faithful provide to building up the people of God. In 1962 there were 264,000 people at Mass each Sunday, in 2024, this had fallen to 28,409 people. In 1962 there were 400 priests serving the archdiocese and now there are about 100. This means we have to be open to change. (Pastoral Plan 2021)

Some responses have raised the question of the parish hall. This property remains with AAT and they have indicated a willingness to find solutions for continuation of use with the help of the local Council. That is another conversation. Similarly, the future use of the graveyard would be determined by AAT. Those are decisions to be made by the AAT as owner of those properties.

In conclusion, this proposal appoints the parish priest of St Bede’s to this parish, proposals merger, and the potential reduction of the church to the status of a public oratory. Parish liturgy would be celebrated at St. Bede’s. This proposal then be presented together with the local representations and submission to the Council of Priests in February.  

As I have attempted to make clear, the only decision which falls to me at this time relates to the spiritual and pastoral provision to be made to the people of the parish. I anticipate that there will be continued exploration and discussion between members of the local community and the AAT in relation to the ownership and use of the buildings owned by the AAT. Those are matters for the AAT. I have every confidence that they will continue in their own sincere efforts to provide a workable solution to those property related matters.

Archbishop John Sherrington

Archbishop of Liverpool

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