Bishop urges parishes to share other denominations' churches

Bishop Seamus Cunningham

Bishop Seamus Cunningham, of Hexham and Newcastle, is urging Catholic parishes which are struggling financially to use Anglican and Methodist churches if they can't afford to run their own church building.

In an article in this month's diocesan newspaper Northern Cross he told a meeting of the diocesan Council of Laity that several churches had to be closed for health and safety reasons.

"When you look at the age profile of priests we felt we couldn't in conscience give the go-ahead to spend up to half a million pounds on a new building," he is reported to have said. But he added: "We are not closing down communities."

Bishop Cunningham, who admitted he "didn't find it easy" to shut a church, pointed to the demolition of St Bede's church, Durham, and Mass being transferred to the neighbouring St Godric's primary school, and Catholics at Corbridge, Northumberland using St Andrew's parish church - "there is a terrific atmosphere there."

About the Durham primary school the bishop said: "There was a certain amount of resistance, but I was there to celebrate Mass and a great number of parishioners attended. A number came up to me and said this was the best thing which could have happened because they now had more children and young parents coming to Sunday Mass."