Campaigners appeal to Pope to save All Saints Pastoral Centre

Campaigners hoping to save All Saints Pastoral Centre in London Colney, Hertfordshire, from being sold to developers, have written to Pope Benedict, appealing for him to intervene.

Westminster Diocese say they have had to sell the complex because in the "current challenging economic climate" they can't afford to do essential renovation work, and need funds from the sale to pay for care of their retired priests.

The Save All Saints (SAS) Committee say the sale of the retreat and conference centre with listed buildings, on a 60 acre site in Hertfordshire, would be a great loss to the Diocese. They have produced plans and some funding for a 'Pastoral Village' at All Saints which would include accommodation for retired priests, library, bookshop, communications centre, retreat, conference, education and other facilities.

The letter to Pope Benedict XVI points out that All Saints was bought from an order of Anglican nuns in 1974 by the diocese, with an agreed covenant stating that any future sale would be to a purchaser who would ensure educational and religious continuity.

Instead the estate agents offered the property for sale to developers in a single or several lots. The committee said that instead of “acting as a beacon”, the diocese has accepted a higher bid from a property developer. They fear the unnamed buyer will not keep the centre in the spirit of the original covenant.

Bishop John Arnold, auxiliary Bishop in Westminster, said that while change was never easy, All Saints does not meet the pastoral needs of the organisation. He said: “The clergy of the diocese have, for some time, been of the opinion that the upkeep and renovation of the Centre was not a priority. The reality has been that few priests have used it for their ministry and the number of diocesan events held there has been minimal.”

A diocesan spokesman said that once the legal side of the sale had been finalised information about the buyer would be released to the public, “possibly within the next few weeks.”

SAS spokesman Peter Baker said the community is still hoping the trustees of the diocese will have a change of heart and reconsider the alternative proposals.

A paper petition at the centre has received more that 6,000 signatures. The campaign recently launched an on-line petition: www.ipetitions.com/petition/saveallsaints/