Vatican letter sparks call for probe into closure of New Brighton church

Aug 6 2008 by Lorna Hughes, Wallasey News

CHURCHGOERS have called for an investigation after Vatican authorities expressed surprise at plans to close New Brighton’s iconic SS Peter and Paul’s.

Parishioners were told last month of the Diocese of Shrewsbury’s controversial decision to close the Catholic church and share with the Anglican All Saints in Hoseside Road.

At a packed meeting of campaign group SOUL (Save Our Unique Landmark) last week a letter from the Vatican was read out stating it had been given “no indication” of the plan.

In a statement, the Diocese of Shrewsbury said it had fulfilled all canonical requirements ahead of the decision to close the church.

The Vatican letter, signed by under-secretary Giovanni Carru and dated July 17, said: “The materials presented by you seem to indicate also that discussions are afoot to provide for possibly displayed parishioners by ‘sharing’ space in a local church of a Protestant denomination.

“The congregation must evince a certain surprise at this suggestion and hastens to assure you that, in the information provided by the diocese, there is no indication that any such novel plan is in the offing.”

It concludes: “That being said, this dicastery rests certain that His Lordship will act within the requirements of the law of the church in any action he might take.”

SOUL committee members were unavailable for comment as the News went to press.

But Arthur Read, of Wallasey, who attended the meeting, said: “What is urgently needed now is an investigation of this whole affair by the Vatican.”

A spokesman for the Diocese of Shrewsbury said: “The congregation has expressed its certainty that the bishop will act within the requirements of the law of the church and we confirm this to be the case.”