Saint: “They have the buildings, we have the Faith.” In Glasgow, they don’t even want the buildings!
Priests and parishioners are to be asked to come together to work out how best to organise parish life in the Archdiocese of Glasgow in coming years.
But Archbishop Nolan has made it clear that change is on the cards.
In an exclusive and wide-ranging interview with Flourish to mark his first year as Archbishop of Glasgow, Archbishop Nolan has revealed that local communities will be tasked with recommending which churches should be closed and which retained in their local zone to take account of the new reality of lower practising rates post Covid, fewer priests and population shift.
The Archbishop said: “Before deciding on changes or closures it is essential that we have a clear vision of what the purpose of the Church is and then we look at the resources we have in terms of people and properties and decide how best to utilise them.
“The Church is there to spread the good news, to reach out to others who are not yet touched by the Gospel. Yet we often think of parishes as places to dispense the sacraments to those who already come along every Sunday. We have to find a way to fulfil our primary challenge to reach out to all.
“We have a number of churches which need a lot of money spent on them – maybe a million pounds for a new roof – and of course we have to keep people warm and dry. But we are putting all our money into buildings. No-one is coming to me and saying ‘I need a million pounds for evangelisation and youth work!’.
Later this month the number of deaneries in the Archdiocese will be reduced from nine to five. Each new zone will be asked to examine the challenges and resources in its own area and recommend a way forward. Source…
Editor writes…
It is truly tragi-comic to watch the unravelling of the modernist – formerly Catholic – parishes in the Archdiocese of Glasgow. I am reminded of the great Saint and Doctor of the Church, Athanasius, who consoled the Catholics of his time when the Arian heretics controlled the churches: he writes…
May God comfort you. I know moreover that not only this thing saddens you, but also the fact that while others have obtained the churches by violence, you are meanwhile cast out from your places. For they hold the places, but you the Apostolic Faith. They are, it is true, in the places, but outside of the true Faith; while you are outside the places indeed, but the Faith, within you. Let us consider whether is the greater, the place or the Faith. Clearly the true Faith. Source.
Those of us who are clinging to the “old Faith” – the Apostolic Faith to which St Athanasius refers – are effectively cast out from the parish buildings, courtesy of Traditionis Custodes. Sometimes, even, the TLM priest is suspended on very shaky grounds. And so, it’s laughable to discover that the modernists in Glasgow have not only lost the Faith, but they don’t want the buildings either. Gimme a break!
Your thoughts…
Comments (34)
They just won’t admit the Vatican II experiment has failed, and because of this, they’ve become ‘dog in a manger’ about ecclesiastical property. They have no use for it, due to plummeting congregations, but they’d never give it to traditional communities, because that would be an admission of the failure of everything they’ve stood for. They’d rather the churches be converted into nightclubs, mosques or private flats.
WF
I totally agree. They’re between a rock and a hard place now, with the fruits of their destructive VII agenda now out in the open for all to see.
Margaret Mary,
I have to wonder how many will actually see where the cause of the destruction originates. After all, most modern Catholics have been brainwashed into thinking that the Church started over with that wonderful Council that let in all that fresh air, did away with that horrible fortress mentality, opened up the liturgy to active participation by the laity, made the Faith so much easier to practice, blah blah blah. New Evangelization? Nope. New Indoctrination? Yep.
In short, I’m pretty pessimistic about the critical thinking skills of modern Catholics, and I also have to wonder how many of them are serious about the destination of their souls, or whether they’re just doing a few things for the sake of appearance.
No way of telling, I suppose, unless we witness a massive grassroots uprising against the evil agenda of this present Pope. Then we’ll know.
RCA Victor,
Critical thinking skills? What most people don’t realise is that when they teach student teachers about cultivating the thinking skills of their pupils, they don’t mean teach them to look critically at the ways of the world and every new “ism” – “Wokeism” for example – and measure it against Christ’s teaching and His Church. Nope: what they mean is check out if the Church is conforming to the latest “ism”. Yip. That there is what they mean…
Gimme strength!
Great Points Victor I would say that 90% of them just don’t know and I was one until I started to go the T.L.Mass about 5 Years ago. I have to be Honest I just didn’t realise the vast Spirtual Difference I most certainly do so now.
ED I do not know the size of the T.L.MASS congregation in Glasgow but our T.L.Mass in the Motherwell Diocese was 50 and growing. Also their was only Paper that went into the Collection Box of course T.C. put an End to Our Mass and I know yours also is under pressure from the powers that be .
My big point being that over the year in Our Mass contributions would have amounted to Approx £ 15.000 . Talk about cutting off the hand that feeds you.
Of course I read your comment about telling the Pass Keeper a couple of weeks ago that no way were you contributing after the announcement that it would be the last T.L.Mass in that particular Church and rightly so. Forby the obvious by these Men which is Worship to Almighty God their certainly not doing Diocesan Finances any good.
FOOF,
I think the TLM congregations should agree to give money privately to the priest for his upkeep but nothing to go to the archdiocese until there is a guarantee that the three Masses which have been provided since Summorum Pontificum are allowed to continue, and Fr Dunn reinstated at Sacred Heart. I don’t think it’s right to allow a cut of the collection to go to the archdiocese until the threat over the Mass is removed.
Laura what you say is correct. It actually makes me mad that Even a Shilling of what I put into our Parish would make The Bishop fatter.
Just on the Fat bit . When you see some of the Top Clergymen you can tell that Fasting is certainly not their favourite penance.
Of course the ones who now believe that the Holy Eucharist should be given out without any repentance don’t believe in fasting anyhow.
FOOF,
My latest ambition is to get to be a pass-keeper because then I can simply “forget” to take up the collection…
(a) if there is another such statement read from the archbishop
or
(b) if I’m broke that week 😀
“Before deciding on changes or closures it is essential that we have a clear vision of what the purpose of the Church is…”
Oh, you certainly do have a clear vision of what the Church is, Your Excellencies, but it isn’t even remotely Catholic. The Catholic Church stands on two pillars: Tradition and Scripture. Without Tradition, which is the evil plan of the present Pope and those who placed him on the Chair of Peter, the whole thing is just Protestant – spiced up, for good measure, with a little paganism and Freemasonry into the bargain. And like Protestantism, it falls flat on its face.
I also tend to look through the other end of the telescope in response to such statements as the hierarchy will never admit that Vatican II is a failure. Actually, it is a smashing success – key word, smashing – since its purpose was to replace the Catholic Church with a new, false religion.
Getting back to the immediate topic, I wonder where the “faithful” of this new religion – if there are any left, ultimately – will worship their false god? And looking further ahead, since there will be no parishes, why bother to have bishops and clergy? Who’s going to pay for them?
Who knows, maybe they will just “worship” on Zoom and in chat rooms…with masks on, of course…
RCA Victor,
“Smashing” it is. They’ve destroyed the faith in Glasgow and it really shows. I also think you’ve got a point about Zoom and chat rooms. The future is online, for sure. The churches are empty anyway most of the time. You have to wonder what the priests are doing all day. Or maybe better not to ask, LOL!
The headline is priceless! They don’t have the faith and they don’t even want the buildings! Aka Saint Athanasius, LOL!
It is a cracking point – they’ve lost the faith and now they don’t even want the churches. It’s very shocking and very sad at the same time.
From my days in the SSPX, I recall frequent attempts by the Society to purchase abandoned diocesan buildings. Those offers were almost always denied. There was one case in Pittsburgh, however, where a vacant parish was purchased by a private individual, who promptly turned it over to the Society. I think it was St. James.
There’s more than one way to skin a faithless cat….so, Editor, put all that money you’ve been hoarding to good use and buy yourself a vacant, once-Catholic church! 🙂
RCA Victor,
Well, I don’t think there’s any danger of the SSPX trying to buy a church in Glasgow – they seem to be very happy with the former Protestant church which they have used since forever. So, if I can find that money I’ve been hoarding I’ll use it to add to my new hairdo and outfit fund 😀
RCAVictor,
I remember the story about the Pittsburgh Church – it was truly uplifting and I hope that SSPX congregation continues to do well.
This may be a little unusual but…
I think this is a good thing. Let them see the fruits of their labours. Let the parishes merge and once holy places turned into dens of iniquity.
Why?
Because by their works shall we know them. The single remaining TLM in the archdiocese will shine all the brighter because it will be the only busy parish that is able to sustain itself.
Maybe that will lead to a fresh look at what is important. What do you think?
The Flourish article raises more questions than it answers. I quote:
“As I go from parish to parish I don’t come across any great disharmony in the liturgy. The controversy is really about the Tridentine Mass and that affects very few people and doesn’t impinge on the lives of the vast majority of Catholics who seem very much at home with the liturgy in their parishes”
1. Does this not mean that the faithful attached to TLM are on the margins? I thought this was now a church for the margins?
2. How many TLM parishes did the Archbishop visit?
3. Is Ronnie Convery still on £80,000+ a year?
The Archdiocese had £19,360,378 in reserves in 2021. The poverty we suffer from is spiritual and NOT material.
“The Church is there to spread the good news, to reach out to others who are not yet touched by the Gospel. Yet we often think of parishes as places to dispense the sacraments to those who already come along every Sunday. We have to find a way to fulfil our primary challenge to reach out to all.” quoth the Archbishop
Meanwhile, Francis has banned proselytising or encouraging conversions. The mad mad world of Vatican numero 2.
Andrew Q,
The right hand doesn’t know what the left hand is doing, LOL! The Pope says “stop trying to win converts” and the Archbishop says “We have to reach out to all”!
Glasgow Catholic,
Those of us attached to the TLM are unequivocally “on the margins” in what Andrew Q rightly describes as the “mad mad world of Vatican numero 2”. Spot on, Andrew!
I think you can safely take it that Ronnie Convery is on the + side of that £80,000 by now. For doing sweet what? Sweet-talking to the media – for which glorious task we already have Peter Kearney. Why a special “sweet-talking salesman” for Glasgow when we have one for ALL the Bishops?
Anyway, well said, Glasgow Catholic.
I personally had never heard of Ronnie Convery I did though Google Him and I see that He is the Director of Communications. If this Man is on £80.000 + also said He was a Freelance Journalist.
1 is the Director of Communications a part time Job at £80.000 + a Year .
2 can the Archbishop not Communicate as £ 80.000 + for doing some talking takes a lot of coin in any collection plate.
3 if their is a way to save money this should surely be a post that gets Redundant.
4 silly me they would have to pay him probably around Half a Brick to pay Him off . Plus of course His early pension would probably be around £80.000 anyhow.
5 so I suppose the unsuspecting people of Glasgow will just have to Step up to the Plate. ( Pardon the pun). To keep this Man talking.
“We have to find a way to fulfil our primary challenge to reach out to all.”
In the “mad, mad world” of VII, it seems that “reaching out” means denying the TLM to Catholics who seek it. But apparently traditional Catholics – aka Catholics – are excluded from “all.” Reaching out with a bloody axe, is more like it.
Very interesting how the hierarchy adopts the perverted double-talk of the homosexual militants, who perpetually scream “inclusion!” as they relentlessly persecute anyone who dares to point out that they are destroying themselves. Birds of a feather…
Empty words and false promises, Your Excellency. Do you wish to obey the evil agenda of Francis the Destroyer, or do you wish to nourish your flock? There is no middle ground.
RCA Victor,
At the same time that the archbishop is pointing out that traditional Latin Mass Catholics are a minority, and ending the Mass provision, he is saying we need to reach out to minorities! Stupid is, as stupid does, right enough!
Lily
But “reaching out” can mean catching you by the Adam’s Apple or to shove you over a cliff. It could even mean a desire to pick your. pocket.
In response to Victor your Spot on . The ED may or may not let this comment go but the saying is already out there.
” You cannot be a Bergoglion and a Catholic it’s one or the other ”
Or as the ED said when Archbishop Nolan became a Made Man. That He was a company Man and would follow Pope Francis. It seems Pope Francis is the new Catholic pied piper of Hamilon . And He’s leading the Gullible right up to the Gates. For if this Sinnods Voting goes through????????
I see covid got a mention too. I used to say that film makers and Chelsea Pensioners would have been disappointed if there had been no world wars. Now its it is the same with covid. It gets named and blamed for everything under the sun.
I made an enquiry through the meeting of parish councils recently as to why I still can’t receive communion on the tongue. I was informed last night that it was because of covid. Health and Safety, etc. I would respect them more if they would actually tell the truth and admit that they just mean to phase it out. Only one person in the church who receives on the tongue and it’s a safety issue?
I remember, living in a mining area, the parish priests and doctors were always on standby to go down the mines, even after a cave-in or an explosion to minister to the victims and now it is considered more dangerous to distribute Holy Communion.
And then they wonder why the churches are empty.
Frankier,
Here in the formerly united states, the leftists have something else to blame for everything under the sun, especially for their long list of failed policies: Donald Trump.
RCA Victor,
Off topic, but since you mention the USA and “the leftists” I can’t resist telling you that I stumbled across Nigel Farage’s address to CPAC earlier and he finished off by rousing the meeting to rebellion using – drum roll – the example of Scotland and the downfall of Nicola Sturgeon due to the majority of the population rejecting her daft Gender Recognition Bill. Well, he didn’t call lit “daft” but he’d agree with me on that, I’m sure 😀
Just thought I’d throw that into the mix 😀
In the good old days, our bishops were viewed as fathers: fathers of their priests, fathers of the faithful. But ever since the advent of effeminate clergy, they no longer act like fathers. Their current enactment of fatherhood is to act like Communist jailers and scourgers – both with their own priests and with us.
It’s the perfect role for homosexuals and men emasculated by feminism.
RCA Victor,
I find it interesting that a hallmark of this revolution in the Church is that priests didn’t want to be called “Father” just by their name. It was very telling, IMHO. They didn’t want to be thought of as spiritual fathers. I’m just amazed that they got into the seminary thinking they were nothing more important than social workers or climate change activists.
Matt Hancock in panic mode – enjoy!
As the dissidents who inflicted fratricidal revolution on the Catholic Church starting in the 1960s die out, no new iconoclasts are stepping in to fill their shoes.
Perhaps when enough of those who are committed to the reform (sic) visited on us by individuals who indulged in unmitigated hubris, willful deceit, and/or unthinking rage are out of the picture, the business of cleaning up the awful mess they caused can be properly carried out.
Wurdesmythe,
You make a crucial point when you say that there are no new rebels against the faith to fill the shoes of the 60’s generation – and thank God for that.
Only when that rotten generation are out of the way can the clean up really begin – and I’m guessing that the real clean up won’t begin or completed until after the Consecration of Russia.
The Archbishop complains all his money is going into buildings as opposed to youth work and evangelisation. Hmm.
I would really like to see Bishops challenged on their pronouncements.
For example, who is it that he wants to evangelise? It certainly isnt his protestant friends he likes to hob-nob with over tea and biscuits. How can he mention evangelisation with a straight face, given all the Church is interested in is ecumenism?
As for “youth work” – well, all the Church has served up to young people for decades now is slop. Small wonder few are interested. My daughter made her First Confession recently, I made sure she was well prepared using traditional resources.
She also received a workbook from school to prepare. I am impressed by some faith aspects of school, (eg the saying of the rosary – unheard of in my day), and so I was interested to see what the workbook was like (an Archdiocesan resource, if I remember correctly).
It was completely worthless. The best you could say about it was that it was a waste of paper. As far as I could see, the word “sin” appeared a grand total of once (bearing in mind its supposed to teach about Confession) and only then indirectly, as part of a scripture quotation. This book would be the sole resource most children would have – and seemingly they wonder why uptake of the sacraments is nose diving.
So, as is typically the case with modern prelates, I find it difficult to take the Archbishop seriously. At times they talk a good game, but scratch the surface and you find a total lack of substance.