Catholic parishioners in North Wales have won a rare battle with their bishop to save their historic parish church from permanent closure.
Unusually, the Vatican has overturned their bishop's decision to close the church, known throughout Wales and beyond for its beautifully carved marble Stations of the Cross.
Parishioners at St Michael and All Angels in Conwy in the Wrexham diocese launched an appeal to the Congregation for the Clergy when their bishop decided to close the church as part of a restructuring of the diocese.
They were informed at Mass of their victory.
Bishop of Wrexham Peter Brignall said: "The Diocese of Wrexham has recently been informed by the Congregation for the Clergy, that the Hierarchical Recourse of the Decree of 4th January 2018 to reduce to profane but not sordid use the Church of St Michael and All Angels in Conway has been sustained.
"In simple terms this means that the intended permanent closure of the Church cannot currently take place. The consequences of that decision have now to be considered by the Bishop along with the Parish Priest; the Presbyteral Council of the Diocese and the Diocesan Trustees; as well as the Parish Finance Committee and Pastoral Council."
The statement was read out at Mass to the parishioners on the Fourth Sunday of Advent at the end of last month.
Catherine Pepinster reported in The Tablet in 2018 that the congregation was stunned when Bishop Brignall announced that the church was to close as part of the restructuring of the diocese with little time to appeal.
He said in 2016 that 22 of 62 churches would be closed over the following four years. Many other Catholic churches throughout Wales have also closed, and other denominations such as the Anglican Church in Wales have faced similar restructuring as a result of declining congregations and falling numbers of clergy.
St Michael’s was officially shut down on 11 February 2018. There was instant outcry in the parish and beyond, with the focus in particular on the church's Stations of the Cross, grade II listed in 2005 by Cadw, the Welsh heritage organisation. Unusually, the 14 Carrara marble stations are out of doors, with 12 embedded in Conwy’s medieval walls. Another station is in the gable end of St Michael’s church itself, and another is a statue of Christ on the Cross. Their good condition is among the reasons Unesco declared the town a world heritage site.
At the time, parishioner John Lewis said: “We are devastated by the closure. St Michael’s will be a loss to not only the parish but the whole town and the many visitors it receives during the summer. We’re a vibrant church and a welcoming one and we have a duty to serve visiting Catholics, but if St Michael’s closes, the nearest church is a mile away in the middle of a housing estate – not somewhere tourists would go.” He added: "What has happened to our church is our Calvary.”
Bishop Brignall told the BBC at the time: “I do not like having to make such decisions, but we have to consolidate our resources and stand firm for the centrality of the Mass in the Catholic Church.”
Even though the church was closed, parishioners still gathered to walk the Way of the Cross on Good Friday. Mr Lewis said they held a "prayerful and peaceful service in the glorious spring sunshine" and were treated to Hot Cross Buns after the service and enjoyed fellowship with each other, catching up on friends and family news.
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