The Bishop of Lancaster, Michael Campbell, has defended his decision to turn over the running of churches in his diocese to a traditionalist group and the Syro Malabar church in an interview marking his 75th birthday on 2 October.
Bishop Campbell submitted his resignation to the Vatican upon turning 75 but will remain in post until his successor is appointed.
In an interview with BBC Radio Lancashire he praised the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, which celebrates Mass in the Extraordinary Form at the church of Saint Walburge in Preston, for saving the church. He gave the church to the order in 2014.
“Preston has had a wonderful history but times have changed, the demographics have changed, we’re left with these beautiful churches and we don’t have the number of people to fill them anymore, to sustain them,” he said. “So I’m very pleased that I have saved a wonderful church, it’s open to everyone. There are people who prefer traditional worship, and they have to be catered for, but the fact that I’ve saved this lovely church… I feel rather chuffed about that.”
He also defended his decision to turn over running of the Grade II-listed St Ignatius Roman Catholic Church in Preston to the Syro Malabar community in 2015. Pope Francis subsequently declared it a cathedral for the new Indian Eparchy (Diocese).
Asked how he would respond to local critics, he said: “I understand their feelings but time won’t allow us to stand still. As Bishop I have to look at the wider picture: times have changed, people have moved away, congregations are aging. What does one do?”
He also reflected on the fact that there were 42 fewer priests in the diocese than when he took over as bishop and acknowledged that the shortage of priests had been one of the major worries he had faced.
"We’re not in dire straits but we need a flow of new blood”, he said. But the bishop rejected the idea that allowing clergy to marry could solve the shortage: “The reality on the ground is that very, very few of our parishes could support a married priest and a family. Very, very few. That is a hard reality,” he said.
Photo: catholicrelics.co.uk
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