New hope for Brindle St Joseph

There is fresh hope for campaigners fighting to keep open their historic church in Lancashire following the intervention of Archbishop of Liverpool John Sherrington

Archbishop Sherrington acted swiftly in response to many letters from parishioners expressing their concern that their church, Brindle St Joseph, would close following Ampleforth Abbey’s decision to hand it over to the diocese. The Ampleforth priest was to leave at the end of August but he will now remain until 1 November.

The archbishop met with the Abbot of Ampleforth Robert Igo to discuss the future of the parish and the needs of the Catholic community, soon after his installation.

A joint letter from them read out after Masses stated that the archbishop is conducting a consultation to find a way forward.

Letters to the Editor of The Tablet

Brindle St Joseph

Parishioners fight to save historic listed church

In the letter they said: “The decision of the Benedictine Community to withdraw from St Joseph’s is to be respected and was communicated in a timely manner to both the parish and archdiocese. It is nonetheless a decision which poses several challenges. Before any firm decisions may be made, a canonical process of consultation must be undertaken in a measured and considered way. The archbishop and abbot recognise the need for stability and have agreed for an extended period of time in which such consideration may be undertaken with due diligence.”

Archbishop Sherrington is to oversee the canonical consultation and has already begun gathering the information he needs to assist his final decision. Ampleforth Abbey owns the presbytery, a hall used by the parish, and a number of other properties in the vicinity. The letter said the abbey’s trustees would engage in a thorough property audit and analysis of asset ownership.

“The trustees will also consider any proposals and business plans for the use of the properties by the end of October,” according to the letter, which also said that in due course consultation within the parish would be conducted by the Dean of Lancashire, Fr Graeme Dunn.

Brindle St Joseph is the second oldest church in the four dioceses of the North West and is listed Grade II. The church has associations with the Jesuit martyr St Edmund Arrowsmith (1585-1628) and replaced a chapel of 1786 when a graveyard was also established.

The church is in a rural location outside Preston at Hoghton and at the heart of a thriving parish with more than 130 people attending the two weekend Masses. There is a primary school and a parish hall that is well used by local groups.

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