Glasgow archdiocese to close 24 churches in restructure

The Catholic Archdiocese of Glasgow has announced plans to close around two dozen churches and halve the number of parishes over the next decade, as it faces declining Mass attendance and a growing shortage of priests.

The major restructuring would affect Catholic communities across Glasgow and Dunbartonshire, with parishes merging and some church buildings eventually closing.

The proposals are expected to reduce the number of parishes to approximately 40 over the next five to ten years.

In a letter published on the Archdiocese of Glasgow’s official website on Wednesday, Archbishop William Nolan (pictured) said the changes were necessary.

“Compared to when these parishes were formed and our churches built; there are significantly fewer people coming to Mass. Some of our largest churches are in places where there are the fewest people,” the archbishop said.

“For years now there has been much talk of the need to restructure and reduce the number of parishes in the Archdiocese. A plan for that restructuring has now been drawn up, reducing the number of parishes by half and seeing the closure of two dozen churches.

“There are too many parishes but too few people, too many churches but too few priests. Compared to when these parishes were formed and our churches built, there are significantly fewer people coming to Mass. Some of our largest churches are in places where there are the fewest people.

“And as for priests, I have been Archbishop for less than five years and the number of our active priests is down by a third in that time. Only one of our priests is under the age of 45, most are over the age of 60. Thank goodness we have foreign priests and religious willing to serve in the Archdiocese, otherwise the situation would be even more critical than it is.

“Our parishes and our churches hold great memories for us and are dear to our hearts, so any reduction in parishes and any closure of churches will be a painful experience. We cannot avoid that pain, though, by not facing up to reality.”

The restructuring proposals have received approval in principle from the Archbishop and the Council of Priests. They will now be subject to local consultation with parish and deanery pastoral councils before changes are implemented.

The plans represent one of the most significant reorganisations of Catholic parishes in Glasgow and are expected to affect communities where churches have been central to religious and family life for generations.

Full list of affected churches:

Glasgow South

• St Helen’s, already merged with St Albert’s, Pollokshields, will further merge with St Mary Immaculate, Pollokshaws, with a reduction to two churches within 5 years, with some of the territory of St Mary’s being transferred to St Gabriel’s in Merrylee.
• Merger of St Bartholomew’s, Castlemilk and St Margaret Mary’s, Castlemilk, with an eventual reduction to one church within 5 years.
• Merger of Our Lady of Lourdes, Cardonald with St Leo’s, Dumbreck, with an eventual reduction to one church within 5 years.
• St James’ parish will merge with St Conval’s, with an eventual reduction to one church over 5–10 years.
• St Constantine’s, Govan will merge with St Anthony’s, Govan, with one church closing depending on the condition of the buildings, within 5 years.
• Holy Cross, Crosshill parish will merge with St Brigid’s, Toryglen within 5 years.
• St Robert’s, Househillwood and St Bernard’s, Nitshill to discuss reducing to one church within 5 years.
• St Vincent’s, Thornliebank parish will merge with Holy Name, Mansewood, with an eventual reduction to one church building within 5-10 years.
• No immediate changes are proposed for the parishes of Christ the King, Our Lady and St George’s, St Gabriel’s and Blessed John Duns Scotus.

Glasgow West

• St Peter’s, Partick parish, including the Glasgow University Chaplaincy, will merge with Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, Broomhill, with an eventual reduction to one church within 10 years.
• St Ninian’s, Knightswood will merge with Corpus Christi, Scotstounhill, St Laurence’s, Drumchapel, and St Benedict’s, Drumchapel, with an eventual reduction to two churches, one of them in Drumchapel, within 5 years.
• St Columba’s, Woodside will merge with St Gregory’s in Wyndford and St Charles’, Oratory with an eventual reduction to one church within 5 years.
• St Andrew’s Cathedral parish, including the Strathclyde University Chaplaincy, which is already merged with St Patrick’s, Anderston, will see an eventual reduction to one church within 5 years.
• St Paul’s Whiteinch will be merged with St Brendan’s, Yoker, with eventual reduction to one building within ten years. No immediate change is proposed for the parish of the Immaculate Conception.

Glasgow East and North

• St Michael’s, Parkhead will merge with Sacred Heart, Bridgeton, St Mark’s, Shettleston, St Joseph’s, Tollcross, and St Joachim’s, Carmyle, with future discussions on reducing provision to three buildings.
• St Mary’s, Calton parish will merge with St Alphonsus, St Anne’s, Dennistoun, and Our Lady of Good Counsel, Dennistoun, with consultation on reducing church buildings over 5–10 years.
• St Augustine’s, Milton will merge with St Agnes’, Lambhill, and St Teresa’s, Possilpark, with an eventual reduction to one or two buildings within 5 years.
• St Catherine’s, Balornock will merge with St Aloysius’, Springburn, and Immaculate Heart of Mary, with a reduction to one or two buildings within 5 years.
• St Thomas, Riddrie will merge with St Bernadette’s, Carntyne, and St Maria Goretti’s, Cranhill with an eventual reduction to one building within 5 years.
• St Paul’s, Shettleston will merge with St Jude’s, Barlanark, and St Barnabas’, Shettleston, with an eventual reduction to one church within 5 years. No immediate change proposed for St Philomena’s.

East Dunbartonshire

• St Joseph’s, Cumbernauld will merge with Sacred Heart and St Lucy’s, Cumbernauld, with these parishes eventually being reduced to two churches over 5–10 years.
• Holy Cross, Croy will merge with Our Lady and St Helen’s, Condorrat, with an eventual reduction to one church over 5–10 years.
• Holy Family and St Ninian’s, Kirkintilloch has already merged with St John of the Cross, Twechar, and St Flannan’s, Kirkintilloch, eventually being reduced to one church within 10 years.
• St Andrew’s, Bearsden will merge with St Joseph’s, Milngavie within 5 years with the two churches being maintained. No immediate change is proposed for the two Bishopbriggs parishes.

West Dunbartonshire

• St Kessog’s, Balloch to merge with St Martin’s, Renton, and Our Lady and St Mark’s, Alexandria, with an eventual reduction to one church over 5–10 years.
• St Michael’s Parish, Dumbarton (including St Mahew’s church) to merge with St Joseph’s, Helensburgh, (including the churches of St Gildas’, Rosneath, and St Peter & St Paul, Arrochar). The document envisages the merger over the next 5–10 years, with Rosneath and Arrochar closing and St Michael’s, St Joseph’s and St Mahew’s being maintained.
• Our Holy Redeemer and St Margaret’s Parish to merge with St Eunan’s, Clydebank, with a reduction to two church buildings within 5 years.
• St Mary’s, Duntocher, merged with St Joseph’s, Faifley, will reduce to one church within 5 years. St Stephen’s, Dalmuir parish will merge with St Patrick’s, Old Kilpatrick, with an eventual reduction to one church over 5–10 years.
• No immediate change is proposed for St Patrick’s, Dumbarton.