A parish in north Belfast is facing the financial challenge of having to repair or replace a church that is only thirty years old. The Church of the Resurrection on Cavehill Road has been closed to parishioners for almost two years because of design problems which caused the building’s roof to collapse.
Now, the area’s clergy have asked people living in the Holy Family parish whether they feel the church should be rebuilt and if so, whether they would be in a position to find money to pay for it.
PP Fr Seán Emerson said the issue was a “very passionate” one and he wants to gauge public opinion as best he can so that he can convey the official views of parishioners to the bishop in the next month.
He said that "things were tight" for many parishioners but he believed people did want to do more than leave the church closed and it was a matter of gauging how much they could do.
"The rebuild of the Church of the Resurrection is a massive decision for the parish and it is just a very difficult dilemma for people," said Fr Emerson.
"I myself have struggled with this issue for almost two years and know how passionate people are about the whole situation so I am urging people not to rush into a decision on the church's future,” he continued.
"These are tough financial times and the church isn't even thirty years old so I can understand people's frustrations, but something needs to be done and we are trying to find out what people would like”.
"I don't have all the answers - I am not sure if the church should be knocked down and rebuilt or just renovated”.
Fr Emerson said that decision was essentially for the parishioners but ultimately Bishop Noel Treanor would make the decision on what is to be done, partly on the basis of whether the Down and Connor diocese had enough funds to supplement what the parish could do.
The feedback from the survey is currently being examined and a report on parishioners’ views is to be published in Christmas week.
The Church of the Resurrection was only opened at Easter 1980 and since it closed services have been transferred to the two other churches in the parish, Holy Family Church and the Church of St Thérèse.
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(Source: CIN)