The Vatican has asked the Diocese of Northampton to justify ceasing masses indefinitely at St Bernadette's Church, Rothwell. It has the power to demand they restart if it is not satisfied they were stopped for sound reasons.
The intervention has been welcomed by Kettering resident Peter Anderson, who hand delivered a petition to Rome in May. He claims the diocese breached church law and conducted inadequate consultation with parishioners before announcing the indefinite mass stoppages in March this year at St Bernadette’s in Rothwell, St Nicholas Owen in Burton Latimer and Holy Trinity in Desborough. Only the stoppage at St Bernadette’s is being queried by Rome.
Mr Anderson said: “We await the investigation by the Vatican before celebrating. But its decision to question the diocese’s actions has been taken remarkably quickly, in Church terms, after I submitted my petition only relatively recently. Not many petitions get this far as there are so many hurdles to overcome. It means the diocese does have a case to answer. The Vatican is taking this very seriously.
“The newly arrived acting diocesan bishop, Archbishop Richard Moth, is in the unusual position of having to account to Rome for decisions taken under the jurisdiction of his predecessor.
“The encouraging thing is that Archbishop Moth will look at the mass stoppages from a new and fresh perspective as he responds.
“We have been left with just the main parish church of St Edward’s in Kettering . The ridiculous thing is that it is so bursting at the seams that the parish priest has launched a fundraiser for a giant tv screen to relay masses to overspill worshippers in the adjoining parish hall.
“Many parishioners have already fled to a church in Harborough, including myself.”