Faith centre for the city planned

The Telegraph & Argus revealed on Friday that the Bishop of Leeds intends to sell ten of Bradford's churches, including St Mary's in East Parade, Bradford.

He wants to build a new faith centre in the heart of Bradford's re-developed city centre.

"We need a premises where a daily mass can be taken and the Sacraments," said the Right Reverend Arthur Roche.

"I am not proposing a Parish for the city centre but I am proposing a new provision that would be served by priests in the Bradford area."

The church wants to secure premises in the city centre that would be a central resource for all the parishes.

"It is my hope that the city centre provision would have a ecumenical and interfaith dimension," said the Bishop.

"We want to take the lead while working with different faiths."

Representatives of the Bishop have already met Bradford City Regeneration to discuss the plans.

"We had a very positive response from BCR," he said.

"Nothing is solidified and in the mean time city centre worship will be provided at the Church of St Patrick, Sedgefield Terrace."

He said because populations had moved and birth rates had decreased the provision of churches in the city centre no longer represented the Catholic faith.

"We don't have a full congregation in the city centre because Catholics don't live there like they used to," he said.

"One of the most painful realities I have come to realise is that we do not have the resources as a community to maintain and bring back into good repair the facilities at St Mary's. It may well be that I need to discontinue services at St Mary's in the future."

He said he did not know how much the St Mary's building was worth.

"We have not yet approached anyone to value the properties and have no idea what St Mary's is worth at this time," Bishop Roche said.

Parishioners' views of the plans are being sought by the diocese.

Completed response forms, available from parishes, should be returned by Sunday, May 7.