BY Peter Diamond | January 10 | 
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Vatican says parish must stay open as laity win appeal
Parishioners at a Welsh Catholic Church have won their appeal to the Vatican against the closure of their church, meaning it must remain open, despite no Mass celebrated there in two years.
St Michael and All Angels church in north Wales must remain open, as parishioners in Conwy, north Wales, this week won their appeal to the Vatican against the closure of their church.
The last Mass the church was celebrated in February 2018 after Bishop Peter Brignall of Wrexham announced its closure. He cited lack of clergy for the decision.
At the time, parishioners said they were ‘heartbroken’ by the closure.
Success
Spokeswoman Anne McCaffrey said: “To close a church building there needs to be grave cause, a technical term in church law,” she said.
“St Michael’s is structurally sound, financially viable with a strong community.”
The churchgoers have now been told their appeal to the Congregation for the Clergy has been successful, and Bishop Brignall has put the closure on hold.
Consequences
A spokesman for the bishop said: “The intended permanent closure of the church cannot currently take place.
“The consequences of that decision have now to be considered by the bishop along with the parish priest, the presbyteral council of the diocese and the diocesan trustees, as well as the parish finance committee and pastoral council.”
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