The Bishop with Hexham & Newcastle’s diocesan project team (l-r) Bill Dryden, Fr Jim O’Keefe (front), Vicar General Fr Martin Stempczyk, Kathleen Smith and Bishop Séamus. 

EVERY parish in Hexham & Newcastle diocese is to be involved in a complete audit of each aspect of its parochial life – driven by a diocesan project team and a new development officer.

The comprehensive review, unveiled in a personal and heart-felt presentation by Bishop Séamus Cunningham at two well-attended meetings in Gateshead in July, will have three phases and take three years.

The year-long phases will concentrate first on preparation, then study and reflection, and in the final year (2016-17) analysis and implementation.

The full plan will be officially launched this November. It will reach the action stage as the Bishop prepares to retire when he reaches 75, in July 1917.

The parish audit will mean identifying who is involved in the Church throughout the North East and appraising them, their skills and talents.

Speaking from a lectern in the sports-cum-lecture hall in Cardinal Hume Catholic School, Wrekenton, the Bishop spoke for close on an hour to outline what amounts to an operating or ‘business’ plan for the diocese but which he also referred to as H&N’s pastoral plan.

He made clear in a list of nine ‘signs’ of a flourishing and viable Catholic community that he believes each parish will need to re-appraise all its human and material resources.

The Bishop also signalled a policy of openness and transparency.

He said: “I want this whole exercise to be as open and transparent as possible. I want as many people in parishes to be as involved as possible. I want to offer as much feedback as possible and I want priests and deans to encourage as much engagement as possible.”

Earlier, Bishop Séamus told his audience: “It cannot be pain free, but it can be fruitful.” Before he closed his address, he spelled out some hard choices which lay ahead.

In the final phase during 2016-17 he would be looking seriously at any necessary restructuring, including closure of some church buildings, using buildings for other purposes and reducing the number of Masses.

At the night meeting the Bishop said: “Lay people still expect the same service from one ageing priest that they used to get from three priests in the past. I have a responsibility to priests as well as people.”

It may be that there would be only one Mass in a church in future instead of two or three in a parish.

“The days of the Mass of convenience are gone,” he said.

In the morning session Bishop Séamus warned the time might come when it was no longer possible to guarantee Sunday Mass every week in every church.

He insisted the plan should involve priests and people working together – a point the Bishop made repeatedly – with diocesan staff and resources on tap, led by a special project team.

Fr Jim O’Keefe, Episcopal vicar for Newcastle and North Tyneside, is to lead the strategy and work closely with the Bishop. He will be released from all other area and parish duties.

He will be assisted by a new Diocesan Development Officer, who will manage the project. The two will travel the diocese to help any of its 171 parishes with audits and local plans.