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JOINT STATEMENT BY BISHOP ALLEYNE AND SACRED HEART PARISH REPRESENTATIVES

The Bishop, in consultation with his advisors, and the Sacred Heart Community, have agreed that the Community will continue to retain its identity and will not be suppressed at this point. The Bishop will indicate this to the Ursuline Community and that the Sacred Heart Community may continue to worship at the Convent with the agreement of the Ursuline Sisters.

The Community commits itself to involvement in outreach activities in the parish and also to become involved in activities in Brickdam and other parishes. The Sacred Heart community and the Bishop commit themselves fully to doing all in their power to heal the tensions that have emerged in the Catholic Church Community following the fire at Sacred Heart Church.

Within the restructuring process of the Diocese Sacred Heart Parish will be incorporated in the arrangements for the Georgetown Parishes as at Pentecost (June 4) 2006, and from January 1, 2006, will come under the more direct care of the Administrator of the Cathedral. The Parish Community Representatives will enter into dialogue with the Administrator of the Cathedral during the interim period towards resolution of outstanding administrative matters concerning the Parish.

Following the recommendation of the clergy at their conference last October, the Bishop and the Sacred Heart Parish Representatives will form a mutually agreed committee to address the issue of the future of the Sacred Heart site. The Committee will be appointed between 6-8 December 2005.

27 November 2005

STATEMENT ON SACRED HEART CHURCH

by

BISHOP FRANCIS ALLEYNE, OSB

Very early in my mandate I made observations about the parishes of Georgetown; the number of parishes, their location in relation to each other, the number of priests, the number of Masses on weekends and the number of people who habitually attended Mass.    I contrasted this with what I observed in other regions of the Diocese especially the interior.  As I shared my observations with others and, in particular with the gathering of the priests at the clergy conference in October 2004, ideas began to surface about making adjustments in pastoral practices and even the possibility of closing a parish or two.  The loss of Sacred Heart Church, coming in the midst of discussions about regrouping and restructuring, suggested that rebuilding a church in that location was not the most obvious response to the loss.  Migration, population shift and increase of commercial activity have significantly reduced the number of residents in the area of Sacred Heart parish.  This has been the trend over the years preceding the fire and the expectations are that this trend will continue.

I have shared my observations with the Presbyteral Council, other advisors, many interested parties and with some of my brother bishops in the region so as to test my evaluation of the situation and draw on experience and history to guide my deliberations.  My present view is not to rebuild a church and to invite the Sacred Heart Parishioners to integrate themselves into other parishes.  In October I will meet with the whole presbyterate and, unless I am given very strong advice to the contrary, this will be my decision.

A number of people who have had some association with Sacred Heart Church have given strong voice in requesting that a church be rebuilt on the Main Street site.  I note the strong sentiment contained in the request.  This request has been given serious consideration.  I would expect that those, at home and abroad, who have celebrated the sacraments and worshipped regularly at Sacred Heart over many years, would have found much of their faith identity connected to this place and the community associated with it.  The loss and separation from place and fellowship must be unsettling and difficult.  I make a strong appeal to all parishes to be welcoming and supportive to members of Sacred Heart community.  This can become a special moment for our Church; celebrating the Paschal mystery, celebrating our Baptism and being a source of healing and courage to one another. 

All of the Georgetown parishes are being asked to embrace the restructuring process which is inviting everyone to make changes.  Much more is being asked of Sacred Heart parishioners, i.e., to integrate themselves into other communites.  The most important component of the restructuring process is the examination of our definitions of church and membership.  The closer we get to the spirit of the Gospels, the counsel of the Vatican documents and up-to-date insights and instructions, we will much more easily make the transitions that integration and restructuring require.

Enquiries have been made about the possible future of the Main Street site.  I would like to consider the establishment of a Catholic complex which can house a place of worship and a number of ministries and services.  Just as Sacred Heart Church, parish and school came into being to meet the needs of their time I would like to see the Church now, cognizant of present and foreseeable needs, putting this Main Street site to optimum use.

Hopefully these few lines will bring some clarity and offer answers to some of the questions.  I also hope that the speculation and rumours would be put to rest as these have served only to stir considerable anxiety and suspicion, sometimes nearing hostility, between individuals and groups who expressed varying opinions about Sacred Heart Church.  While we may like to see structures of concrete and steel rise from the empty plot on Main Street it would be far more important to see the virtues of trust, cooperation and peace being built in the lives of the faithful following the blueprint in the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

To: Bishop Francis Alleyne

We pray and offer our support at this time during great change in our Catholic Church.

Thank you for leading us.