St Peter and Paul church New Brighton. L-R June Hargreaves, Catherine Nelson and Cllr Tony Pritchard _180
THE future of a landmark Wirral church is in jeopardy again after secret plans by the Catholic authorities to share facilities with another denomination were revealed.
The uncertain prospects of Ss Peter and Paul’s church, in New Brighton – known to sailors as the Dome of Home because it is so visible from ships sailing into the Mersey, and entirely paid for by parishioners – had been in question since last year.
The Diocese of Shrewsbury had announced its proposed closure by 2009, and since then a vigorous campaign has been waged to retain the building.
A letter from the Vatican to campaigners last month said there were “no current plans” to shut the church – leading many to hope it had been saved.
But last night chairman of the pressure group Soul (Save Our Unique Landmark) Frank McGowan said his group had learned of plans to make Ss Peter and Paul’s churchgoers share with a nearby Church of England site at All Saints church, without consultation.
Mr McGowan said the site of the church – which is Grade II listed and has the primary school, also called Ss Peter and Paul’s adjacent – could also be extremely valuable because of its location and the views across Liverpool Bay.
After members of Soul met with Bishop of Shrewsbury Brian Noble last December, they said they felt optimistic about the diocese’s plans – only to find out later that a council of priests meeting, held a month earlier, had been told of two planned church closures – including Ss Peter and Paul’s.
Mr McGowan said: “We realis-ed at that point they were dead set on closing the church, and we found out recently they had been negotiating with the Anglican church to share with them. We feel let down by the Diocese’s attitude – if they had come to us saying there was a strong case for closing Ss Peter and Paul’s, I am sure we would have listened to them.”
Soul has since received a letter from the Anglican Chester Diocese confirming negotiations on sharing a church are well advanced.
The letter from Archdeacon of Chester Anglican Diocese, the Venerable Donald Allister, said: “The respective Bishops had come to an agreement, and the Vicar and people of All Saints Anglican Church, Wallasey, have expressed themselves happy, and details and costings are being worked out prior to a sharing agreement being signed.”
Father John Joyce, of Shrews-bury Diocese, said there was no change from a statement last month by the local Catholic au-thorities in which they said: “As part of the three options already mentioned in October, 2007, the diocese is continuing discussions with another denomination regarding the possibility of sharing their church.
“In due course, the Bishop will announce his plans for the future.”
