Sacred Heart parishioner Esther Mitchell is angry parishioners were not consulted on changes in the Upper Yarra Parish.By Kath Gannaway
CATHOLIC church hierachy have defended their decision not to consult on changes which will leave the Upper Yarra Parish without a resident priest.
Keith Mitchell and his daughter, Esther, both parishioners of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Warburton, said they were shocked when it was announced at Mass two weeks ago that the parish priest, Fr Paul Manickathan, would be leaving and the parish would be administered from Mt Evelyn.
Monsignor Les Tomlinson, Vicar General and spokesperson for the Melbourne archdiocese which made the decision, said the church had no option because there were no available priests.
Mr Mitchell told the Mail his main concern was that from a community point of view the parish was effectively being closed down without any opportunity for parishioners to have any input.
“If we had been told three months ago that there was a possibility of this happening maybe people could have thought about it all,” he said.
“The church has been a real community factor here and our links with other churches are very strong. I don’t believe that can be maintained without a parish priest.”
A meeting of the parish’s Lay Leadership Group with Monsignor Tomlinson on Tuesday last week has done nothing to placate the concerns of Ms Mitchell, who was at the meeting.
“We were told the decision was made between the diocese, Fr Paul and the Pallottine priests (Fr Paul’s Order) about two months ago. It is not our concern that there are difficulties in getting priests, but it is our concern that they make decisions and we don’t get consulted,” she said.
Ms Mitchell believes the decision was initially “accidentally leaked” through the Mt Evelyn church, resulting in Fr Paul’s announcement.
She said it became clear at the meeting that the decision was to have been announced as late as September, nearer to the time Fr Paul is leaving.
“This is no way to treat parishioners. (The formation of) Groups like the Lay Leadership were intended to involve parishioners in the decision-aking process. It was recognition of the partnership between the priest and parishioners as opposed to the patriarchal model of decision-making,” Ms Mitchell said.
Ms Mitchell said she also fears the level of ministry the parish has had for decades will suffer. “For Fr Purcell (Mt Evelyn parish priest) to carry out the pastoral work normally carried out by our parish priest would require him to have a body double,” she quipped.
Ms Mitchell said she feared services such as the Mass at the Yarra Junction Aged-Care Facility would not be continued and the level of service to St Joseph’s Catholic School in Yarra Junction would diminish.
Monsignor Tomlinson defended the process undertaken saying that with no priests available, there was no alternative. “There was nothing to consult over,” he said.
“All of what Ms Mitchell is saying suggests there were various options to be considered. There were none in this case, so what is the point,” he told the Mail.
Monsignor Tomlinson said Ms Mitchell was the only person present at the meeting who voiced concern over the matter. He said the size of the parish was also a factor.
“This is a very small parish and its viability outside of the question of the availability of priests is something which needed to be examined,” he said.
Defending the timing of the announcement, Monsignor Tomlinson said circumstances had dictated when he could visit the parish and that it was left to Fr Paul to decide at what point he would talk to the parishioners.
He said he was encouraged by discussions and assurances from Fr Purcell that he would be able to meet the responsibilities of both parishes, and by the Lay Leadership group’s response to the situation.
“I certainly think the other people at the meeting felt they were able to have a voice and that we were able to discuss the matter in a positive way. I came away feeling there was great support among those people,” he said.
Ms Mitchell said the Catholic church was out of step with people’s expectations. “In so many other aspects of life … there are protocols for dialogue and consultation when decisions are being made. That is just ignored by the Catholic Church and I feel Upper Yarra parishioners have been treated in a very shoddy way.”
