Closing Churches: General Introduction

A church building is an integral part of the life of a faith community - a gathering place for Sunday and weekday worship, sacramental celebrations and devotions. People may associate treasured memories of significant life events such as weddings and funerals with a particular church building.

The closure of a church therefore has a significant impact on a faith community. Such a decision is not taken lightly and, in many instances, may be a last resort after other options have been exhausted.

These guidelines have been prepared to assist communities who are faced with closing a church. They outline relevant Church documents and resources, the importance of the process of closing a church and some practical considerations, including transferring to a new worship space.

A number of ritual options have also been prepared which may assist with the closing of a church. These worship resources are available in various forms and are used in conjunction with these guidelines.

‍Ritual Forms
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‍1. Mass (Closure of a Church)
2. Mass: alternative form (Closure of a Church)
3. Liturgy of the Word (Closure of a Church)
4. Liturgy of Lament (Before the Closure of a Church)

Copies of these ritual forms are available from local Diocesan Offices as well as the National Liturgy Office.

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‍CANON LAW
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‍The Code of Canon Law (1983), and other documents provide guidance in safeguarding the respect that is owed to both the sacred building dedicated to God and to the spiritual welfare of the community of God’s holy people during a stage of significant and, often, emotional transition.

‍Can. 1212 Sacred places lose their dedication or blessing if they have been destroyed in large part, or have been turned over permanently to profane use by decree of the competent ordinary or in fact.

‍Can. 1222 §1 If a church cannot be used in any way for divine worship and there is no possibility of repairing it, the diocesan bishop can relegate it to profane but not sordid use.

‍Can. 1222 §2 Where other grave causes suggest that a church no longer be used for divine worship, the diocesan bishop, after having heard the presbyteral council, can relegate it to profane but not sordid use, with the consent of those who legitimately claim rights for themselves in the church and provided that the good of souls suffers no detriment thereby.

‍Can. 1238 §1. An altar loses its dedication or blessing according to the norm of can. 1212.

‍Canon 1238 §2. Altars, whether fixed or movable, do not lose their dedication or blessing if the church or other sacred place is relegated to profane uses.

In addition to these canons, consideration must be given to those canons relating to alienation (Canon 1298-1298). Consideration is also to be given to all sacred objects, relics, sacred furnishings, stained glass windows, bells, confessionals etc and altars.

Those responsible for overseeing the closure of a church building are advised to seek canonical advice in interpreting and applying these canons and other relevant Church documents, such as the procedural guidelines issued by the Congregation for the Clergy (2013) and the Pontifical Council for Culture (2018), the Australian Catholic Bishops Statement Fit For Sacred Use: Stewardship and Renewal of Places of Worship (Liturgy Brisbane: 2018). Such texts provide requirements or suggestions for diocesan and parish personnel in relation to practices that should be observed and principles that should be followed in relation to the preparation of the parish community and closure of the church building.

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‍THE PROCESS
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‍The way a decision is made and the transition to closure are elements that are as important as the decision itself. A local community that is involved in decision-making will have opportunities to acknowledge and understand the circumstances more fully and play a more active part in guiding the often-painful process of closing a local church. This process is not always easy, but this approach has many lasting benefits.

Processes that are not rushed enable people to have sufficient time to come to terms with the loss of their local church. Taking time to establish committees and working groups, and offering the support and assistance of local diocesan personnel is recommended. The final liturgical celebration is the culmination of the leave-taking process.

Encouraging and supporting a community to develop its own pathway towards closure respects the sanctity of the community and the liturgical celebrations which have been the source and summit of the life of grace and discipleship. By fostering a collaborative and listening spirit, the Christian Community models its actions on Christ who showed compassion and love for all.

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‍Some Pastoral Considerations
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‍Forming a Local Committee

‍• Establish a local committee, i.e. local community, pastoral council, or parish group, together with the local Pastor.
• Nominate 2 diocesan representatives to the local committee: liturgy coordinator and a pastoral minister.
• Provide specific diocesan assistance and advice, especially in the areas of finance, administration, heritage, legal and property, always working with the local committee.• Engage with the local Bishop during the process.
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‍Allowing Sufficient Time

‍• Allow sufficient time to establish a committee that can guide and lead the process effectively.
• Encourage the community to reflect on the reality of the situation before decision making occurs.
• Be accepting of each community’s approach, taking into account their differing needs, circumstances, resources, and the people involved.
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‍Assisting with Leave-taking

‍• Encourage creative and meaningful activities that acknowledge the unique characterand history of the local community before the ritual closure occurs.
• Assist the community to identify sacred furnishings and objects and to make appropriate decisions about their removal and future use.
• Prepare a ritual framework with the guidance of a diocesan liturgy coordinator.
• Encourage the community to be fully involved in preparing and participating in the final liturgy.
• Invite the Bishop to preside at the final liturgy.

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‍PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS

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Each Church Closure is Different
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‍It is important to adopt a compassionate approach to each church closure and acknowledge that each church community is different. The faith community may have great love for their spiritual home and an impending closure of the church may result in trauma and feelings of loss or anger, especially when people are not given sufficient opportunity to engage in the process of decision making. Each community’s response is unique. Acknowledgement and affirmation of the shared history of the sacred place and the spiritual and social bonds which have shaped the community over so many years is a vital part of the process. Caring pastorally for the community and ritualising what is to happen needs ample time and space. It is important to make space for the expression of grief, dissent, gratitude, lamentation and hope during the transition process.
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‍The History of the Church and its Community
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‍• Find out as much as possible about the history of the church – the land on which it was built, the bishop who founded the parish, the process of designing and building the church and other associated facts.
• Ask the local community (both within the parish and wider community) for stories about the parish and its church. The parish historian or local historical societies or local government authorities as well as the diocesan archivist might provide historical detail, including newspaper reports, photographs, letters or title deeds.
• Provide and publish a succinct history of the church for the parish community.
• If the parish had its own archive collection, determine who is now to take charge of it. Options may include the new parish to which the community will belong and /or the diocesan archives.
• Assemble an infographic depicting the journeying from grieving to hope. This can be an important way of acknowledging the ongoing life and mission of the people of the local community.
• If not already done, record and display the history of the church and its community, together with historical memorabilia and photographs. Parish historians and the diocesan archivist are useful contacts and can provide helpful advice.
• Collect personal stories from community members to encourage the sharing of memories.
• Plan several activities and community gatherings over a period of time. These may include social events, displays of photos, and prayer services or liturgies of lament. Being aware of the range of feelings within the community is an important factor in shaping and offering various forms of ritualised leave taking.
• Provide ongoing pastoral care after the church has closed, especially to those who voiced strong feelings about the closure. The observance of anniversaries might offer some measure of acknowledgement and healing.

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‍The Church and its Contents
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‍Engage a small team from the community, together with the parish historian and the diocesan archivist in listing all the items in the church and ascertaining their provenance. Consulting parish records and members of the parish community will also be very helpful in collecting the relevant information.

For further information, consult Fit for Sacred Use: Stewardship and Renewal of Places of Worship (Appendix II: Making an Inventory- Catalogue, pp. 116-117). The Diocesan Liturgy Office will have a copy of this reference book by the National Liturgical Art and Architecture Council.

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‍Some Pertinent Questions and Issues to Discuss
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‍1. Items in or around the church building:

‍• What is the history and use of this item?
• Has it been gifted by a family, individual or group? If yes, it may be appropriate to offer the item to be returned to them if it is not to be housed elsewhere.
• What will happen to this item once the church has been closed? Can it be respectfully received and used in another church, chapel, school or by another agency?

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‍2. Sacred liturgical books:

‍• Are current editions of the Roman Missal, Lectionary for Mass and ritual books able to be used by another parish, either within the diocese or outside of it?
• Outdated editions of liturgical books can be safely rehoused in the diocesan archives.

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‍3. Sacramental registers:

‍• Sacramental registers should be housed in a new parish or within the diocesan archives.

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‍4. The church building:

‍• What is to happen to the church once it is closed? Are there planning safeguards in place with local government councils that prevent a church being used for profane or unsuitable purposes?
• How will the church be maintained in the meantime? This process requires community input and advice from the relevant parish and diocesan authorities.
• If the church is listed on a heritage register, certain processes of conservation and future use may need to be followed (See Fit for Sacred Use p. 123).

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‍LOOKING AHEAD
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‍Open communication, frequent prayer and careful planning will keep the community both informed and involved in the transition process.

• Prepare rituals and published prayers (including weekly petitions) for the transfer of the community to its new home.
• Prepare rituals of welcome and acknowledgment if the community is joining with another community in their place of worship.
• Consider where the sacred items from the church will be housed. Keep the community informed about what has happened and what will happen to these items.
• If appropriate, detail the opportunities for community members to return to the site of the former church.
• This document is to be reviewed in 2026.

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RESOURCES
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1. The Book of Blessings

‍(International Commission on English in the Liturgy, 1989).

This liturgical book contains the blessings of the Roman Ritual for the Universal Church,including blessings pertaining to persons, to objects and for various occasions, as well asblessings and services connected with official parish events. Texts also available online for subscribers to the online Catholic liturgy preparation sites Liturgy Help or Liturgia.

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2. Fit for Sacred Use: Stewardship and Renewal of Places of Worship

‍(National Liturgical Art and Architecture Council, Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, 2018).

This book, while focussing on the renewal of worship spaces, does have useful Appendices:

• Compiling an inventory-catalogue (pp.116-117)

• Heritage of Sacred Buildings (pp. 122-123)• Processes to consider when a building is no longer fit for sacred use (pp. 124)

• Taking Leave of the Sacred Building (pp. 124-126)

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3. A Struggle for Holy Ground: Reconciliation and the Rites of Parish Closure (Michael Weldon, Liturgical Press, 2004).

This is a thoughtful and comprehensive consideration of the issues facing faith communities on the closure of their church or consolidation of parishes. Fr Weldon uses the lived experiences of communities in various Diocese in America and offers a way of approaching potentially painful and difficult situations with pastoral care and sensitivity. The appendices contain various helpful ritual outlines which may be adapted to suit the circumstances of a particular community.

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‍RITUAL FORMS FOR CLOSING OF CHURCHES
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‍1. Mass (Closure of a Church)
2. Mass: alternative form (Closure of a Church)
3. Liturgy of the Word (Closure of a Church)
4. Liturgy of Lament (Before the Closure of a Church)​

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‍CONTACTS
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‍National Liturgy Office  - liturgy@catholic.org.au

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