https://www.nzcatholic.org.nz/2014/04/23/hamilton-to-halve-number-of-parishes/ The New Zealand National Catholic Newspaper Wed, 27 Jan 2016 01:24:12 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.4 https://www.nzcatholic.org.nz/2014/04/23/hamilton-to-halve-number-of-parishes/comment-page-1/#comment-4073 Mon, 02 Jun 2014 01:57:04 +0000 http://www.nzcatholic.org.nz/?p=6485#comment-4073 This pastoral plan does not generally have the support of many lay people or priests of the Hamilton Diocese. Questions being raised are: why is this necessary when there are sufficient priests to more than adequately look after the needs of lay people in the Hamilton Diocese for some years to come? Why has Bishop Browne and his pastoral planners said no to bringing in priests from overseas, particularly when there are big numbers of Phillippinos and Asians in the diocese who are requesting Mass in their own language? Why have some foreign priests been sent back home if there is a so-called shortage of priests? Will the number of Sunday Masses be reduced? Will people have to travel distances to attend Sunday Mass? The concern is that Sunday Masses in Hamilton City are for the most part full to overflowing into the foyers and if Masses are reduced there will be a health and safety factor with more over-crowding at Masses. People are not happy with the loss of their parish status and having a priestless parish because where that has happened already the parish has declined.

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