TO THE PARISHIONERS OF ST ALEXANDER'S, DENNY, ST JOSEPH'S, BONNYBRIDGE AND ST LUKE'S, BANKNOCK: (To be read and otherwise communicated on the weekend of Saturday 13/Sunday 14 August 2005)

My dear people , ,

I ask that the following letter be read and otherwise communicated to the people of your parishes this weekend-regretting that statements have been made in other parishes about Denny when they had not been first made there. This was simply due to a failure in my communicating, which I regret.

You are well aware of the shortage of priests in our Archdiocese, with the shortage being felt in your particular area at this present time, due to Father Sandy Mitchell continuing on his leave of absence from the parish. A variety of circumstances have cropped up throughout our Archdiocese, involving some of our priests making serious decisions about their lives as priests in the Archdiocese; others are on leave of absence; and then there are, what we might describe as, ‘ordinary’ changes'. Altogether, I have 9 fewer priests in the Archdiocese than I had for appointment before the summer holidays; and two priests who had asked for leave of absence are not returning to priestly ministry.

I am sure you realise that this has involved a considerable number of parishes having to be served by a neighbouring parish priest in our Archdiocese and there are also some necessary 'combinations’ of parishes. I wish to stress to you first of all that this is not easy for our priests. Some are past the age of retirement in any other profession and some have and are celebrating the Golden Jubilees of their Ordination. I thank God that they are willing to continue to give priestly service in whatever way they can.

In your own area, I am able to provide for the pastoral needs of the people of Denny through the help of your neighbouring priests, especially Father Robert Hendrie and Father Paul Kelly.

I am appointing Father Hendrie as Administrator of St Alexander's, Denny. While there may not be a priest resident in Denny at this present time, the pastoral needs of your people will indeed be met by neighbouring clergy under the direction of Father Hendrie.

As I have indicated, similar situations are occurring with large parishes elsewhere in our Archdiocese and in other dioceses of Scotland-this brings home to each and every one of us the reality of our present situation that as in other countries in the western world, we simply now do not have enough priests to fill all our vacant parishes. Only recently Pope Benedict XVI spoke about this situation, asking for increased prayer for vocations to the priesthood end the religious life.

With the help of my Vicar General for your area, Monsignor Philip Kerr, parish priest of Falkirk, and the priests in your 'cluster' of parishes, I will be reviewing the situation over these next few months. I know you value the priests from abroad who have been helping in Denny and who help in other parishes of our Archdiocese. These priests, however, do not fulfill our long-term needs - even though they might be on supply in our Archdiocese for one year or more. Our own priests and people must work together ever more closely to see to the pastoral needs of our parishes and to ensure that we do indeed move forward 'Together in Hope'.

I ask you to realise that no parishes are in any way being singled out at this present time. I would prefer not to have to make any changes at all - but they are forced upon me because of our present circumstances. I pray for your understanding and I ask you to give Father Hendrie and Father Kelly, along with other visiting priests, every co-operation at this present time.

With my kind regards, good wishes and thanks.

Yours sincerely in Christ