In the coming years, a big broom will go through the church base in West Friesland to keep the Catholic faith community afloat. The diocese of Haarlem-Amsterdam recently released a message encouraging parish councils to think about their future. “Als we nothing doingthen stops the the catholic faith automatically.”
Research by NH Nieuws shows that of the 116 church buildings only 59 still serve as a church, slightly less than half. The rest has been given a different function. However, this number will probably decrease in the future.
The diocese of Haarlem-Amsterdam, which includes 164 churches, set off another bomb in ‘church land’ on September 10 last year. Over the next five to ten years, the diocese wants to work towards a situation in which several churches have to act as a ‘center function’ (28 churches) or ‘support point’ (37). DThis means that nearly 100 church buildings are forced to close.
Reason: it is all no longer affordable. A decline in the number of churchgoers and volunteers also plays a role. And so a big broom is going through the West Frisian church file: parishes have to get rid of places of worship in order to remain viable. Now and in the future.
Two to five years
It is a major loss for the Catholic constituency. Because West Friesland has 27 Catholic churches, divided over four parishes. When must all this have happened? “We have given the parish councils a period of two to five years. Then they must have made a choice. This is where the future lies, we are going to invest in this. The rest will then close,” said Bart Putter, vicar general of the North Holland diocese. It is not yet clear which churches are involved. According to Putter runs it yet rough because of the many small ones village centers in West Friesland.
The message from the diocese is therefore clear. “We want Parochy boards encourage to about the future and religious belief after at think. That she’s vital spots to go to create, Where Catholics to can, salso shines something from. Op this way is going to be the religious belief continued and Which gives consolation. Also can church services and eucharistic celebrations stay Get onso it also offers opportunities. If we nothing doingthen stops the the catholic believe automatically. Also in West Friesland, uset has then also no sentence. This is the only solution, we see as a diocese.”
Repurposing
Empty church buildings are already converted in the past to theatre, home, café or studio. What will happen to these churches that are forced to remain closed? “Then they end up in a sales process. It is then up to the parish councils, where the diocese is watching. It must be given a worthy repurposing, we also check that. Then we look at the location, is it monumental? offices in? Does it have a cultural destination, such as studios or theatres? A repurposing can take months, it is a long process. Municipalities also have something to say about that.”
With the disappearance of churches, the consequences of the elderly in West Friesland will often have to travel further in order to participate in church services. “That also has to be taken into account,” says Putter. A solution would be to use a shuttle bus to take the elderly to church. Or a central point where the services are held.