More than five hundred parishioners from West Friesland and the Noordkop went to the Sint Bavo Cathedral in Haarlem today to demonstrate against a threatened mass closure of churches in North Holland. Last year, the diocese announced that in the long term, almost a hundred of the 164 churches will not be viable.
Hundreds of believers demonstrated today against the threatened closure of many churches in North Holland – NH News
Rounds around the church
Once in Haarlem, the demonstrators start walking laps around the cathedral, seven of them if possible. “Symbolic,” said chairman of the action committee Jaap Braakman. “The Bible says that if you walk around a city seven times, the walls will collapse. Now the walls do not have to collapse here, but the policy does have to change.”
According to Braakman, it is a bad plan by the diocese to close so many churches. “Now there is no customization,” he says. “A plan is being rolled out whereby parishes that are viable have to suffer from that plan. We think that is very wrong.”
“It is very important that you have a place to meet”
For the demonstrators it is clear and obvious what will be lost if their church closes its doors. “The solidarity,” says demonstrator Ria Pater. “It is very important that you have a place to meet. Everything goes in waves. There is another generation that comes to church more often. Then you can sell all the churches, but that will never come back. “
Unavoidable
According to Bishop Jan Hendriks, closure of churches is inevitable. “That is due to three things: a lack of volunteers, a lack of believers and a lack of finances. Then at a certain point you are powerless.”
The presentation of a petition that has been signed more than fifteen hundred times does not alter that reality. “Or a few miracles will have to happen,” Hendriks smiles. “If all the people come to church again and sign up as volunteers, then we won’t have to close any churches.”