P.E.I. bishop proposes extensive amalgamations

Roman Catholics on Prince Edward Island were told Sunday many churches in the province could be closed down.

The proposal is to close most churches that serve fewer than 700 families, reducing the number of Catholic parishes on P.E.I. by two thirds, from 50 to 17.

Parishioners at the western P.E.I. Immaculate Conception Church on Palmer Road are raising objections to a plan to join their parish with the one in Tignish. Parishioners voted Sunday to send Bishop Vernon Fougere a letter about the plan.

"The two main reasons no doubt are the small parishes with not enough families are simply not viable, and then there is the shortage of priests," said Rev. Art Pendergast, the priest at Palmer Road.

"The two reasons go together and something definitely had to be done because the bishop had no bodies to send to these parishes."

With only 600 families, Palmer Road is on the list for amalgamation, but Pendergast is not convinced almagamating would solve anything.

"If we joined with Tignish, it would still require two priests and we feel that we're quite viable [financially]," said Pendergast.

Palmer Road parishioners will deliver their letter to the bishop at a meeting Wednesday in Alberton, one of a series of meetings the diocese is holding across P.E.I. on the amalgamations. The first one is Monday night in Charlottetown.

The diocese is refusing to comment on its plan until after all the meetings are over.