Catholic Church cites immigration rules in Glasgow church closures

Summarised from The Herald's report · Updated 10 Oct, 07:25 · Archive

Glasgow's Catholic Church plans to close 24 churches over five to ten years, citing stricter immigration rules that limit overseas priest recruitment.

The Catholic Church in Glasgow has announced plans to close 24 churches over five to ten years, eventually shutting around half the city's parishes. Archbishop William Nolan cited multiple reasons for the closures, including declining vocations among religious orders and stricter immigration rules. The Archdiocese currently has around 20 priests from overseas serving congregations, mostly from Nigeria, alongside priests from the Philippines, India, China and Vietnam. Most serve on limited time visas.

A spokesperson for the archbishop said that support from religious orders and temporary foreign clergy cannot be guaranteed. The Franciscans, for instance, announced this month they would leave the archdiocese after over 100 years of ministry in the Gorbals due to declining vocations. The spokesperson added that 'ever harsher immigration rules make it more and more difficult to bring in priests from overseas'. The closures have been greeted with sadness by the Catholic community, with many families distressed at the prospect of losing churches that their parents and grandparents built and paid for.

Read the report

• 'Harsh immigration rules' blamed for lack of Catholic priests as churches to closeThe Catholic Church has cited harsher rules on immigration as one of the reasons for its shock plans to close 24 churches in Glasgow.The Herald · 10 Oct, 06:00

In this story: William Nolan · Glasgow · Catholic Church · Archdiocese of Glasgow · Nigeria · Franciscans

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