LETTER FROM ST THERESA’S PARISHIONER
Some very strange goings on at St. Teresa’s parish in Belfast with the new PP Gabriel Lyons.
I hear that he has tried to charge local people, on minimum wage, who work in the creche across the Glen Road to park in the church car park for the few hours they work in the afternoons.
He’s locking gates that the parish youth centre uses to access their building and forcing kids to leave it by going straight out onto the very busy Glen Road. Lots of parents park in the church car park to collect their children from the youth centre as it’s much safer – local children from the large parish.
I’ve attached some screen shots of comments about this when the youth centre posted that the gate would now be closed.
This parish has seen recent new housing developments springing up bringing new families into this area and instead of welcoming them he is entering into confrontations. Some have already written to Bishop Treanor.
Lyons is also refusing to do anniversary masses for parishioners saying he won’t read names out he will just do a standard mass as usual.
Congregation numbers are dropping as people are choosing to go to nearby St. Agnes, Holy Trinity or Oliver Plunkett instead.
Maybe you could highlight this growing problem as Lyons isn’t approachable in the slightest. People are finding him aggressive and dismissive.
St. Teresa’s was always a thriving parish. So sad.
Dear St Theresa’s Parishioner
I was sad to get your letter and sad to hear that people in your parish are feeling hurt by their new PP.
I can never understand why priests come into a new parish and throw their weight about.
Priests come and go. Parishioners are generally permanent.
I do not know Father Lyons.
It‘s a pity he is not working with the people.
BISHOP PAT BUCKLEY 