In Reply to: re: re: re: roman catholicism posted by Fr Graham on December 27, 2007 at 12:26:00:

Yes Father Graham, the situation is the same here in Ireland, congreations have increased wih the new workers from he former eastern bloc cuntries, but many of these people will move where there is work and Poland now is activly trying to get their wokers and families back as Poland is being pumped full of aid from the E.U thats the nature of work today, many hundreds of thosands of our countrymen and women lrft these shores and they did contribute to the dwindling Roman Catholic congreations in the Uk, many of course returned, but no church can depend on the support of people that could be here one year gone the next, its nice when it happens but its your own home grown local people that is the bedrock of any parish, i know many parishes in Poland and those other countries boardering it, that some towns and villages are nearly deserted, and that is very sad we suffered same here in Ireland in our history, best of luck Father with your venture there in Manchester, my uncle is a free Church minister in London and he was telling me about the massive growth of the Evangelical Churches in the Uk, i find some of their views a bit exstreme but one does not have to join with them.