Parishioners at a Welsh church have expressed dismay after being told in a Christmas letter that their church will close in February. Bishop Peter Brignall of Wrexham told parishioners at St Michael and All Angels in Conwy that their 100-year-old church would be closing because of a lack of priests. The letter also said that the Church of the Sacred Heart in St Augustine’s Priory House of Prayer would be amalgamated with Colwyn Bay parish. Anne McCaffrey, one of 60 or so parishioners, told the Daily Post, a Colwyn Bay-based newspaper: “People are genuinely heartbroken and disappointed by this decision.” There was no reason for closure, she said. “The building is not falling down, there is a strong congregation and there is money in the parish – this is why we are struggling with this news”. Another parishioner, John Lewis, said: “The news that was given to us the Sunday before Christmas about St Michael’s closing marred our Christmas. We weren’t expecting the news. It was a terrible shock. Members of the congregation are appealing the decision individually.” He added: “There is anger as there has been no consultation at all.” In his letter Bishop Brignall said: “This process is not yet complete and there are more closures to come as needs demand.” The bishop announced in April 2016 that he planned to close about 20 of the diocese’s 62 churches by 2020 because of the falling number of priests under retirement age. He said he believed the closures were a “huge opportunity for renewal”.