As the Church seeks to make itself mission-ready, the faithful must beware the temptation to become Catholic NIMBYs. Many Catholics recognise that we have too much infrastructure, not enough people, and that rationalisation – that is, shutting down churches and merging parishes – is necessary. But when it comes to losing our own local church or parish, it becomes a clear-cut case of not-in-my-backyard (NIMBY). Change can happen, but it must be elsewhere.
The attitude mirrors some of the views that have led to housing crises in Europe, the United Kingdom and America. People have invested a lot in their properties and want to see that value realised, which is understandable given that, for many, their house is their chief financial asset.
