Bishop’s plans for centre divides parishioners - Father Michael O’Boy bids to close St Aloysius Social Club

Published: 16 June 2011
by TOM FOOT

A PRIEST sent to take over a Catholic church six months ago is facing a backlash after announcing plans to close a working men’s club that has served the community for more than 50 years.

The future of the popular St Aloysius Social Club in Phoenix Road, Somers Town, is under threat due to a proposal from Father Michael O’Boy, who replaced  Father James McNicholas in January. 

The changes he is proposing include a major refurbishment of St Aloysius buildings that will include a special boot-camp for young priests called the Centre for Youth Ministry.

At a heated meeting last Wednesday, Father O’Boy pitched the plans – which come directly from the Archbishop of Westminster – to his parishioners but found himself heckled and booed by social club regulars at the back of the room who pleaded: “Don’t rip out our bar.”

Father O’Boy said: “I’m not against people having a drink. But it is not central to this community that there is a bar here. Having a bar here is not part of our core purpose. The bar makes things difficult.”

St Aloysius regulars argued he was a “career priest” who “didn’t know what he was talking about” and “had only been in Somers Town for four months”.

But Father O’Boy insisted the building was a safety hazard with no alarms or disabled access toilets and said that since his arrival he had not slept properly with worry, adding: “The place could be merrily burning and we would not know.”

The parishioners – who separated themselves from the social club by sitting right at the front of the hall meeting – were almost all in favour of closing the bar. But some accused Father O’Boy of being a “one-man band” and putting the “cart before the horse”.

Under the plans the Diocese of Westminster would pay for a refurbishment of the basement of the church, where the Centre for Youth Ministry would be run. But the  parish would have to take out a loan to pay for the refurbishment of the bar and community hall. The parish has saved up £70,000 over the past 24 years when the church was in debt. 

There were concerns expressed that all the hard work in raising funds for the church could be spent on changes that did not benefit the community. 

The Centre for Youth Ministry would train young people from across London and Hertfordshire in the workings of church life and to learn more about the Bible.

Father O’Boy said: “What we need to think about is that we have had an invitation from the Bishop and we have to think about how we stand in relation to that offer. It may be that the diocese takes a sympathetic approach to us in the future. We are Catholics after all. I am not elected. I am sent to the com­munity.”

He added: “At some stage in the future, income from the bar will dwindle and we may be wondering about a missed opportunity.”

Father O’Boy has already started renting out two of the rooms in his church home to lodgers and is considering transforming the church’s car park into a pay and display. He said all fees for use of the St Aloysius community hall, when it is refurbished, would be reviewed.

He added: “It seems to me there is a fundamental disjuncture in the life of the community. It seems odd and sad that I celebrated holy communion for 40 young people and the following week I only recognised six in the parish on Sunday. 

“Why is this place not a home to them?”