Petition Letter to the Archbishop

To His Grace, The Most Reverend Bernard Longley,
Archbishop of Birmingham

Your Grace,

We, the undersigned parishioners of St Francis Xavier and English Martyrs, write to you with deep respect and sincere concern regarding the recent decision to transfer Father Joseph from our parish to St Teresa’s Parish, Trent Vale, Stoke-on-Trent.

As Scripture teaches in Hebrews 13:17, our spiritual leaders “keep watch over your souls.” Father Joseph has lived out this calling with exceptional devotion. He has become an essential spiritual leader and a pillar of unity within our parish community.

His ministry extends far beyond the celebration of the sacraments. He has devoted himself wholeheartedly to nurturing the faith of our young people, guiding our children, strengthening our families, visiting and praying for the sick, supporting parish groups, and encouraging every aspect of parish life.

Under his pastoral leadership:

The choir has flourished, learning new hymns and growing in confidence in worship.
Our young people have grown in faith, encouraged by his patience, guidance, and personal example.
Children’s activities and catechism classes have strengthened, with many young parishioners becoming more active in the life of the Church.
Parish groups and ministries have become more organised and vibrant through his dedication and presence.
The wider parish community has experienced renewed unity, participation, and spiritual growth.
His ministry to the sick, including anointing and praying for those in local hospitals, has brought great comfort to many families. We have heard uplifting testimonies of Father Joseph’s dedication when called upon to pray for the sick. This has strengthened faith within our community and brought hope to those who are unwell, those who have recovered, and their families.
We are particularly concerned about the effect this transfer may have on the young people of our parish. Some of our young parishioners were born into this parish community and have now grown into our youth programme. They have benefited from consistent spiritual instruction, encouragement, and pastoral guidance from a stable and trusted priestly figure. Under Father Joseph’s care, many of them are thriving in their faith and becoming more active in the Church. We are concerned that a sudden change at this stage may disrupt the continuity and stability that have supported their growth.

Over the years, many parishioners and families have also built strong pastoral relationships with Father Joseph. These relationships have been formed through prayer, counsel, encouragement, parish activities, and shared worship. While we fully recognise that every priest serves through the grace of God and brings his own gifts to ministry, we believe that the particular relationship Father Joseph has built with our community has become a significant source of strength, trust, and spiritual stability.

We also wish to highlight the remarkable growth of our choir and the wider singing culture within the parish. Over the years, our parish has moved from relying heavily on recorded music to a much richer culture of live congregational singing from hymn books. This has not happened by chance. It has been carefully and patiently built through regular practice, encouragement, and close collaboration with Father Joseph.

Each week, hymns and psalms are chosen with great care, and Father Joseph’s musical knowledge and active involvement have played a major role in strengthening both the choir and the participation of the whole congregation. We now sing the psalms every Sunday, and the choir continues to grow stronger in confidence and commitment. This renewed worship culture has contributed greatly to the spiritual life of the parish and, we believe, has helped increase attendance and participation.

For these reasons, the proposed transfer of Father Joseph, particularly without a parish priest already appointed to continue the work, would place considerable strain on the present parish system. The ministries, pastoral relationships, youth formation, musical worship, and community life that have been built over time could be significantly disrupted.

We say this with humility and with full respect for the authority of the Church. We understand that priests are called to serve where they are sent, and we recognise that the grace of God works in different ways through different ministers. However, from our experience as parishioners, we do not believe that this change, at this particular time and in these circumstances, would be in the best pastoral interest of the parishes Father Joseph currently serves.

Father Joseph has become not only our priest, but also a mentor, teacher, and source of encouragement. His transfer at this crucial time would deeply affect the progress, stability, and spiritual growth he has helped to build, especially among the younger generation who look up to him.

We therefore humbly and respectfully request that Your Grace reconsider the decision to transfer Father Joseph at this time.

If, however, a change of assignment is unavoidable, we humbly ask that a parish priest be appointed to replace him before his transfer takes effect. Without such continuity, the many spiritual and pastoral needs of our parish community may be significantly disrupted.

We kindly ask that the good work Father Joseph has begun be allowed to continue to flourish, either through his continued presence among us or through a carefully planned transition that protects the spiritual wellbeing of our parish.

We submit this petition in a spirit of obedience, unity, and love for the Church, trusting in your pastoral wisdom and care for our parish community. It is important to note that Fr Joseph himself is NOT aware of this petition. This  has been organised  by concerned Parishioners without his knowledge.

With gratitude and respect,

The Parishioners of St Francis Xavier and English Martyrs

Signatures / Names of Parishioners Supporting This Petition

By appending our names below, we confirm that we have read and understood this petition and that we support its respectful request to the Archbishop.