Those were the days of the Perpetual Novena to Our Blessed Lady, led by the charismatic and inspirational Father Lawrence Gallon. The people came to pray for peace throughout the world. The Perpetual Novena did, in fact, come to an end after several years – but the need to pray for peace remains as vital as ever.

Now the parishioners of St Mary's, and all the other Catholic churches in North Kirklees, have a more immediate concern which also needs their prayers. Not only their prayers but their active, practical support.

That concern is that, in the near future, some of our local churches will almost inevitably close. There are two principal reasons – the severe decline in church attendance in recent years, and the dire lack of new recruits to the priesthood.

If we do not bring back some enthusiasm for church attendance that characterised those days of the Perpetual Novena, then the very existence of our church buildings, and our church communities, is at serious risk. None of us can afford to be complacent and ignore this risk without doing our best to fight it.

When a church is closed, the community that has grown with it, thrived with it and supported it inevitably begins to die a little. The social benefits of living in a close-knit, warm and friendly community begins to dissipate and fade away. In the absence of prayer, which is made all the easier by church attendance, the strength of family may begin to be undermined.

Parish priest of St Mary's Father Tim Wiley has highlighted the scale of the current challenge at Mass, stating in the Pontefract and Castleford area several Catholic churches have recently closed. It is already widely known 10 have closed in Bradford. Father Wiley appealed for the congregation of St Mary's to do their best to encourage their friends and families to attend Sunday Mass in greater numbers.

The future of all the Catholic churches throughout North Kirklees is due to come under review in the near future. Logic suggests those churches that are attracting the largest congregations will be the ones to survive. Those with the poorest support could close.

It is illuminating to see how full St Mary's Church is – often to overflowing – on family occasions such as First Holy Communion, Confirmation or Christening days for our little children. And it is equally saddening to see how low the attendance plunges the following week when it is just a routine Sunday.

There is, in fact, no such thing as a 'routine Sunday'. Every Sunday is an important opportunity for us all to set aside just one hour with God and to encourage that lifelong habit in our children.

St Mary's Church celebrated 150 years of history in 2003. The book produced to mark that occasion sold in huge numbers and has been sent across the world.