THE falling number of practising Catholics in the North has resulted in one the biggest shake-ups it has seen.

The proposals by the Catholic diocese of Middlesbrough, which stretches from the Tees to the Humber, could halve the number of fully functioning parishes in the area.

The drastic move could lead to as few as 24 parishes for the dwindling numbers of churchgoers.

According to Bishop John Crowley, the Bishop of Middlesbrough, these "sustainable and evangelising" parishes would work to stem the reduction in regular Mass-goers.

In his pastoral letter, read at all diocesan churches at the weekend, he said Massgoers were "haemorrhaging at an increasing rate".

In just over a decade, nearly a third of regulars -about 10,000 - had been lost, bringing the number regularly attending churches down to 19,600.

Catholics in the diocese are warned in a consultation report on the plans that they will need to take on more responsibilities to free priests from day-to-day tasks.

The report, by Fathers John Bane, John Loughlin and Derek Turnham said that stemming the reduction was a far more urgent issue than the falling number of priests.

Parishioners' reaction to the consultation has not been readily forthcoming, according to Fr Turnham

He said: "The document has been released in all of the parishes and the response has been fairly muted. It is not telling anybody anything they do not already know.

"What we are hoping for is a lot of suggestions, because people will have different ideas about what should happen.

"We have not included too much detail, because we want to give people the chance to have their input."

The initial consultation will close on Monday, February 13, and the finalised strategy will be published on Sunday, June 4.

Fr Turnham said: "Even when the final document is made, it is actually only a strategy. It is going to allow the bishop to make decisions over the next 20 years, but if things change, the strategy will also change."

Robert Lewis, who attends Middlesbrough's St Joseph's church, in Marton Road, said: "It is too early to say how anything will change, but something has to be done sooner rather than later."

One Middlesbrough parishioner, who did not want to be named, believes the process could have been more detailed.

She said: "It is not much of a consultation document.

"There is no idea of how it could be phased in or plans on how these changes will happen.

"However, this is a step in the right direction for the Catholic church because these decisions are usually just taken without any consultation.