Five parishes in Clonmel and its environs have formed an umbrella committee to oversee the sharing of resources and co-ordination of their services to the faithful in the years ahead. Three town parishes - St Peter and Paul’s, St. Mary’s and St Oliver’s – have been joined by Powerstown and Kilsheelan parishes in the initiative which is being undertaken to cope with the challenge of Clonmel having fewer clergy.
The Clonmel Area Grouping of Parishes is the first formal clustering of parishes in South Tipperary and was inaugurated at a function in the Church of the Resurrection attended by Bishop William Lee, Catholic bishop of Waterford and Lismore.
The umbrella committee will consist of one priest and two lay pastoral council members from each of the five parishes and will be chaired by Mr Brian Duffy, who is also chairman of Ss Peter and Paul’s parish council.
Mr Duffy said the five parishes had already co-operated in the area of ecumenical ceremonies.
His committee will now aim to develop a broad co-ordination of resources to ensure adequate cover of priests for Masses and other services and to explore the potential of other shared pastoral initiatives.
Fr Liam Power, the diocesan Director of Pastoral Development, said it was obvious that such objectives as adult faith formation and youth ministry could be delivered more effectively in the context of parish groups.
He said such groupings also would facilitate common programmes in areas such as preparation for baptism and the other sacraments and bereavement support. “Common policies can be worked out in relation to funerals practices and enquiries about baptism,” Fr Power continued.
“The grouping arrangement will also provide opportunities for pastoral groups from different parishes to come together, support each other and share experience and ideas”.
He said the development of parish groupings was a key objective of the Waterford and Lismore diocese’s pastoral plan and circumstances meant it was “no longer just an option”.
Fr Power said there was a shared responsibility to prepare for a future in which there would be fewer priests with a higher population to service.
He said it was “imperative” for neighbouring parishes to discuss their schedules of Masses and ensure adequate cover of clergy for holiday periods and sick leave.
Spelling out the implications of the demographics of clergy in his diocese, Bishop Lee said his diocese currently had 76 priests but in a few years would be reduced to 50 serving 45 parishes between them.
“We must not be caught up in our own individual parishes but see what we can do together and in partnership,” he said.
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