THE Catholic Church, in Kerry, is faced with a “great challenge”, as the number of priests continues to decline, according to Bishop Bill Murphy. He is drawing up plans for neighbouring parishes to pool their resources, forming pastoral areas to be co-ordinated by a priest with the title vicar forane.
Already, the parishes of Kilgarvan, Tuosist, Allihies, Castlegregory and Tarbert are being serviced by an administrator from another parish, or an assistant priest, to cover masses.
The Kerry diocese, which also includes parts of north and west Cork, now has 10 fewer priests than it had two years ago.
However, Bishop Murphy said while some people might see the situation as a crisis, he believed necessity could also be a moment of opportunity.
“By planning now, we are ensuring that communities are better resourced to meet their pastoral needs,” he said.
Each parish is being asked to work more closely with its neighbouring parishes and to form pastoral areas together, involving clergy and lay people.
Bishop Murphy for several years has been emphasising the need for more active involvement by lay people in the work of the church.
He is consulting with priests and people in his diocese and identifying pastoral areas which will be named at the end of this month. Also, a diocesan plan is being prepared by the diocesan pastoral council and the priests’ council in conjunction with the diocesan pastoral team. Bishop Murphy said the plan would give direction to the diocese during from 2009 to 2011.
Four priests retired in the diocese this year, but no new priest is being ordained for the diocese.
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(Source: IE)