The annual meeting of the Association of Catholic Priests on
Wednesday 16 November was a downbeat affair, which was not surprising
given its theme: ‘Are we killing our priests?’
Keynote speaker, Fr Brendan Hoban, painted a bleak portrait of life
as a parish priest (PP) in Ireland today in contrast to when he was
ordained 43 years ago.
“Then PPs could expect to have curates who did
most of the work – if they couldn’t or didn’t want to do it themselves.
Now curates are an endangered species.
“Then PPs could expect comfort and companionship in their declining
years,” said Fr Hoban, who is PP of Moygownagh in County Mayo. “Now, in
Killala diocese, not one priest in the diocese has a live-in
housekeeper. And the statistics indicate that most of us may well die on
our own.
“Then PPs took for granted that they were admired, respected and
supported by their parishioners. Their words were infallible; their
decisions confident and unquestioned. They were like Real Madrid, both
respected and feared. Now, we’re often pitied, patronised, reviled,
insulted, disrespected, ignored and resented. To continue the sporting
metaphor, it’s the middle of the second half and we’re 6–0 down. Now
we’re the equivalent of Plymouth Argyle, struggling to stay in the third
division.”
Admitting that he was presenting a bleak picture, Fr Hoban said: “We
do no one any favours by pretending that everything is fine and that
we’re about to turn some mythical corner when everything will be
sunshine and roses. We need to stop playing that game.
“The average age of priests in Ireland now is climbing towards 70
years of age. The problem is not that the Church in Ireland won’t
survive or adapt to changed and changing circumstances – I have no doubt
it will – the question is even more urgent for us here today.
It’s
this: how can the last priests in Ireland survive the final years of
their lives with comfort, esteem and affection?”
The 68-year-old clergyman added that there were other factors
exacerbating the growing sense of unease among Ireland’s priests. “We’re
expected to work longer and harder.
Clustering parishes is offered as
if it’s some kind of solution to the crisis in vocations when the dogs
in the street know that, at best, clustering is merely a short-term
managerial strategy and, at its worst, a form of denial camouflaging the
reality.”
Added to the problems caused by the collapse in vocations, the
decline in Mass attendances and the consequent fall in income from
church plate collections, Fr Hoban said priests are struggling with the
growing complexity of ministry in the modern world.
“We’re struggling at
a pastoral level with issues beyond our training and probably our
competence. Take one example, how to minister to parents of same-sex
couples who may be upset or worried or confused? How to respond to an
invitation to a same-sex marriage of parishioners? What does pastoral
care mean in this situation? We were never there before and we never
expected to be here now.”
The ACP co-founder also reported that growing isolation and
loneliness among priests were affecting their well-being, while the
current level of distrust between bishops and priests was creating
resentment and anger.
At the AGM in Athlone, where more than 120 priests were in
attendance, there was some discussion of a letter to the association
from Bishop Ray Browne of Kerry on behalf of the bishops’ conference.
The ACP’s reaction to that letter will be published in the next few
days.
See http://www.associationofcatholicpriests.ie