Archbishop Diarmuid Martin has promised not to close churches in Dublin without popular consent despite a chronic shortage of priests in the country's biggest diocese.Instead of imposing closures on the diocese's 200 parishes, Archbishop Martin is launching far-reaching new forms of ministry by "clustering" teams of priests and laity within and among parishes.
Archbishop Martin was speaking at the weekend about his plans for a "painful" renewal of Catholicism in Dublin, when he ordained three new priests -- the first to be ordained in the diocese in two years.
Fathers Michael Kelly, Dan an Nguyen and Richard Shannon now join the ranks of more than 600 other priests serving Catholics in Dublin as well as most of Wicklow and parts of counties Kildare, Carlow, Wexford and Laois.
The packed ordination ceremony in the Pro-Cathedral on Saturday, which was attended by over 50 priests as well as family and friends of the ordinands, marked a high point in the church's Year of Vocation amid a continuing decline in vocations, which has proved a major challenge for Archbishop Martin.
Welcoming the new clerics, Archbishop Martin said that although numbers of priests were down, ministry in the diocese would be enriched through a new service of lay men and women engaging in full-time parish ministry, as well as introducing the permanent diaconate of trained, married laymen.
"All of this takes place within a more fundamental renewal which involves so many believing Catholics assuming roles of personal renewal, of leadership and of service in different ways, reflecting the diversity of ministries," he added.
Acknowledging the need for vibrant and dynamic parishes, Archbishop Martin gave his assurance that "there is no intention to close churches nor to suppress or unite parishes except where there is a wish to do so".
Catholics
However, Archbishop Martin cautioned the diocese's 1.2 million Catholics about the need to adapt to changes.
"We must look at new ways in which we can group parishes into broader pastoral units, within which each parish will retain its identity but where groups of parishes will be served by a single pastoral team made up of priests, deacons, religious and lay ministers in a more coordinated way, always focused on renewal and evangelisation.
"This will mean change and challenge for many, not least for priests."
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