Archbishop Dermot Clifford of Cashel and Emly has defended his decision to decline an offer from one of his parish priests to continue to work as a curate in his parish after retirement. A statement from Dr Clifford’s office said the archbishop did not appoint Fr James Holloway - who has just retired as PP in Pallasgreen, Co Limerick - as an associate pastor to the new parish priest, “for his own very good reasons.”
Fr Holloway resigned last month after 22 years as PP in Pallasgreen – Templebraden when he reached 75, but had planned to continue working in the parish in a curate capacity after he was replaced by Fr Pat Burns.
But in a letter accepting his resignation, the archbishop told him that his services “for public Masses, baptisms, weddings, funerals or other parish ceremonies will not be needed. Fr Burns will be running the parish and needs the freedom and space to do so,” Dr Clifford’s letter continued.
Dr Clifford thanked Fr Holloway for his work in seven parishes, culminating with his tenure as PP in Pallasgreen.
The letter made clear that he was welcome to help out in any other parish in the diocese at the invitation of a parish priest, but implied that this did not include Pallasgreen, where he will continue to reside.
Fr Holloway, who is understood to have agreed to perform some weddings and baptisms in the parish, in the belief that he would continue to minister there.
Eucharistic minister Michael Ryan said that, in his opinion, Fr Holloway had been treated “very shabbily” and was “very cold for a man who had served for 22 years and celebrating his 50th jubilee in June.”
“Fr Holloway’s thinking was that he would be allowed to continue to do the duties of a curate especially when there are two churches in the parish,” he explained.
Parishioner Áine Commins said that to her, it seemed, “crazy that when Fr Burns is on holiday another priest will be brought in to say Mass when there is a priest there that would be happy to do that.”
Archbishop Clifford’s statement said that Fr Holloway would, “retain the allowance or honorarium of €19,100 he received as a parish priest” and would continue to occupy the parochial house “which is properly the parish priest’s house. Fr Holloway is quite free to assist in any other parish at the invitation of the parish priest.”
SIC: CIN