RITE AND REASON: As the cohort of priests continues
to decline, priests and parishioners face a possibly painful
re-education if they are to successfully engage with changed realities.
THE PARISH still commands a great
sense of loyalty in Ireland, but strangely the place of the church at
its heart is not as strong as it once was.
The original focus and
mission of the parish as a place where the community gathered for
worship and to share a common destiny is greatly diminished.
There
is significant change afoot.
The cohort of Catholic priests is ageing
and declining, so soon many will no longer have a resident priest.
This
will mark a dramatic change in a country that once had one of the best
ratios of priests to parishioners.
The parish is more about people
than about territory, buildings or clergy. The emphasis is on a
community that is capable of a significant mission in society.
Responsibility for this mission is not confined to the clergy but is
carried by all the baptised.
Previously, it was assumed, wrongly, that
this was the sole concern of the parish clergy.
This assumption is so
deeply embedded that it requires a serious educational effort to
overcome it.
One of the strengths of the church in Ireland today
is that there are several thousand people who have studied theology or
related topics.
These can contribute to the ministry and wider faith
formation that is needed.
Unless people have prayed and reflected
seriously on their faith, then they will not be in any position to
contribute to the redevelopment of parish life.
Goodwill alone is not
enough.
Most dioceses in Ireland are now looking at ways to effect
greater collaboration among local parishes.
They are forming new
pastoral areas or clusters to provide for the spiritual, sacramental and
pastoral needs of their respective communities.
The real shortage of priests has not yet impacted on Ireland. When it does, more radical solutions must be addressed.
Where
a parish priest cannot be appointed, one priest may be appointed to
assume the pastoral care of several parishes.
A team of priests with a
moderator may care for a number of parishes. The team could be composed
of a deacon, lay persons or religious, with a priest as moderator.
A
deacon or lay person alone may exercise the leadership of the parish
under the direction of a priest. Often, a priest may only be available
to a parish to celebrate the sacraments.
In Ireland to date only
the first two options have been really implemented. The second appears
to be the less satisfactory and is in decline in many parts of the
world.
The other options are on the increase and will have to be taken
up here. Two challenges will then have to be faced.
Priests and
parishioners will have to be re-educated to engage with these realities.
Secondly, parishes will have to be prepared to generate the funding to
finance this change.
Neither task is to be underestimated.
Nevertheless, the issues need to be faced, sooner rather than later, if the parish as a viable reality is to be sustained.
Rev
Dr Eugene Duffy is lecturer in theology and religious studies at Mary
Immaculate College, University of Limerick. He is is editor of
Parishes in Transition (Columba Press, 2010)
SIC: IT/IE