It might be argued that even in the persecuted past they
were in a better place.
Then they were revered as heroic for bringing
spiritual comfort to the faithful at the risk of dungeon, fire and
sword.
Not so today.
As Fr Brendan Hoban of the Association of Catholic
Priests memorably put it at their annual general meeting in Athlone on
Wednesday, they feel “reviled, insulted, disrespected”.
Among “the last priests in Ireland” with “a gale
force wind in our faces”, he spoke of their loneliness, the high
incidence of depression among them, the worrying levels of suicide.
They grow old, with an average age approaching 70.
Increasingly they are isolated with few young curates or deacons to
assist them even as the workload increases while colleague numbers
dwindle.
Entitled to retire at 75, many continue working out of loyalty,
out of a sense of obligation or duty. Some feel pressured to do so.
They work until they drop.
Ireland’s “lost tribe” of Catholic priests, as Fr
Hoban put it, are traumatised.
The contrast between the life of a priest
when most entered more than 40 years ago and now might even be
described as extreme.
This is due in no small part to the scandal of
child abuse in the Church and how it was systematically covered up at an
institutional level by some bishops and religious superiors.
The vast majority of priests were as ignorant of the
abuse activities of colleagues as can be the case in families with an
abuser in their midst. But, unlike innocent family members, priests have
suffered grievously because of the crimes of their brothers and
superiors.
Guilt by association is unfair and unjust.
Most
entered the priesthood with the highest of ideals and have served their
people accordingly.
For many it is a personal tragedy to arrive in their
latter years crushed by demands, lonely, and full of doubt about the
worth of a lifetime’s commitment and effort.
They deserve compassion and support. For most have done their communities and our society tremendous service.