A public meeting is to be held next week to address the crisis in vocations to the priesthood in Waterford, possibly leading to church closures and fewer Masses, local clergy have warned.
In a sign of the changing times Bishop of Waterford and Lismore Alphonsus Cullinan has circulated a letter inviting all parishioners to come to apublic meeting on Wednesday, February 28, at 7pm in the Abbeyside Church.
“Bishop Cullinan would like to consult parishioners to seek advice as to how we should respond to the present crisis,” wrote Fr Ned Hassett. “He suggests some options, such as reducing the number of Masses, closing churches, or amalgamating parishes.”
With only six priests covering 13 churches in Dungarvan, Abbeyside, An Rinn, Stradbally, Kilrossanty and Kilgobinet, the letter states that there is a “significant decline in vocations to the priesthood” and with an aging clergy today “it is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain the current level of service in our parish and in the wider pastoral area.” There are 17 weekend Masses in the area.
The Parish Pastoral Council recommended that they broaden the scope of the consultation, and “to see the crisis as an opportunity to encourage and promote greater lay participation in ministry and leadership in parishes.”
Some of the ideas around local reform include “offering a possibility for all the baptised to more fully live out their faith” whereby parishes could be managed by lay people, or where pastoral workers could be engaged to lead ministry groups.
“Lay-led liturgies of the Word could be introduced: all such initiatives would support a more collaborative style of ministry with priests and people working together. We have the opportunity now to explore new ways of being Church.”
Irish society is very different now than even ten years ago, the letter continues. “While we must try to maintain parish identity, we know that there is a lot more mobility of people nowadays and that parish structures and schedules need consideration. There are some parishes without a priest.”
In recent months, senior clergy travelled to each of the Pastoral Areas to meet all the priests and discuss how best to use resources, especially with regard to providing the Sacraments.
“We are all concerned about a more beautiful and meaningful celebration of the Eucharist. With the decline in the number of priests and priests’ age and health, the current Mass schedule cannot be sustained.”
The number of Masses “cannot be sustained in the long term,” warns the Bishop. “I am very conscious that the people of the parishes must be very much part of any discussion about change and how to grapple with this situation.”
The following options for change are being discussed: to alternate the Mass venues, such as having six months in one church and six in the other, to rotate churches each weekend, or to host a Vigil Mass only in one church, and Sunday Mass in the other or others.Other proposals include having a hub church and, or, satellite churches having no weekly Mass but used only for special occasions, such as for Baptisms.
Another option is to close churches, or to change Mass times so that times don’t clash. “What happens if your priest is sick? Or on holidays,” asked the Bishop. “I ask you to please take these things to prayer and to discuss them at parish level, in small groups, or at the parish pastoral council meetings.
“Your involvement is essential. But decisions have to be made. We cannot avoid change. Either we manage it now or we end up in confusion. By the 1st of June 2024, I hope that you will have reached some proposals and decisions.” Parishioners can email their suggestions to abgparish@gmail.com by February 23 or post them to the Abbeyside Parish Office, Standside South, Abbeyside, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford.
Bishop Cullinan also paid tribute to the area’s newest priest, Fr Mark O’Farrell, who was ordained on August 20.