Bishop Leahy said that due to a fall-off in the vocations, they are adapting with reduced clergy numbers.
“Adapting,” he said, “involves clergy changes, more lay involvement and, indeed, working closer together as a Church.”
Appointments involve moving, change, re-adjustments for priests. It is, indeed, an unsettling time and increasingly so for priests as they age. I am grateful to them for their generous willingness to take up new appointments. I am grateful to all priests who work quietly day by day in the service of people at key moments of family life – baptisms, family celebrations, weddings and funerals.”
Bishop Leahy also recognised the difficulties that changing ministry can bring. “I am very grateful to all who have taken on new appointments. I recognise there is pain in leaving any ministry where you have become familiar with places and hold people fondly in your heart. There is also the challenge with the task re-locating and then getting to know new people all over again.”
Fr Eugene Boyce will retire from the areas of Adare, Cappagh, Croagh, Kilfinny, Askeaton and Ballysteen where Fr John McCarthy will take up a position, while Fr Joseph Hayes will retire from the parishes of Donoughmore, Knockea and Roxboro, where Fr John Walsh will move in.
In other moves, Canon Tony Mullins will be moderator over Christ the King, Cratloe and Sixmilebridge, while Fr Tom Mangan will be co-parish priest in Abbeyfeale, Athea, Templeglantine, Tournafulla and Mountcollins, Fr Richard Keane will continue his work with the Cork Marriage Tribunal, as well as being co-parish priest in St Joseph’s, St Saviours, and Our Lady of Lourdes, where Fr Liam Enright will be moderator.
Fr Daniel Tomasik will be co-parish priest in St John’s, St Patrick’s, St Brigid’s and Monaleen, Fr Francesco Okonkwo will be over Banogue, Croom, Dromin, Athlacca, Manister, Fedamore, Bruff, Meanus and Grange, while Fr Tim Wrenn will move into the areas of Patrickswell, Ballybrown, Mungret, Crecora, Raheen, St Paul’s, Kildimo, Palleskenry and Kilcornan.
Remaining moves see Fr Michael Eduziuno assist the pastoral team in the Diocesan centre from September 2, while Fr Emmanuel Okwudinka will assist in the parish that includes Donoughmore, Knockea and Roxboro.
Meanwhile, more than twenty people have completed their lay ministry programme to take up voluntary roles across the community.
These include leading public prayer, assisting with funeral liturgies, engaging in ecological concerns, music ministry, praying with the Bible and reaching out to those who may be distracted from their faith.
A new programme on this is also set to start in the autumn in Mary
Immaculate College. Anyone interested can contact
eamonn.fitzgibbon@mic.ul.ie