Archbishop Of Cashel & Emly Introduces Greater Role For Lay Members

The Archbishop of Cashel and Emly, Dr Kieran O’Reilly, is to introduce a greater role for lay members of the church in response to falling vocations and an increasing workload.

In particular, lay members in a number of Pastoral Combinations have been undergoing training to take on a number of elements of Funeral Rites.  

The Lay Led Funeral Ministry will involve the leading of prayers in the family home or funeral home, receiving the departed into church and conducting the rites of Commendation and Committal.

The Pastoral combinations were introduced in 2022 in recognition that not every parish will have a Parish Priest due to retirements and the collapse in vocations to the priesthood. 

Last week the Archbishop announced that 4 parish priests in the diocese were retiring – only one new parish priest was appointed.

It is expected that the Lay Led Funeral Ministry training will be offered in other Pastoral Combinations across the Diocese in  2025.