Married men to help make up shortfall in priests

The Archdiocese of Tuam is now recruiting single and married laymen in an effort to fill the gap created by the fall-off in vocations to the priesthood.

Advertisements have already been place for Permanent Deacons, who – while they won’t be able to celebrate Mass – will officiate at baptisms, witness marriages, and perform funeral and burial services outside of Mass.

Fr Stephen Farragher, Director of the Permanent Diaconate, confirmed that the role of any new deacons in the Tuam Archdiocese will not be full-time and is not a salaried position; they will instead receive a stipend for their work.

Training lasts for four years; the first year sees the candidate commit to 13 weekends and will help determine if becoming a deacon is for them. The other three years involve a commitment of 15 weekends.

If the man is married – which, Father Farragher says most are – he will have to get written permission from his wife that she is agreeable to her husband undertaking the training and becoming a deacon.

“The deacon is very much centred around what we would call the ‘ministry of the word’ or ‘around the altar’; so, in practical terms, the deacon can preach at masses, he can officiate at funerals and at weddings where there isn’t a mass involved,” said Fr Farragher.

The role isn’t open to women at the moment but Fr Farragher is hopeful that it will be sometime in the future.

While this programme is surfacing in Tuam, there is no corresponding initiative on the cards for the Galway Diocese, which covers the other half of the county.

See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune.