Priests shortage may mean more flexible funerals

There are no plans to introduce collective weddings or funerals in response to a shortage of priests in Galway.

The communications officer for Galway Diocese, Fr Diarmuid Hogan, said however more flexibility may be required when it comes to planning ceremonies like funerals.

“Both weddings and funerals are extraordinarily important times in the lives of the faithful and the Church always responds to ensure they are celebrated with due respect and dignity,” said the parish priest of Oranmore.

“However funerals in particular are, by their nature, often planned at short notice. More flexibility may well be required in times to come when planning funeral liturgies to facilitate the participation of clergy who have a variety of responsibilities and duties.”

A group representing Catholic priests has warned that collective funeral Masses and weddings are inevitable unless the Catholic hierarchy implement radical changes to save hundreds of parishes from closing.

Fr Brendan Hoban, a founder of the Association of Catholic Prests (ACP), said unless the bishops respond to a crisis in priest numbers, there would no longer be Mass said in parish churches.

“One of the main functions of a priest is to say Mass. But we’re facing a situation where there won’t be priests available in some parishes for funerals, weddings or baptisms,” Fr Hoban said.

“That means there’s a very real prospect of priests having to marry several couples at the same time. We could even be looking at having funeral Masses where there are up to ten coffins in the church at the same time.”

Fr Hogan said the Diocese of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora had seen much increased cooperation between parishes.

“Because of the hard work and passion of so many committed people who work to support the work of the Church in Pastoral Councils and in so many other areas of parish life and because it is possible for people to travel longer distances to Mass and other liturgies there has not been a hugely significant impact on parish life across the diocese,” he explained.

“Indeed, in many ways, life in parishes has been invigorated by the new, welcome, long overdue and active participation of so many of the faithful in so many areas of Church life.”

A small number of parishes have been amalgamated. However these parishes retain their identity.

“The rationale behind these developments is to create viable and vibrant units which can function efficiently,” he stated.

Fewer than five men from the diocese have been ordained in the last five years, significantly more have retired in that period.

There are five students studying for the priesthood at the moment, four in Maynooth and one in Rome. The diocese has never had an occasion when there were no students in formation, he revealed.

A new Vocations Director has recently been appointed – Fr. Ian O’Neill, the parish priest of Claregalway – who will work with clergy and others to foster and promote vocations to the diocesan priesthood through workshops and through a variety of liturgical and social events.

The issues raised by the ACP are not new.

“The faithful of this Diocese have known bad times and good, hungry times and times of plenty. Through all this they have always been loyal to God and loyal to the Church. The priests of this diocese have also shown loyalty – to God, to their ordination commitment and loyalty to the people they are called to serve. Whatever is ahead, this will continue, whether the Lord gives or takes away.”

The ACP has called on Catholic leaders to implement three proposals which they believe will save the immediate future of the church in Ireland – to ordain married men, to invite back priests who’d left the parish previously to get married, and to ordain women.