Priest appeals for more help from Massgoers
A PRIEST has appealed to Massgoers to get more involved in the parish, after his bishop warned that a shortage of clerics could lead to the closure of a church.
Fr Ned Hassett has written to parishioners in Waterford asking for ideas in which priests and lay people could work together.
His letter accompanied a correspondence to parishioners from the Bishop of Waterford and Lismore Alphonsus Cullinan, in which he stated that the Mass schedule around Dungarvan cannot be maintained ‘with the decline in the number of priests, and priests’ ages and state of health’. He said possible options included rotating churches each weekend, or alternating the Mass venue, with six months in one church and six months in another.
Another option was having a main ‘hub’ church, with other satellite churches not having a weekly Mass, but being used for special occasions such as baptisms. Closing a church was also suggested. The bishop warned: ‘Decisions have to be made. We cannot avoid change.’
Speaking to Déise Today on WLRFM yesterday, he added: ‘It’s really about how can we use our resources, both human and material, in each of those areas, to further faith.’
He continued: ‘Most people have cars these days, so instead of a priest rushing around saying three Masses on a Sunday morning, could he say two and could the people from the third church join and make a bigger congregation in the second church? ’
In his letter, Fr Hassett acknowledged that it was become increasingly difficult to maintain the current level of service in the parish.
However, he said the parish pastoral council had felt the bishop’s letter, focusing on the scarcity of priests and the fallout, was ‘a bit narrow’.
He suggested that parishes could be managed by lay people, lay-led liturgies of the Word could be introduced and pastoral workers could lead ministry groups. Fr Hassett asked parishioners to submit ideas by tomorrow, to be discussed at a public meeting in Abbeyside Church on February 28.
Pastoral Council chairman Brendan O’Brien told Déise Today: ‘There’s a lot more people could do... Priests have had to do everything, look after the finances, the buildings, the whole lot. There’s no reason why lay people couldn’t do that and leave the priests more time to concentrate on the pastoral side of it.’ He said that looking to the future, he would like to see lay people doing baptisms.
Mr O’Brien also suggested that a big screen could be put in some churches, with lay people giving out communion. He continued: ‘Everything should be looked at before we start closing churches.’
‘Priests have to look after everything’