MASS INFLUX OF INDIAN PRIESTS Bishop struggles with reduction in number of clerics
Bishop of Killaloe announced overhaul ONE Catholic diocese is drafting in priests from India to deal with a chronic shortage of clerics.
Bishop of Killaloe Fintan Monahan announced a major overhaul of diocesan structures as it grapples with the reduction in clerics.
The new positions include the official appointment of two Indian priests with parish priest of Shannon, Fr Tom Ryan, saying yesterday: “There are more on the way. It is a sign of the times.”
The two Asian clerics have been operating for a number of months in the diocese and in their first official appointments, Fr Francis Xavier Kocniveettil is to be based in Shannon and Fr Rexon Chullickal is to be based in Nenagh.
Fr Ryan said: “This is history repeating itself – but in reverse.
“When Ireland had an over-supply of priests in the 1950s, Irish priests travelled across the world and there is an over-supply of priests in India now and they are helping out here.”
The buoyancy in vocations here in the 1950s is underlined with figures showing Bishop Willie Walsh was one of a class of 55 at St Flannan’s College in Ennis in 1952 where 22 entered to study for the priesthood with 14 being eventually ordained.
Diocesan spokesman, Fr Brendan Quinlivan said the diocesan appointments “it is about using the clerical resources available to us as best we can”. He admitted some of the moves “will cause upset”.
of the 99 priests in the Diocese of Killaloe are under 50
of the clerics are over the age of 80 – 17 are older than 70
of the priests in the dioceses are between 50 and 70