A local priest has shared his thoughts on a recent letter published by Bishop Martin Hayes to parishes across the Kilmore Diocese. The pastoral letter aims to manage ministry into the future, with Bishop Hayes stating that changes to the church profile would mean a "new era" for priests and the people of Kilmore. Speaking on this morning's Joe Finnegan Show, Fr PJ Hughes of Mullahoran Parish believes that "people will step up" when needed when it comes to enhancing the responsibility of lay people across parishes.
By 2030 there will be only 27 priests ministering in the Kilmore Diocese which comprises of 34 parishes. When asked about this matter, Fr Hughes said that this is "not the first time" that the church has been in crisis, adding that a large part of one's faith is all about having "hope for the future."
"We seem to be facing into a time where there are very few priests," he explained. "Ireland has enjoyed a golden time from about 1940 to 2000, where every parish had one, two or even three priests. Today, it's a different story and we're wondering what will happen over the next 10 years."
