A senior Catholic bishop has warned of the prospect of overworked priests suffering from "burn-out" due to the continuing decline in numbers in the clergy.
Speaking yesterday, the Bishop of Killaloe, Dr Willie Walsh, made his warning after signalling that an increasing number of parishes throughout the Killaloe diocese would be without a resident priest over the coming years due to the fall in vocations.
Acknowledging that priest resources in the diocese of Killaloe were over-stretched, Dr Walsh said: "People don't appreciate the amount of work priests do. Priests do more work than the vast, vast majority of people I know."
Dr Walsh cited the example of Kilrush parish in west Clare where two priests "are now doing the work and more of five priests that were present there in the 1960s".
He said the heavy workload was a worry with priests getting older and admitted that there was a danger of "burn-out" for a number of them.
Dr Walsh was peaking after the first general priests' assembly held in the diocese since 1984, which was attended by 102 priests. Over the next seven years, he said, only one priest would be ordained in the diocese, which stretches from west Clare through north Tipperary to the eastern parts of Co Offaly.
During that time, he estimated, the diocese would lose two priests per year through retirement.
Following the assembly, the priests have issued a public plea requesting Dr Walsh and the Council of Priests to urgently outline a strategy "to ensure the continued vitality of our ministry".
The priests assembly also asked that the plan properly resource the care and spirituality of priests.
Dr Walsh said yesterday that the fall in priest numbers was a source of concern and the situation would demand astute management of priest resources in the diocese.
He said he would not be in favour of merging parishes but for situations which would enable the people to take ownership of the church.
However, Dr Walsh said he was very encouraged and optimistic for the future for the church following the diocesan assembly held in Dundrum, Co Tipperary.
"I very encouraged by the attitude and approach of the priests who displayed courage, honesty and, in particular, generosity in the debates that took place and I would be able to say that the road ahead for the church is not clear, but by putting trust in the Lord we are confident for the future."
