Father Sean Cassidy (62), the priest at the centre of a controversy involving parishioners in Dun Laoghaire and the Dublin archdiocese, was asked to accept a post as parish priest three years ago, but refused.
Confirming this, church sources said that it was no longer unusual for priests to choose not to be a PP. Many no longer wanted to take on the financial responsibilities involved, preferring instead to concentrate on pastoral work, while those who had been PPs frequently chose to return to being curates.
However, it remains unclear why Father Cassidy turned down the offer, as he has been incommunicado since the controversy arose over his removal from Dun Laoghaire and was not available for comment.
Under church law, a parish priest has greater security of tenure than a curate and cannot be moved around with ease. The ultimate responsibility for moving a priest lies with his bishop, but in recent decades this has usually followed discussion with a consultative group of diocesan priests. Parishioners have no say in the matter.
In most dioceses, younger priests are moved every five to seven years, as this is believed to be good both for them and the parishes. The older the priest, the greater the consultation prior to his removal.
Father Cassidy met the Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Desmond Connell, and the auxiliary Bishop who has responsibility for the Dun Laoghaire area, Dr Martin Drennan, last May, before his transfer was announced.
He has since met Dr Drennan again and it is understood that he has also met Bishop James Moriarty, who has responsibility for the Dublin parish Father Cassidy is being moved to.
It emerged at the weekend that Father Cassidy had asked that the campaign to have him retained in Dun Laoghaire should cease, as he has now agreed to the move. He will transfer in October to St Paul's in Ayrfield, a predominantly working-class parish on Dublin's north side which was created in 1974.
Father Cassidy has been at St Michael's in Dun Laoghaire for 16 years and will not be replaced there.
On average, between 30 and 50 priests are moved annually in Dublin, usually during the summer months.
