HOW THE concerns of Catholic priests could best be represented was the subject of a meeting in Maynooth involving the Catholic primate Cardinal Seán Brady, senior bishops, and chairmen of most of the 26 diocesan councils of priests on the island.
It followed a decision of the National Conference of Priests of Ireland (NCPI) to dissolve itself last September at its annual conference in Athlone. Until then the NCPI had acted as a representative body for priests.
Last September it set up a committee to oversee dissolution by the end of last November. Fr Bill Bermingham, a member of that committee, said at the time that "there seemed to be a lack of connection between the NCPI and many priests throughout the country".
The meeting in Maynooth last week was also attended by archbishops Diarmuid Martin, Michael Neary and Dermot Clifford, as well as bishops Joseph Duffy and Donal Murray.
It was described as "open and wide-ranging", with discussion on issues relating to the lives and ministry of priests in Ireland today which might fruitfully be taken up by a new forum for priests.
