Church scandals anger parishes

A HARD-HITTING report has highlighted anger at the way scandals have been handled by the Church and how it has alienated the young.

The report, following the most extensive study of its kind ever carried out in any Catholic diocese in this country, also raised fears for the Church’s future due to the critical shortage of priests.

The study, carried out by the diocesan headquarters and entitled Report On The Listening Process, listed the concerns of 3,000 people from all 45 parishes in the Diocese of Waterford and Lismore.

Copies of the 20-page document are being sent to every parish in the diocese this week asking people to study it and add their own comments and suggestions.

The report said there is widespread support for the abolition of compulsory celibacy for priests. The report said: “This would help solve the problem of the shortage of priests and would make the priesthood generally more attractive to people.”

Most of those who took part in the study believe the present policy of excluding women from the priesthood needs to be re-examined.

Many also felt angry and frustrated that women are excluded from so many positions of influence within the Church. The sharp fall in numbers attending Masses throughout the Waterford and Lismore diocese was also highlighted.

However, the overriding concern among those who took part in the ‘Listening Process’ at meetings in 12 centres between December 2003 and June 2004 is the alienation of young people from the institutional Church. Many found their absence from liturgical celebrations distressing.

“People are concerned because they love the Church. They want to hand on a living Church and their Christian values to the next generation,” the report said.