Overhaul of Cork parishes to be completed soon as diocese appeals for men to join priesthood

Currently, there are just two men studying for the priesthood in the diocese of Cork & Ross but it will be 2029 before they will be ordained.

Bishop Fintan Gavin, Bishop of Cork and Ross.

The radical overhaul of parishes in Cork and Ross diocese will be completed by the autumn, as the diocese makes a call for men to consider priesthood as a career.

Last September, 12 “families of parishes” were brought together under a new framework in a move to address the falling number of priests in the diocese.

The last four “families” are now being finalised and the entire rollout of the new framework is set to be finalised in the coming months, according to the diocese.

Parishes are now being bunched together in “families of parishes”, overseen by a moderator priest, with duties for the parishes being shared by a group of priests attached to the “family”.

For example, on the northside of Cork city, the parishes of Clogheen/Kerry Pike, Farranree, Gurranabraher and Knocknaheeny/Hollyhill are now a family of parishes since last September, with Clogheen/Kerry Pike not having a resident priest.

Currently, there are just two men currently studying for the priesthood for the diocese but both are in the early stages and their ordinations will not take place before 2029. Eight retirements were announced last year, as well as the return of three others to their religious orders.

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The diocese is now hosting a “Come and See” event for men considering the priesthood, on July 2 in Mardyke House in Cork city at 3pm.

Diocesan spokesman Fr Tom Hayes said: “There is a significant number of our priests who are in their 70s at this stage. Most priests retire from being parish priests or co-parish priests at 75 and they have the option of continuing to minister in a less onerous way until they are 80. The norm in our diocese is that every priest is offered the opportunity to retire at 80.” 

He said that in the next five to six years, the diocese will have “several priests retiring or at least changing roles”.

He said that Bishop Fintan Gavin is highlighting a need for lay people in parishes to take on roles in administration and in pastoral ministry roles, including on funeral teams for example.

He added that the diocese is currently recruiting a person to help train lay people for ministry roles which will be a full-time role. The successful applicant will be required to train people to prepare families for baptism; Ministers of the Eucharist in churches, and for lay funeral ministry.

He said that a lot of parishes in the diocese now have funeral ministry teams in operation.

He continued: “That is a significant step. It is part of an overall plan – the diocese has recently taken on a full-time lay person to help with the development of the families of parishes and to help parishes to share resources and to help priests to work together to develop lay leadership in the parishes as well.”