Plea to bishops

FR GERRY Moloney’s article headlined ‘What’s the future of our priests?’ is timely (November 6).

In my opinion, our priests’ future is total burnout from overwork.

There is an urgent need for our bishops – in this Year for Priests – to show courageous leadership by encouraging open and honest discussion on the celibacy rule, the ordination of women who, after all, have been the backbone of the church, especially as voluntary workers, and to seek the return, even on a part-time basis, of those priests who have already left the ministry.

I appeal to our all bishops to encourage this open discussion in order to prevent further losses and to protect our existing overworked priests from total exhaustion.

Eamonn Nash

Glendale Grove

Glasheen Road

Cork