‘Ordinary people’ are future of the Church

RATHER than despairing about the future of the Catholic Church, where vocations to the priesthood continue to shrink, Bishop of Clogher Larry Duffy has called on parishioners to “be filled with hope” at the opportunities the current challenges can bring. In his homily at Mass at the Basilica of Our Lady, Queen of Ireland during the recent Clogher Pilgrimage to Knock, Bishop Duffy noted there was only one student from the diocese currently preparing for the priesthood – Stephen Sherry from Tullycorbet parish in Monaghan.

However, while he spoke about the difficulties the downturn in vocations presented, and prayed for all those who continued to answer the call to the priesthood, Bishop Duffy said the situation had resulted in lay people being given the chance to play a greater role in the Church.

“We live in changing times,” he said in his homily. “As a Church, we are facing significant changes, considering what we have been used to.

“The numbers going for priesthood and the religious life are much reduced on 30-50 years ago. That challenges all of us to respond.”

Referring to the recent publication of the National Synthesis report, which reflected on a recent series of conferences and surveys on contemporary issues facing the Church, Bishop Duffy said the challenges presented opportunities.

“I have to say I read with interest the submission of returned missionaries to the Synodal Pathway documents, ‘We had no option but to trust and train lay leaders who gladly undertook the various ministries. In retrospect it is clear that it was the actual shortage of ordained ministers that enabled the laity to take their God-given role.’ I think that is an important observation.”

He added, “You are the Church – you are the present and future of our Church. We can adopt two contrasting attitudes.

“One, where we become discouraged and lament the present situation and fail to have hope and complain. Or we can be filled with hope because God is ultimately in charge.”