IRELAND
The Cork News
Priests will be as “rare as hens’ teeth” in 30 years if a number of issues are not addressed, according to a Youghal chaplain.
Fr Joseph McGuane was speaking following a new survey that shows the majority of Irish Catholics believe priests should be allowed to marry and female priests should be introduced. The survey commissioned by the Association of Catholic Priests revealed that 87% of Catholics believe priests should marry and 77% thought that women should be allowed to be ordained into the priesthood.
Additional information showed that 72% felt mature men should be allowed to be ordained and 60% thought that clustering of parishes might overcome the priest shortage.
Fr McGuane told the Cork News that he was “not surprised” by the findings, agreeing that it was the public view that equality should exist within the Church. He added that he could foresee changes happening “eventually” in the coming years, albeit only after major restructuring occurred. “In 1960, there were 80 ordinations in Maynooth, while in 1970, there were 38. In 2007, there were only four,” he said. “I’m 66 now, and was ordained in 1970. This shortage of priests has been an issue since then. If it’s to continue on this path, priests will be as rare as hens’ teeth and I’d say we will be an endangered species.”
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