When I was asked to contribute to The Irish Catholic series of articles on exploring the challenges of being a priest in Ireland today, I was a bit hesitant as I have never done anything like that before. Then I thought to myself after 43 years in ministry I surely have something to say from my own experience.
The first thing I would like to say is that I have been very happy as a priest having worked in 5 different parishes with the experience of a variety of different ministries such as Hospital Chaplaincy – both in General and Psychiatric hospitals – Prison Chaplaincy and Catechetics.
If I was asked, ‘Why did I become a priest?’ My first response would be ‘to help people’.
I have always felt a sense of gratitude that my vocation as a priest has given me the opportunity to be with people especially at different times of their lives: Bereavements and tragedies of one kind or another; to share moments of great happiness; Marriages, Baptisms and other important events in parish life.
People need priests, possibly more than ever before.
I also feel appreciated by the people I serve and every so often they do acknowledge it. Sometimes verbally but in all kinds of different ways as well.
Change
Having said that there has been an enormous change in the life of the priest. I suppose the biggest change has been the fall off vocations and the age profile of priests. Personally, speaking I cannot see a rise in vocations, I feel that boat has gone. I was recently asked to attend a careers night in our local Secondary School. They had all kinds of people there who do different jobs: accounts, guards, nurses, carpenters and many others.
All the students were approaching the other tables, and no one was coming to mine. Eventually one boy came up to me and I said at last someone who may be showing an interest in being a priest. He sat down, and his first question was, “What is the money like?”
Many priests feel that they are being pulled from Billy to Jack, and it is having an adverse effect on their health”
As result of the shortage of priests, Dioceses are scrambling to figure out what to do going forward. In some cases, dioceses have brought in priests from other countries in many cases this has worked out well even though there is a difference in culture. There are arguments to say this is just postponing the inevitable and there are mumblings among lay people about some foreign priests being hard to understand and tending to go on too long in their homilies. I often think what did the people in Africa feel about Irish priests when they went on mission.
Amalgamation
Another effort to respond to the shortage of priests has been the amalgamation of parishes in some dioceses. This is called ‘Family of Parishes’. In other dioceses it is called ‘Clusters of Parishes’. In others it’s called ‘Pastoral Areas’. But the bottom line I find is that it means more work for the priest on the ground. It is extra funerals and extra baptisms as well as all the other bits and pieces of being responsible for looking after extra parishes and churches.
Many priests don’t have housekeepers anymore and are trying to manage cooking for themselves and doing their work”
I often feel that this is not acknowledged enough by bishops or those in authority. Many priests feel that they are being pulled from Billy to Jack, and it is having an adverse effect on their health. Priests need to be taken care of more. Many priests don’t have housekeepers anymore and are trying to manage cooking for themselves and doing their work. Granted by some, this may be by choice but for others it may be financial consideration or some other reason.
This can lead to eating at wrong times or not enough attention given to diet or exercise.
Refrain
I know the constant refrain is that we need to get lay people more involved, but I believe that there is enough recognition that lay people have very busy lives themselves and it can be hard to get them involved or, at least, the right ones. I have heard priests saying that they find it hard to get people involved as Eucharistic Ministers and readers let alone ask them to take on more responsibility for their parish by becoming members of Parish Councils.
The result is that many priests are feeling the strain, and it can affect their health both mentally and physically.
They asked me if I wanted to take some old pictures as they no longer had any use of them. One was of Bro. Ignatius Rice and the other was an old Sacred Heart picture”
Another change that has taken place from the time I was first ordained is the change in society.
I see this more and more in relation to schools. When I was ordained first, teachers were very much involved in the Sacramental Preparation of First Communion and Confirmation. Now I see less and less of that whether it be in the classroom or outside of it. They are less inclined to attend anything to do with sacramental preparation outside school times.
Recently I went into a school, and they told me they were cleaning out an old storeroom. They asked me if I wanted to take some old pictures as they no longer had any use of them. One was of Bro. Ignatius Rice and the other was an old Sacred Heart picture. How times have changed.
Burden
Any priest I have spoken to has told me what energises them the most is the burden of administration and no matter what Parish Council you have or Finance Committee the buck stops with the Parish Priest.
There is also a certain amount of pressure that comes from the diocese. Emails about this, that or the other. Meetings about safeguarding, finance reports, bords of management, etc.
And if I am feeling the pressure, what must the bishop be feeling? That is why I would not have their job for all the tea in China.
Still, I take comfort from the words of Jesus, “I will be with you till the end of time.” And what is more important is the Lord of the work than the work of the Lord.
To finish on a positive note. I feel that people do appreciate what we do but it certainly comes at a cost. When I see my family members retired and being able to go on cruises with their wife and see many of the classmates that I went to school with also retired and able to relax in their old age looking at 75 years of age seems a long way off. And when people say, “ah sure it’s different for a priest,” and “what else would you be at,” I can think of a lot of things I would like to be doing at that stage of my life.
Still, I come back to what I said at the start. I can say my life is fulfilled and I do not regret ever becoming a priest.
The address and name of the author for this article is known to the editor.
