Mayo View: Straide’s problem today is another parish’s tomorrow

Loss of resident parish priest a further sad example of rural decline

The situation evolving in the parish of Straide over the loss of their resident parish priest is a further example of the decline of rural Ireland.

With a shortage of priests due to the ongoing decline in vocations, the Bishop of Achonry, Paul Dempsey, reluctantly made the decision to effectively amalgamate Straide with its neighbouring parish of Bohola because he could not appoint a priest to both of them in his latest round of diocesan changes.

While members of the Straide community accept the bishop had a very difficult decision to make, they believe it is a downgrading of a parish that has worked so hard over the years to make the church the focal point of their community.

Against the background of rural depopulation and the closure of post offices, banks and public houses, this is regarded as an issue that warrants challenging.

And while the Diocese of Achonry may not have the solution to hand, this is clearly a matter that needs to go further up the line of the church’s hierarchy.

The reality is that the church needs a radical re-think of traditional practices in order to avoid reaching a situation in which it is forced to close rural churches all over the country in future years due to an absence of newcomers within the clerical ranks.

A number of years ago the Tuam Archdiocese went some way towards addressing the issue by recruiting priests from India and this worked very well to a point.

They brought new energy, vision and enthusiasm to their parishes, some of them going on to become parish priests.

However, much more is clearly needed and the role of laity, as well as the prospect of women priests, must be reviewed by a church in crisis.

Otherwise the inevitable is simply being placed on the long finger.

The inevitable means the disappearance of the sacraments, including Mass, baptism, Holy Communion, Confirmation, funerals and marriages, from many parishes and being transferred into bigger urban centres.

That’s why the people of Straide are taking a stand now in the interest of the parish’s future, a parish that is rich in history and culture.

As the Association of Catholic Priests has been highlighting for some time, there is a need for a relaxation of celibacy rules that would see married men ordained and perhaps a return for former clerics who left the church in order to wed.

It is also of the view that women should be ordained to the diaconate.

These two steps need to be taken swiftly for the church to survive in rural Ireland.

In fairness, there is already some work taking place in terms of lay people playing a more active role in leading prayers at funerals and supporting families.

But change must go much further than that.

As matters stand, Straide's problem today will be another parish’s problem tomorrow.

Sadly.