THE letter from Pat Walker (CL 29/6/08) reflects sensibly and practically on the crisis facing so many parishes throughout Australia because of the crippling shortage of priests.
Parishes close altogether, or clusters of parishes are amalgamated to form a “super-parish”.
As a result the faithful are deprived of Mass and the sacraments while elderly or ailing priests are expected to shoulder the heaviest burdens of their lives since ordination.
But the time for lamenting and talking is long past. Action is required right now.
Your correspondent’s letter points to the availability of “former” priests, officially dispensed and now married.
This surely is the first part of the question to be studied.
I belong to this group. After ordination I served as a priest for 24 years.
When Pope Paul VI had granted me a dispensation, I then married with the full blessing of the Church in a nuptial Mass.
With almighty God’s amazing love, we are now enjoying the 32nd year of a truly wonderful union. Our two beautiful adult daughters are now making their own way in life.
I am still a priest but disqualified from “active service” – by the sacrament of matrimony!
At this stage of our lives, my wife and I would welcome the opportunity for me to return to the “active ministry”, offering Mass, administering the sacraments and working pastorally in these challenging times to help the Church we love.
My final reflection: the shortage of priests need not be nearly as drastic as it is. We simply need to use the ones we have by inviting back the married priests who are willing to help their colleagues in parishes.
NOEL M COOK
Tumut, NSW
