Bishop Leahy says parishes must be anchored in the ‘hope of Easter’ in meeting the challenges of the future

 

Wednesday 16 April 2025:  Bishop of Limerick Brendan Leahy has said that difficult decisions in relation to the future of parishes must be faced head on but should be approached in a spirit of new beginnings and opportunity.

 

Addressing all priests of the diocese at the annual Chrism Mass for the Blessing and Consecration of Oils for the year ahead, Bishop Leahy said that we must become anchored in the hope that Easter brings in responding to new times and new needs.

 

Bishop Leahy said that in the coming months he will engage across the Diocese in a series of parish conversations about the future directions of parishes, “asking some tough questions”.

 

Bishop Leahy said, “These include is our parish viable in terms of mission? Are its resources in terms of volunteers, finance and young people sufficient to generate life going forward into the future? Looking forward 10 years, can our parish go it alone? Can we sustain the maintenance of our church and other buildings? Do we need perhaps to amalgamate with neighbouring parishes?”

 

Continuing, he said, we cannot postpone difficult decisions. “We urgently need to take serious steps in terms of lay ministry. For instance, at this point, it should normally only be lay people saying prayers in funeral parlours or leading removal ceremonies. We should also see lay people becoming members of pastoral unit teams,” he said.

Calling out the challenges, Bishop Leahy said that already 24 out of 60 parishes in the diocese are without a resident priest.

 

“We have only one native Limerick Diocesan priest under 50. Many wonderful priests are going to retire in the coming few years. We have one ordination coming up in May with Deacon Tim Collins being ordained here in the Cathedral. Thank God we will have one man entering priestly formation for the Diocese and we thank God also for the priests who come from countries. But the situation is clear, we will possibly have two ordinations in 15 years. I don’t need to spell it out much more.”

 

However, Bishop Leahy said that as we celebrate Pope Francis’ Jubilee Year of Hope this year, we should be encouraged to meet these challenges head on.

 

“We are being asked to do something new. The past is done, and we must meet the needs of the future. This week, we have the message of the risen Lord to inspire us to go again, to tell the message anew.”

 

Meanwhile, Bishiop Leahy will be celebrating the Lords’ Supper Mass in the Cuan Mhuire Addiction Centre in Bruree. Parishes across the Diocese will be celebrating Masses in local churches.

 

Good Friday’s ‘Way of the Cross’ Pilgrimage through Limerick is a key part of the Jubilee Year of Hope.  Beginning at 12 noon in St. John’s Cathedral, the pilgrimage will weave its way through the city to reach St. Mary’s Cathedral at 1:30pm. People can take it in turns to carry the Cross and there will be a number of locations where reflections will be read, and prayers will be said.

 

The locations where there will be stops are as follows: St John's Cathedral; John's Square; mid Lower Gerald Griffin St.; junction of Lower Gerald St. and William St.; William St. at Foxes Bow; Thomas St. at Foxes Bow; junction of Thomas St. and O'Connell St.; junction of Bedford Row and Henry St.; junction of Henry St and Honan's Quay; Arthur's Quay Park 1; Arthur's Quay Park 2; Bridge St 1; Bridge St 2; St Mary's Cathedral.  As well as the public Way of the Cross, people will also attend the 3 pm ceremony in churches commemorating the passion of Our Lord.  

 

On Holy Saturday evening, there’s the Easter Vigil, which Bishop Leahy will be celebrating at 8 pm in St. John’s Cathedral. Sunday morning will see some parishes celebrating a Dawn Mass and all parishes celebrating the Easter Sunday liturgies, with Bishop Leahy celebrating Mass in Limerick Prison.