Dear Editor, Our poor priests are run off their feet. Soon they will all be gone unless something radical is done. I cannot see the Church surviving, the way it is going. When discussions of the shortage of priests arise two solutions are always presented – ordaining married men and ordaining women. However, neither of these suggestions, one possible and the other impossible, will get to the heart of the problem. The Anglican Church ordains both married men and women and it hasn’t solved their vocations problems.
Solving the vocations crisis will mean solving the downturn in the practise of the Faith first and foremost. It means evangelisation and a radical overhaul of how secular Ireland views religion and people of faith.
The appalling standard of religious education amongst the young people must be a starting point for bishops, as well as the quality of formation training being offered to seminarians.
We must face the future presented to us with faith, hope and lots of prayer.
Yours etc.,
John Rogers
Swords,
Co. Dublin.