The Association of Catholic Priests in Ireland Proposes Solution to Priest Shortage Include Married Priests and Women Priests

https://www.limerickleader.ie/news/home/352128/limerick-bishops-new-team-ministry-plan-welcomed-but-iskicking-can-down-road.html

My Response: What a wonderful affirmation that the Association of Catholic Priests  ACP (in Ireland) takes the view that we need to have married men ordained as priests and that we need women priests.

Bridget Mary Meehan ARCWP, https://arcwp.org

Dr Ann-Marie Desmond, from Timoleague, Co Cork: ‘I can’t see anything wrong with women celebrating the Eucharist.’

"Fr Roy Donovan, of the Association of Catholic Priests (ACP), said while they understand and sympathise with diocesan authorities doing all they can with declining numbers of priests to provide the optimum service possible the reality is that “clustering parishes” in whatever form may be necessary in the short term but in the longer term it is little more than “kicking the can down the road”.

“We want to praise the bishop and the people of Limerick diocese for undergoing a synod. We applaud them for all their work and energy and involvement of so many people and so many parishes - that is the way forward,” said Fr Donovan.

However, he said it is just putting off major decisions that need to be made.

“The ACP takes the views that we need to have married men ordained as priests and we need to have women priests…"

“Every possibility should be put on the table. Limerick diocese is operating within the limits – they are doing the best they can within the limits. We would be saying the overall church, all over the world needs to go beyond those limits and needs to open up every possibility including married people and women priests,” said Fr Donovan.

The parish priest of Caherconlish / Caherline says one of the disadvantages of the new system is different priests will be saying Masses every Sunday..."

"CHANGE isn’t easy but it is necessary, said Bishop Brendan Leahy, who has announced a “Team Ministry approach” for the Limerick Diocese.

It is to deal with the drop in the number of priests and need for greater lay engagement. It was outlined by Bishop Leahy in a pastoral letter read out at all parishes in the diocese at the weekend. 

The move, which was signalled in the 2016 Limerick Diocesan Synod, will see existing parishes arranged into pastoral units. Teams of clergy will minister in each unit but existing parish identities will be preserved.

The new units will involve a number of parishes operating together, with two or three priests ministering together as a team to the pastoral needs of these parishes. Each of the priests will be a “co-parish priest” and will move around the pastoral unit, resulting in different priests saying Masses in parishes week on week..."