Dublin archbishop calls for lay ministers, pastoral volunteers to address priest shortage (Archdiocese of Dublin)

“A new paradigm of parish, one less tied to rigid boundaries, but more attentive to transmitting the light and hope of Christ to women and men of our day is what we need,” Archbishop Dermot Farrell of Dublin preached on June 3. “We face great challenges in this diocese, not least in coming to terms with our missionary role in the Dublin of today. We face a particular challenge of the shortage of priests to minister to our parish communities.”

“I am therefore inviting women and men who feel that they are called to ministry to come forward to train for ministry as instituted lectors or acolytes or catechists,” he added. “I will appoint pastoral leaders—deacons, religious and lay people—where necessary when parishes cannot have a resident priest, to support the priest who will have pastoral responsibility for that parish.”