Our Bishop-Elect, Paul Dempsey, comes to us as one of the youngest priests in our diocese.
Looking at our situation, as it stands today, including retired priests, the age-profile of our priests is:
- six over the age of 80
- seven aged between 70-80
- ten aged between 60-70,
- ten aged between 50-60,
- three aged between 40-50 (four when Bishop-Elect Dempsey joins us)
- and nobody under 40.
There are twenty-three parishes in the diocese and fifty churches. At present there are 25 priests in Parish Ministry.
There is no doubt but that we are heading to a point where changes will have to be addressed – indeed, we have most likely passed that point.
There must however, remain hope!
As we welcome a new bishop, might it be a time to encourage a-fresh and pray renewed, that some might hear God’s call to serve the church of Achonry as a Diocesan Priest?
Fr Paul Kivlehan is our Vocations Director. He may be contacted at the Presbytery, Ballaghaderreen or on vocations@achonrydiocese.org