Oblivion?

louth | consumer issues | opinion/analysis

Saturday September 18, 2004 18:21

by Sean Crudden

sean.crudden at iol dot ie

Jenkinstown, Dundalk, Co Louth.

087 9739945

Spirituality in the Modern World.

Will the Church transform itself or will it decay and allow a phoenix to arise from the ashes?

An article headed "Bishop’s concern at fall off in vocations" appeared in this week’s edition of The Dundalk Democrat. It begins:-

"Bishop Gerard Clifford, the Auxiliary Bishop of Armagh, has expressed his concern at the fall off in vocations and the consequent effect on the number of priests available to serve in the north-east."

Further on the article reads;-

"He said that some parishes have already been left with only one priest serving and the developing situation may mean that smaller parishes may have to join up with larger parishes. It will be a case of simple arithmetic, there just wont be enough priests serving to cater for all the parishes in Armagh Diocese."

Perhaps I may be reading too much into the whole article but the impression I get is one of the placid cynicism of a tired businessman. The overall impression the article creates is of an institution fading coldly into sere oblivion.

As a person with a bit of a scientific background I recognise the fact that the whole universe is probably governed by simple arithmetic but the Church - and clerics in less recent times used to, at least, tip their caps in that direction - surely the Spirit has a role in the life of the Church?

There are a number of catholic clerics in this area who - although they are marginalised - are not marginal figures. They have a broad and educated view of spirituality in general and, from the little I have learned from them, I think that the spiritual "dimension" is something which, in a lively way, could be more universally developed to the benefit of people seeking more meaning in the modern world and looking for ways to develop the energy to cope with the demands of modern life.

In conclusion I will quote another few paragraphs from the article I am talking about.

"He added that presently in the diocese only two men were studying and were due to be ordained next summer.

"In addition three men were just starting to study for the priesthood."

Readers of indymedia need no help from me to recognise something skewed or unbalanced in those two sentences?