An appeal to parishioners and diocesan priests to heighten their awareness of the shortage of priests in the parishes and propose a solution, was launched by Kieran Conry, bishop of Arundel and Brighton, in a pastoral letter published in recent days. There are already two parishes in the diocese without a priest, writes Bishop Conry in his letter, and a further five will find themselves in the same situation next year. Most people pretend not to realize this situation, but the problem is serious. According to the bishop, it is important that some solutions be proposed by the faithful themselves, and that they do not consider the question the exclusive competence of the hierarchy. Appealing to the parishioners in the diocese, Msgr. Conry asks in his letter: “If the parish is left without a priest, or is lumped together with neighbouring parishes as far as the celebration of Mass and other religious functions is concerned, what should the community do? What steps should it take?”. In the view of the bishop of Brighton, this situation of crisis may in actual fact become an important chance for the parishioners to strengthen their religious community. For the first time, the faithful are called directly to find a practical solution to their own needs. If the parish communities, affirms Conry, succeeds in taking the situation into their own hands, this crisis of vocations will become “an opportunity to achieve more active parishes”, because the faithful “will acquire a stronger sense of participation in their own communities”.
