The vocational call is being “silenced or ridiculed
The Bishop of Cork and Ross has appealed to families and communities to encourage vocations, which he believes are being “silenced or ridiculed” by the culture in Ireland.
Bishop John Buckley, who reaches the retirement age of 75 on November 1, said that “the core of the fall in vocations here is the lack of encouragement in the community for them”.
“People who have a vocation need the support of their families and their communities. Families and communities must pray for vocations,” he said.
Bishop Buckley told a local newspaper that he believed that men are still being called to the priesthood but that the vocational call is being “silenced or ridiculed by a culture that regards it as out of date or a thing of the past, or something absurd”.
Bishop Buckley said organisations such as the GAA have no problem getting members, because they are “perceived as a necessity”, and that is no longer the case with the Catholic Church.
However, he said he believed that the fresh approach of Pope Francis will attract further vocations, because he is “giving a more compassionate face to the Church” and “making a special effort to reach out to people”.
There are five men studying for the priesthood for the Diocese of Cork & Ross, which has 117 priests serving 68 parishes, with the majority aged between 55 and 60.