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Ireland predicted to have only have 450 priests by 2042

Senior church figures worried as hundreds of parishes could be left without a priest

DARA KELLY,

IrishCentral.com Staff Writer

Published Sunday, September 9, 2012, 7:09 AM

Updated Sunday, September 9, 2012, 7:21 AM

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Priest numbers are dwindling in Ireland.

Photo by Press.tv

The Irish Catholic newspaper has predicted a 75 percent decrease in Ireland over the next 30 years, which means only 450 priests will be serving in Irish parishes by 2042.

According to TheJournal.ie, the figure was reached by examining imminent retirements and current ordination rates. Currently, there are 1,965 priests serving Ireland's 26 dioceses.

Just 12 men entered the national seminary in Maynooth last month. On average, 50 percent of these men would be expected to drop out of the program.

The president of Maynooth said "massive changes" will be necessary within the church due to the lack of priests.

Right now there are 32 priests under the age of 34 working in Ireland, which is just 1.6 percent of the total number of active priests.

The drop off in numbers will mean hundreds of parishes will be left without a priest according to The Irish Catholic's Deputy Editor Michael Kelly. Senior figures in the church have called the figures "very worrying."

Nster.com

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glorybe1929 | Sep 23, 2012, 01:56 PM EDT

As far as I'm concerned, after spending over 60 yrs. in the rcc, I wish the whole barbarius thing could be taken to the International Criminal Court in the Hague, Netherlands and found GUILTY OF CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY.

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KweenOHearts | Sep 14, 2012, 06:39 PM EDT

**Jesus said the church was inside each human being and did not need churches etc Sure porkia... I'm interested in having a 'church' inside me [there's always space in there after an abortion ya know..] -- but would you mind guiding me to that chapter and verse so I can verify? Oh wait, it must be in the bible written specifically for new agers. Why didn't I think of that!

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Seanmor | Sep 11, 2012, 09:37 AM EDT

Irish prelates should seriously consider bringing home native Irish priests who are now missionaries in foreign countries. In many cases, these clergymen are needed more in the homeland than abroad. Another way to deal with the priest shortage would be to allow Church of Ireland ministers to hold services in R.C. churches. Such an arrangement would also promote ecumenism.

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misneac | Sep 10, 2012, 06:59 PM EDT

Gregshox and Ballylander are bigots ,and unable to give credit to the priests ,nuns and brothers who ran the most successful centres of education in Ireland ! When the proposed enormous Muslim centre is completed in Dublin why dont you both meet for coffee ,and then take a trip out there and suggest that there is to be no influence from Muslim clerics or religious teaching . Have a nice day !

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ballylanger | Sep 10, 2012, 03:44 PM EDT

There'll still be 450 'soldiers of the vatican occupation' too many.

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hermitTalker | Sep 10, 2012, 10:12 AM EDT

There are several options for this scenario, the Mayan calendar is not one. Portia777 stick with what the Bible actually says, Jesus did found the Church, Greek word ekklesia replaced the Hebrew quholeth, Church in English (ecclesia in Latin, Eaglais in Irish) He also said the Kingdom is within you, and is also to come, no contradiction at all for the believer who can read and appreciate. For all you naysayers, I also recommend a full review of Western Civilisation and the formative influence of the Catholic Popes, monks and nuns and sisters in education and medicine and all the sciences. Compare it to Marx and Lenin and Hitler and see how they ran their marvellous cultures without God or Church. Jesus' Church has beaten them all, and even if wiped out in places, and on the ground in others, HE said it would win, HE IS EMMANUEAL God is with us. Last lines of Matthew and then see Revelation to tell us what's up next in symbolic language.

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IrelandNorth | Sep 10, 2012, 05:53 AM EDT

That's presuming that there is a 2042? If those Mayan calendar chaps in Central and South America are 'bang' on the money, looks like this winter's solstice (20/12/2012) is curtains, if not for the world then for our way of being in it that world. "Just 12 men ..."? Did not the Christ have only the same number of 12 good men and true. Question is, do we have a truly Christian figure head to lead them to the promised land? "... 32 priests ..." one for every county in the 26 dioceses on the Island of Ireland. Few are called and many choose not to follow!

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cillowen | Sep 09, 2012, 09:07 PM EDT

prediction - erin go braless is a comedy that keeps on giving with such levels of dysfunction that are too many to be properly unraveled. Missing the head of the poodle shaped island brought about by the divide and conquer brilliance of the occupier has done wonders in that regard. A people driven bonkers yet the evidence of same is directed back to blaming such victims through massive propaganda spread by Anglo-Saxons worldwide. DIASPORA.

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bobby | Sep 09, 2012, 09:05 PM EDT

Dublin already has muslim schools, what they call a super mosque is planned in north Dublin, will hold 8000 people, one of the biggest in Europe. It will be on a 6 acre site in Clongriffin, north Dublin. Looks like it will get the go ahead by the council.

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GregShox | Sep 09, 2012, 07:15 PM EDT

Misneach -- We decent Irish people will have schools uncontaminated by clerics of any stripe, whether Catholic, Muslim or anything else. We'll have schools where our children are taught lessons, with no bishop leaning over them. Happy days.

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misneac | Sep 09, 2012, 07:09 PM EDT

Marvellous intelligent comment written in perfect English by Stropaire ! Hail the forthcoming Muslim schools ! The reality of course is that decent Irish people will still have the Catholic Church as their religion and supporter in time of need !

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mairint | Sep 09, 2012, 06:26 PM EDT

To all the millions of wonderful priests who have followed Our Lord Jesus Christ (I bend my head), thank you for handing on the treasures of the Faith. You have faced derision, persecution, even death, and today mockery by those who hate God Almighty. Now we who love the Faith are joyful to see the numbers of fine men joining the Church. Yes, the numbers are up in many countries if not in Ireland. The difference is that they do not want to enter the loosy goosy seminarians where Presidents have abandoned the teaching in its fullness. As soon as they grab the full beautiful inspiring tradition with both hands seminary numbers will increase again in Ireland. Meanwhile Irish men are going elsewhere to enter real Catholic seminaries. The priest who celebrated Latin Mass here yesterday is a civil engineer, a former rugby player and coach and ski instructor (he did not boast this, I found it online). He has served a community in Nigeria. How blessed we are.

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GregShox | Sep 09, 2012, 04:16 PM EDT

Smaller, more faithful, more fervent, and minding its own business in future. Deo volente.

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Nicoletta | Sep 09, 2012, 03:08 PM EDT

The Catholic Church will become much smaller as predicted by Pope Benedict, smaller but more faithful and fervent than ever. Deo Gratias!

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GregShox | Sep 09, 2012, 02:49 PM EDT

I wonder if they'll still be able to lay down the law in the primary schools when most of the parish priests are from the other side of the world. We're looking at the end of an era started by Cardinal Paul Cullen in 1850: a failed model of religion.

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