Serving priest says workload and pressure of pastoral duties is too great

Priests can no longer carry out their pastoral duties, as the pressure of their workloads is too great.

That’s the view of Fr Tim Hazelwood, who was reacting to a recent survey from the Association of Catholic Priests (ACP)

The survey found that of the 2100 priests currently working in the Irish Church, 547 priests are aged between 61 and 75, while nearly 300 are aged over 75.

The ACP survey says, a quarter of serving priests are set to retire in the next 15 years.

Fr Hazelwood says the changes in the priesthood are very challenging, but it highlights the importance of the Synod to the church.