Church in Limerick village renovated with ‘priestless parish’ in mind

A LIMERICK church has been renovated in preparation for the day it will be a “priestless parish”.

Fr Roy Donovan said Mass in Caherconlish church on Saturday evening for the first time in over three months due to works taking place. However, the Galbally man said the day is coming “soon” when there won’t be a priest to say Mass.

Fr Donovan said they are very happy with their new design for a “future priestless parish”.

“In the old designed churches the priest is given prime position. People stayed at the back of churches, at the door or even outside the door, as far away from the priest as possible,” smiled Fr Donovan.

He said the new design is putting people at the centre. It is in an oval shape, just like a rugby ball.

“It allows everyone to be equal. We’re not calling it an altar, our emphasis is on a table - that is why it is going to be very useful for a priestless parish because it is going to communicate the idea of bringing a family together and creating a community. The table is central – it is like an extension of a family home with a kitchen table,” explained Fr Donovan.

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The pews are shaped around the ‘table’. The parish priest said when you use the word altar “you are saying a priest is needed but there are going to be no priests”.

“The bishops are after declaring a year for vocations, it should be a year of priestless parishes – face reality. We are in denial. I think the new design is going to allow for more participation.

The Christians of the future are going to be Christians by conviction and take more ownership. New ministries are going to have to come about. The future is people coming together – that is the only way forward,” he said.

Fr Donovan said they created the new design in the Millennium Centre where Masses were said for the last three months.

“The table was in the centre for all our Masses. People have gotten used to this design. We got great hospitality there,” said Fr Donovan.

The church was formerly the Shamrock Ballroom and while the dancefloor has stood the test of time, underneath it had gone all rotten.

“The floor was sagging so from a health and safety point of view we needed a new floor. We have tried to fix it and keep it going for a number of years,” said Fr Donovan.

As well as the new concrete floor, carpet and rugby ball design, the church was painted with modern colours and new lighting installed.

“Somebody once said if you want to have real worship you need to be in a place of beauty. We have tried to beautify the building to make it a place that people will find much easier to worship and pray,” said Fr Donovan, who wished to thank the parish pastoral council, finance council, volunteers who helped out with lifting floors and lifting the heavy pews, which had to be moved eight times, and everybody who donated.

Fr Donovan may be getting ready for a priestless church but his parishioners in Caherconlish and Inch St Laurence hope he won’t be going anywhere for a long time.