Our parishes once had f ive priests but today it’s just me
GALWAY priest Paddy Mooney has to make a 20-kilometre round-trip as he splits his time between the two parishes of Glenamaddy and Williamstown for Masses at the weekend.
Fr Mooney, 70, who was ordained 45 years ago, said that at one time there were as many as f i ve priests between both parishes.
He told the Mail: ‘I look after the two parishes. They are treated equally. There is one Mass every day [in one of the two parishes].
‘In Williamstown this year there is Saturday evening Mass and the Sunday is in Glenamaddy. Next year we’ll switch that around.’
Fr Mooney said at his age he f i nds j uggling t he t wo parishes is tough going.
He said: ‘It would be great if we had more priests.’
The priest said declining numbers of priests was going to leave the parishes with a ‘different sort of a church’.
He said: ‘There was a time when there were five priests between the two parishes [40 years ago]. The people themselves are going to be more involved. Maybe that’s what the Church is about, community and people working together.’
Asked what he thought will happen to the parishes when he retires, he said: ‘No-one knows what will happen down the line.’
There are around 1,000 parishioners in Williamstown and 1,500 in Glenamaddy. Fr Mooney must make the 10km commute to both parishes seven days a week.
Fr Mooney said ‘they’d love to have a priest in each parish’ but it was not possible. Some Glenamaddy parishioners like to make the 20-kilometre round trip to Williamstown for Sunday Mass.