Posted on 04/13/2006 11:13:01 AM PDT by lizol
Forget the Polish plumber, we want the Polish priests!
13.04.2006
After Polish plumbers, nurses and dentists: Roman Catholic priests are now in demand in Ireland and the UK.
Report by Michal Kubicki
13.04.06
Recent months have seen a steady growth in the number of Poles taking up employment in those EU countries which opened their labour markets to citizens from the new members. In the Irish Republic alone, more than 120 thousand Poles have settled. They have their own newspaper, bars, low-cost airline flights and a Polish-language weekly. They also have their own priests.
For arrivals from predominantly Catholic Poland, integration into the life of this small country is easier than in other EU states. For most young, educated Poles, the ’Irish dream’ is a reality: architects, engineers and IT workers live in material comfort that they have not experienced in Poland. There are also those who were misled by Polish media reports suggesting that one can get a job with only secondary education and with only basic English. Most Poles in Ireland, from both groups, turn to their new parishes not only for pastoral service but also with their personal problems. Small wonder that the Dominican parish in Dublin started to recruit priests from Poland. As Father Adrian Farrelly says, a need arose after Poland joined the EU two years ago.
”Shortly afterwards we had many Polish people coming to Ireland and many of them came to our church and they were asking us if we had anything in Polish, any masses or confessions. Because they were familiar with the Dominicans in Poland who had a very good outreach to young people especially they sort of gravitated themselves to the Dominicans here in Dublin. At the time I had nothing in Poland to offer them. As more Poles started coming we felt a need to do something for these people.”
One of the two Dominican fathers who recently arrived in Dublin is Marcin Lisak. He says he’s kept quite busy on his new assignment.
”I am rather busy now, especially during Lent as there are many confessions during this time. The main point of our pastoral care are the Sunday masses, there are two masses in Polish in the Dominican church here.”
The Church in Ireland praises the role played by Polish priests in the fast expanding Polish community.
”The people I’ve met since the two priests came here have been telling me how happy they are. It seems like they’re back home. They can come to a mass in Polish, talk to a Polish priest, it makes a big difference for them.”
For Father Lisak, working in Dublin is an entirely new experience.
”We are the first two Polish Dominicans assigned to the Irish province of the Dominican order. We extend pastoral care not only for the Polish people but we hope we’ll be useful also in the English-language services. In addition, there are many people from Slovakia for whom it’s much easier to participate in Polish services than the English ones, and so we also offer pastoral care to them.”
Father Lisak and the other Dominican priest from Poland are to stay in Dublin for two years. But Polish priests are in such high demand abroad that some parishes in the West are resorting to other solutions. Father Farrelly again…
”In some parts of Ireland, some parishes will fly in a priest from Poland for the weekend to celebrate mass, he would come on a Friday and return on a Monday to Poland.”
Earlier this year Bishop Peter Moran of Aberdeen visited Poland to bring priests from Poland to work in his diocese, to help Polish Catholics in Scotland and to support local believers.
Let them Marry.
I was in Warsaw briefly this year. Impressive country and people.
If men want to both marry and be ordained as Priests there are 21 Churches in the Catholic Church that they can select from. The Latin Rite doesn't exist to acquiesce to folks like you.
I'm sure that quite a few are working at Waterford too.
Since Poland is now an EU Member State, free movement of workers across national boundaries is a LEGAL right. I think Poland went through a transitional time when other Member States could restrict immigration. Ireland actually has a shortage of workers now, so they probably opened up early to the Poles.
The Poles should fit in well. Like the Irish, they have a Catholic heritage/culture, and both nations have had their share of "troubles."
Yeah, I thought Cunningham's comment was utterly arrogant as well. Celibacy, although a long standing tradition in the Latin rite, is not doctrinal-just a discipline. The possible allowance of marriage for clergy (before ordination to the diaconate) should be up for discussion.
The Church DOES allow married priests. Just not in the Latin rite. The Eastern rites all allow married men to be ordained. There are some married men in the Latin rite, who converted from Anglicanism. I don't know how well it's working. But there are 22 rites within the Catholic Church, and only one of them requires celibacy.
Polish priests? Why not! A certain priest by the name of Karol Wojtyla did a good job!! :)
What an ignorant thing to say.
Obviously, you do not know the Catholic Church and Her teachings.
Have a Blessed Easter...
Like I said, You do not know the teachings of the Catholic Church.
You were poorly Catechized. While married men were ordained, once ordained, single men could not marry. Those who were married were expected to adopt, with the concurrence of their spouse, the discipline of lex continentiae, total continence, within said marriage prior to ordination. No agreement, no ordination. Reference Canons XXVII and XXXIII of the Council of Elvira for the first conciliar legislation, which codified the long standing norm, and Canon III of the Second Council of Carthage, which specifically stated:
"ut quod apostoli docuerunt, et ipsa servavit antiquitas nos quoque custodiamus"
21 of the 22 Churches sui juris which comprise the Catholic Church will ordain, as a norm, married men. All 21 are experiencing a clergy shortage. The "let them marry" and there won't be a shortage mantra of the ill-informed is specious at best.
The old argument that the discipline of celibacy is an early second millenium invention is false and has been refuted on numerous occasions with historical documents. Read Cochinis' "The Apostolic Origins of Priestly Celibacy" for starters. I'll bet you've never read any of that material, have you?
By the way, the norm of ordaining married men, as well as a salary of ~$60K, hasn't prevented the Orthodox Church from experiencing a clergy shortage. Protestant denominations, where there is no celibacy requirement, have shortages as well.
I'm very proud of my Catholic upbringing,
Good for you.
please do not attack me and "folks like me" if you are in disagreement.
You weren't attacked. In the future if you're going to discuss a topic you know little about, learn to accept constructive criticism.
Six Rites, 22 Churches.
Here's some more "arrogance" for you drama queens along with a few facts. 21 of the 22 Churches sui juris which comprise the Catholic Church will ordain, as a norm, married men. All 21 have a clergy shortage. The discipline of celibacy in the Latin Rite has been discussed extensively throughout the history of the Church and despite the ill-informed opinions of some, it remains the norm.
Lots of great Poles settled in the USA. They make good citizens.
I agree - them and the Czechs are good workers.
The last two priest assigned to our parish were born in Poland. English was better than average but you had to pay attention. There are about a half dozen Polish priest in our Disocese.
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