Editorial:  A crossroads for the church and potential in new beginnings

The development of a parish pastoral area to bring together some of the Diocese of Waterford and Lismore's smaller parishes is a new departure, as Bishop of Waterford Alphonsus Cullinan attempts to find a pathway forward with reduced priest numbers and daily mass goers.

The St Carlo Acutis Parish Pastoral Area incorporates the parishes of Ardfinnan, Ballybacon, Grange and Newcastle, Fourmilewater, Touraneena and The Nire, along the Waterford-Tipperary border. 

Each parish will maintain its own parish council and autonomy, but will now work closely in day-to-day administration "to manage and collaborate the upkeep and liturgies of our seven churches".

Last week reporter Darragh Murphy, in a special report for the Waterford News & Star, delved into the challenges being faced by the Diocese, as parishes rely on fewer and fewer priests, and diminishing mass attendance.

There are 45 parishes with 85 churches in the Diocese. While there are an estimated 44,000 Catholic households, it is clear that the vast majority of these are no longer regular mass goers. 

The new pastoral area is an approach to manage the challenge of several churches being ministered to by one parish priest.

Four Parish Pastoral Councils discussed the idea of formally amalgamating all seven churches and four parishes into one named pastoral area.

The naming of the pastoral area after St Carlo Acutis is symbolic in itself, one of the Catholic Church's newest saints, who only died in 2006. 

Known as 'God's influencer', the London-born Italian teenage computer whiz was described as the Catholic church's first millennial saint. He was only 15 when he died and was declared a saint by Pope Leo.

Relics of St Carlo Acutis are permanently available in the Holy Family Church at Ardfinnan.

Bishop Cullinan officially declared the new pastoral area at the Mass of installation of the relics in Ardfinnan on St Carlo’s feast day on October 12.

The roll-out from a practical point of view means that one main parish office now looks after all parish records, finances, and administration.

Fr Michael Toomey is parish priest and administrator of the seven churches.

While the parishes have now been amalgamated, the church names and parish identities remain unaffected.

With church closures feared, this proactive approach should stave off such a need for the time being, although the challenges faced by parishes across the Diocese continue to be of serious concern. 

Meanwhile, The Irish Catholic newspaper this week reported that light may be on the horizon for the much-loved Mount Melleray Abbey in west Waterford. The Abbey closed almost a year ago, in January 2025, with the remaining monks moving to St Joseph's Abbey in Roscrea. In August, the Cistercian community confirmed that they were in discussions with a "like-minded community", who they hoped would bring about a new chapter for Mount Melleray, while honouring its unique heritage. According to the Irish Catholic, local sources now suggest this "like-minded community" to be the Ave Maria University in Florida - with the suggestion that Ave Maria might lease the historic Abbey.

Founded by billionaire Tom Monaghan, of Domino's Pizza, Ave Maria could well be the stimulus that takes Mount Melleray Abbey into the future.