WelCom November 2023
Church leaders in Ireland are hopeful more parishioners will step up and preside at funerals to ease the burden on overworked priests, with two dioceses already commissioning laypeople to take charge where there is no priest. More than 70 new lay leaders in Clogher and Down and Connor dioceses are undertaking training to preside over funerals. In the coming months, the leaders will be commissioned and begin their work in parishes across the two dioceses. Bishops have pledged their support to laity and parishes to develop ‘new ways’ of preparing for and celebrating funerals.