A POLISH cardinal has lowered the retirement age in his archdiocese from 75 - prescribed by canon law - to 70 for the 1,160 priests working there in an effort to bring younger clergy into senior positions, writes Jonathan Luxmoore.

"There have been signs of stagnation in our parishes with young curates wanting to realise themselves," said Fr Robert Neczek, spokesman for the southern Krakow Archdiocese. He said that some elderly priests would be kept on, and those retiring would be able to stay in their parishes, taking Masses and confessions.

The move, which is to take effect in 2009, was welcomed by a local theologian, Malgorzata Duda from Krakow's Papal Theology Academy, who said younger priests could cope better with contemporary challenges.

Calls for younger clergy, and laity, to be given more responsibility in the Polish Church have grown after the "outing" of priests who acted as informers for the Communist-era secret police. However, a 74-year-old former bishops' conference secretary-general, Bishop Tadeusz Pieronek, said he feared "well-deserving priests" could be forced out by the reform.