Demands on a parish priest are enormous, and fly in from all directions, so the need for well-trained and committed volunteers, who are not there simply to ‘help Father’, is greater than it has ever been 

Imagine a juggler. If he is fairly competent, he can juggle three balls easily. He can complete other tasks at the same time – talking, smiling, singing, maybe even, if he is a super-juggler, riding a unicycle. Another ball is thrown at random; sometimes he can incorporate it, sometimes not.

Juggling is the story of a priest in a parish. Three or four things happen most days, often simultaneously: daily Mass is celebrated, people are sick and need pastoral care, meetings are planned and schools look for attention. Add the callers at the door or on the phone, who often demand instant answers at inopportune moments. Then the juggler receives another ball – a missive from the bishop’s office, an unexpected child-safeguarding issue, or a funeral suddenly arranged to coincide or even clash with another liturgy scheduled for the same church on the same day. These random other balls can be incorporated – or can ruin the whole day or month.

This is my life. Parish ministry is wonderful, as long as you are fairly resilient. It is full of surprises, with endless variety. On my first Saturday in a suburban parish in Cork after I was ordained in 1984, I celebrated a baptism, presided over the reception of remains, heard confessions, led a Vigil Mass and gave Benediction after a “holy half-hour”.