The Bishop of the Algarve states that the appointments of new parish priests in the region, released in July, allowed “to fill some places” that were in need of priests and “to restructure the pastoral care of the city of Faro".
“How I would like all parishes to know the difficulties faced by other sister parishes who only have Mass God knows when”, said D. Manuel Quintas, this Sunday, at the inauguration Mass of the new parish priest of Santa Bárbara and Estoi.
In the intervention released yesterday in the online edition of the diocesan newspaper, «Folha do Domingo», the prelate recalled that there are pastors alone, some elderly, who ensure the pastoral work of an entire council and other octogenarians who are still parish priests.
D. Manuel Quintas showed that the changes covered 32 parishes and referred, in particular, to the city of Faro.
“It is not understood that a city like Faro have 13 Masses on the weekend when there are so many parishes without Mass”, he said, noting that parishioners from other communities have to “make miles” to participate in the Eucharist.
“All this causes suffering to a bishop who cannot reach everyone as he would like”, he pointed out, in the church of Santa Bárbara de Nexe, in front of which there was a demonstration of about 30 people against the change of parish priest.
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