The Bishop of Killaloe, Most Rev Willie Walsh, has said he is "very encouraged" by a survey of the diocese on people's attitudes to priests and the Catholic Church there.
"Even people who may be disappointed or even angry with the Church or bishops can still have a high regard for and trust in their local priest and the local Church community," he said.
The survey found that 95.8 per cent of respondents believed priests in their parishes were doing a good job. At 68.9 per cent Mass was the service most required of priests, followed by Communion (56.8 per cent), funerals (47.8 per cent), marriages (34.4 per cent), and baptism (32.9 per cent).
However, almost half (48.4 per cent) of respondents considered the survival of the Catholic faith in the diocese to be under threat. The indifference of young people was felt to be the main source of this threat at 34.8 per cent, while 26.5 per cent saw scandals/bad publicity as the main threat. Less than 9.7 per cent saw a decrease in the number of priests as a threat. Scandals were identified by 41.9 per cent as a main reason for the decline in vocations, with celibacy identified by 24 per cent. Of the respondents 96.6 per cent described themselves as practising Catholics, with 61.6 per cent saying they were "regular" Mass-goers. Some 23½ per cent were "occasional" Mass-goers, and 11.4 per cent described themselves as "rare" Mass-goers.
However, when looked at along age lines, it is clear Mass attendance is greater among over 40-year-olds in Killaloe. Some 74 per cent of those who described themselves as "regular Mass-goers" were over 40, with 42.3 per cent under 40. Similarly, twice as many of those engaged in parish activity are over 40.
Parents were identified by 78.3 per cent of children of respondents as their main influence when it came to faith/belief. Next were teachers, at 14.1 per cent. Priests were rated as the most important by just 2.7 per cent.
The survey was conducted towards the end of last year by Shannon Showcase, a research and marketing company.
It involved 938 Catholics being interviewed face-to-face or by telephone. The survey was commissioned by the diocese to help it draw up a vocations strategy.
