Four parishes in west Cork are to lose their resident priest.
The parishes of Kilmeen, Kilmicheal, Murragh and Temple Martin will lose their resident priest under new plans to have parishes work in groupings, while Tracton Abbey will also lose its priest.
Under the new plans a minimum of three and a maximum of six parishes will be grouped together.
At meetings held by Bishop Fintan Gavin, priests heard that the Cork and Ross Diocese will lose 14 priests this year, and that a lack of new vocations is having a huge impact.
The diocese had 160 priests in 1996, with that number falling to 69 by 2019, with two thirds of priests over the age of 65.
