DEAR EDITOR:

Recently the pastor of our Roman Catholic parish in Boardman, St. Catherine of Siena, resigned. The word was that the parish responsibilities overwhelmed him. It is easy to understand how that might be.

It wasn’t long ago that three priests were assigned to handle the parish duties for St. Charles as well as the neighboring parish St. Luke, which was also his assignment. I don’t think his case is an exception. I believe many priests today who are well-meaning and dedicated are faced with much stress, the feeling of being overwhelmed and burned out by the responsibilities they face managing several parishes.

Parishioners are disheartened too by the fact that a holy day of obligation offers only one or two Masses to attend for the whole parish. During the week only two or three Masses are offered when there used to be two a day. Sunday masses have decreased to three from five previously. We can’t overload our priests any more or we will lose more to the stress they face.

The answer is not praying for more celibate priests. That isn’t working. It is to allow married people and women to become priests.

JACK BANKS

Poland