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Brendan Hoban: Ten reasons why Francis became my hero
March 17 2023
Sean O'Conaill
“Back then everything was covered up.” This is Pope Francis, as reported in the Argentinian news outlet La Nacion, commenting on recent reports from Poland that in his time as Archbishop of Kracow (1964-78), St Pope John Paul II had covered up instances of clerical sexual abuse of children. Pope Francis reportedly insisted that whatever his predecessor had done must be “interpreted with the hermeneutics of the respective time.” But whose 'hermeneutics' of the time - those of typical churchmen of the time - irrespective of the likely 'hermeneutics' (i.e. the interpretive perspective) of the victims of abuse and their families? Asked recently on an ACI Zoom event about the impact of secrecy re abuse on families, Archbishop Eamon Martin referred to 'sin in the hearts of people in the church, including leaders in the church, that blinded them to the suffering of the most innocent (which) is still in need of healing'. This is a far more promising approach to the 'reckoning' on the abuse issue called for by the Irish national synodal synthesis published in August 2022: to admit frankly that a past administrative 'hermeneutic', however widely shared, could be blinkered and even sinful. It would be a huge tragedy if the ongoing universal synod were to culminate in a defence of the hermeneutic that justified the cover up - especially when it is remembered that this cover up and hermeneutic ended only when affected families brought their stories to secular courts and media, beginning in Louisiana, USA in 1984. We need to get our heads around the conundrum that a past pope justly seen as heroic in Poland's terrifying struggle for freedom under soviet oppression was also and at the same time applying an unjust 'hermeneutic' re clerical abuse that was, under very different skies, about to be disgraced - to the everlasting benefit of Catholic children, families and the church. Let's hope that the bishops meeting in Rome in the autumns of 2023 and 2024 can rise to this.
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Brendan Hoban: Ten reasons why Francis became my hero
March 17 2023
Henry Kelley
Thank you, Fr. Hoban! Your ten paragraphs sum up Pope Francis beautifully, the man and his work. Your words have given me a lift.
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19 Mar 2023 – 4th Sunday of Lent, Year A
March 19 2023
Thara Benedicta
Key Message: Irrespective of what people say, keep following God's will. Homily: "The Lord said to Samuel, 'How long will you grieve over Saul?'": This is like our God questioning us "How long will you grieve over your past?" The past is past. Let us do what is needed for our future. Many times we worry over our past mistakes and wonder what we will do in future. But God has made a big plan for us and is waiting for us to walk through it. If we continue regretting the past then we cannot live our present too. We will continue regretting our present days also in the future. Our Lord Jesus said in John 16:33: "In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." We can pray about everything and worry about nothing. When you are worried, not knowing what to do, say to God, "Lord, I know that you have a better plan for me at this moment, please show me what should be done". Jesus is sincere. He will guide you in some way. God has not created us to live our lives without His support. That is why He has given us the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not living within us to watch whether we are living our life correctly. He is always there to guide us. So why not start living a worry free life? Our problem is not only ours, it is God's also. As God had a next plan - David for Samuel, He will also show us a new path. Cast your care willingly on Lord Jesus and rely on Him. "..the Lord looks on the heart”: When people reject you, be happy, it is the time the Lord notices you. Jesse chose seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. Samuel chose a good looking person in his mind as God's choice. But God rejected all of their choices. For He was looking for a loving heart. In Israel there were people of many skills, scholars, good administrators and so on. But God rejected all of them. He longed to see only a heart longing for Him. The more you are rejected, it is an indication that the Lord has a special assignment for you. Let us pray like David, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me". - Psalm 51. "Live as children of light": Our Lord Jesus is the light and He has told us "You are the light of the world". It means that we need to follow the life of our Lord Jesus. Then our lives will become examples for others. We are called by His name "Christ-ians", so we represent Him on this earth. There was a girl who became Christian in a Christian minority region. She testified, "The first reason which drew me towards our Lord Jesus Christ is the pure life of my Christian friends". If each one of us fully represents Christ, then everyone in the world will be a Christian. “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”: When some people undergo terrific tribulations, many people mark them as "sinners". They say that either that person, or his parents or his great grandparents have sinned, that is why they are undergoing such a huge crisis in their lives. Our Lord Jesus specifically made these incidents to happen and be recorded so that He could invalidate all these remarks. God can never allow a new born baby to carry the sins of his family. That is why Jesus bore all of them on a cross. Then why are the special children born like the blind child in this passage?: Jesus answers, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him". Parents of this blind person were taking care of their special kid, with whatever their hands could do. It resembles the moment in Job's story "God asked the devil, Did you see my son Job? Is there any fault in him?" Likewise looking at every special child or special parent, our good God is asking the devil, "Did you see my child? Even though he is in huge agony, he is still worshipping me? He still fights the fierce battles trusting in me..." Special children fulfill the purpose of their parent's lives. Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not observe the sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?” And they were divided. We read that the Pharisees were finding fault with Jesus since He did not observe the sabbath law. They were blind to God's love. Then they were divided among themselves, because some Pharisees could reason if not from God, who can perform such signs? But all these did not bother our Lord Jesus. He never focussed on pleasing people. He continued doing God's will. "If this man were not from God, he could do nothing": When his parents were afraid and did not testify for Jesus, the blind person testified for him. He was not afraid of testifying for our Lord Jesus though he understood the dire consequences. He argued with the Pharisees so eloquently that the Pharisees did not know how to withstand his arguments. They drove him out. While the blind person could see God's love, the Pharisees were still blind to God's love. "Jesus heard that they had driven him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”: When the blind person was driven out, Jesus came searching for Him and found Him. If we are rejected, our Lord Jesus will search for us and find us. If the world abandons us, Jesus will be with us.
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Press Release: Restore Fr Tony Flannery to Ministry
March 8 2023
Soline Humbert
Thank you Paddy and a happy Saint Patrick's day to you (your own patron saint) too and Liamy and all readers & contributors. I have great grá for Saint Patrick https://rnn.ie/a-feminist-st-patrick/ (the title is the editor's choice not mine!) About Tony Flannery's situation, James Alison had his former novice master who had access to the Pope to speak for him. It would appear that's the key to unlock things...
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Brendan Hoban: Ten reasons why Francis became my hero

Brendan Hoban: Ten reasons why Francis became my hero

19 Mar 2023 – 4th Sunday of Lent, Year A

Press Release: Restore Fr Tony Flannery to Ministry

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