Jimmy Mc Phillips reports on a recent meeting of ACP members in the Diocese of Clogher, which took place shortly after a Clogher priest had to stand down from ministry. The meeting also considered a plan for grouping parishes recently put forward by Bishop Liam
Brendan Hoban introduces his new book, Who Will Break The Bread For Us? Disappearing Priests, which names the bleak reality for the Irish Church and calls for an end to denial.
The A.C.I. (Association of Catholics in Ireland) have published the programme for their meeting on Saturday next in Dublin. Details may be found in the EVENTS section at the top of this page.
Kieran O’Mahony OSA is to present a conference on ‘Homosexuality and the Bible’ in All Hallows College in June. Full details in EVENTS section (see menu on top of this page).
So many Church people today blame ‘materialism’ for the loss of faith: here, Sean O Connaill suggests that materialism is not the problem, but rather covetous or mimetic desire. The fundamental human need that drives surplus material acquisition is a need for something entirely non-material. Homilists are challenged to reflect this in their words.
Seamus Ahearne responds to Eddie Finnegan’s noting that so few priests write on this site. He suggests that in the life of a priest, words are enormously important – written or spoken.
Today is Pentecost Sunday, the 50th day of Easter. We celebrate the completion of the Easter mystery in the coming of the Holy Spirit — and ask for the gift of that same Spirit as we gather today.
Alan Hilliard shares a New York Times profile of the Austrian reform leader Fr Helmut Schüller, published on 22 March 2013. Read the original here
Brendan Hoban reflects on the recent appointments to the Irish Bishops’ Conference and wonders if Rome’s new policy of appointing outsiders in each case will work.
Remembering and celebrating Jesus’ ascension today, we worship the God of timeless glory.
Tony Flannery is looking for help on how to deal with an impersonator on Twitter.
Martin Hayes from Waterfall in Cork laments to lack of real follow-up to the marvellous gathering in the Regency twelve months ago. He also believes that the movement to have two separate associations is part of the problem, and is actually stifling progress.
Next Sunday the Church in Ireland will celebrate the Ascension of Jesus (other countries hold to the tradition of keeping ‘Ascansion Thursday’, as Catholics in Ireland once did). As the Easter season moves to its second climax at Pentecost, we take heed of the Lord’s final words to his disciples and look forward to the fresh coming of the Holy Spirit, renewing the hearts of believers.
Fr Sean McDonagh SSC reflects on the collapse of the garment factory in Bangladesh, and how where we buy our clothes has implications far beyond what we might be aware of.
Linda Hogan reviews Garry Wills’ latest book, ‘Why Priests? A Failed Tradition‘, in which Wills argues that the most honest position on priesthood would be to seek its abolition altogether, given its lack of biblical justification (first published in the Irish Times: read original article here ). Wills’ target is not the 400,000 individual priests, many of whom, he acknowledges, make a significant contribution to the lives of countless millions worldwide. Rather, his focus is on the institution, which, he argues, has a flimsy biblical heritage and a dubious theological justification and is an impediment to the development of a more egalitarian Christianity.
An update has been received a member of the organising team of the Support Group for Priests and Religious out of Ministry. The ACP Leadership are delighted that this initiative is going well, and we encourage those who read this to spead the word of this group’s existence to any priest you know who is in this situation.
This account was sent in to the website by a woman whose name is with the ACP Leadership Team. They decided not to publish her name, so that the church and the priest would not be easily identified.
The ACP has called on the Irish Bishops’ Conference to meet Ireland’s silenced priests as soon as possible and to then negotiate with the CDF. A motion proposing this was agreed by over 250 priests at a meeting in Athlone, and the motion subsequently signed by over a thousand people on this website.
Robert Dore, the ACP’s solicitor, advises priests to be cautious about undergoing assessments at the request of their bishops. The ACP Leadership thank Mr Dore for this very important advice — and encourage all our members to pass the word around among priest and Religious friends.
We gather to praise God who raised his Son from the dead. We celebrate this victory over sin and death, and pray for enthusiasm as we try to pass on the Good News.
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