Mark de Vries in his blog ‘In Caelo et in Terra’ comments on and provides a translation of the third commentary of the German language bishops’ group at the Synod.
Perhaps we can all learn from the German speaking bishops when they ask for forgiveness;
“Here, a confession was important to us: wrongly understood efforts to uphold the Church’s teachings time and again led to hard and merciless attitudes, which hurt people, especially single mothers and children born out of wedlock, people living together before or in place of marriage, homosexually oriented people and divorced and remarried people. As bishops of our Church we ask these people for forgiveness.”
Tony Flannery thinks we should accept Pope Francis’ invitation to discuss openly and honestly issues in the church.
Francis said recently’ The path ahead, then, is dialogue among yourselves, dialogue in your presbyterates, dialogue with lay persons, dialogue with families, dialogue with society.I cannot ever tire of encouraging you to dialogue fearlessly.’
Tony feels it is time there was an open dialogue about the issue of ordination for women.
Christopher Lamb writing in The Tablet blog reports that Cardinal Mark gave a basic theology lesson to some at the synod.
Cardinal Reinhard Marx said “doctrine and theology are not the same” adding that “many people talk about doctrine but they have no idea what it is.”
“Doctrine, he explained, is the tradition of the Church which is “not a closed shop, it is a living tradition” while doctrine needs to be lived rather than read in a book.”
Notice of an Association of Catholics in Ireland presentation with Fr. Gerry O Hanlon and Alice Leahy in All Hallows on Saturday 14 November at 2.00 p.m..
Jesuit Thomas Reese writes a fairly gloomy report in NCR on the possible outcome of the synod.
“The bishops are currently trapped in the old theology they learned in the seminary. They are afraid of new ideas and are not consulting with theological experts who could show them other options. As a result, it is unlikely that new pastoral approaches will be coming forth from this synod.”
“Never in my lifetime have I heard of bishops and cardinals being so disrespectful of a pope, challenging his organization of this synod, even a few referring to him as a Protestant and threatening a fractured church if he goes against their wishes.”
Gerard Moloney writing in his own blog places a challenge before us; are we as welcoming as we should be in church?
“If any word summed up the attitude and ministry of the historical Jesus, it was compassion. All were welcome round his table. He used a ministry of inclusion to encourage people to be their best selves.”
“Yet it’s clear too that not every Catholic feels welcome in the church, and that not all Catholics are welcoming, or accommodating, of each other.”
Anthony Ruff OSB writing in his blog www.praytellblog.com asks ‘what to do when your church changes on you’. He bases his comments on a presentation by Barry Hudock at St. John’s University and uses the case of Fr. Joseph Fenton as an example.
Perhaps a pertinent question in the light of the Synod’s discussions?
Brendan Hoban in his Western People column argues that dissident Cardinals and bishops do the Church some service, however unintentionally.
This year’s Mission Sunday theme is summed up in two words: ‘Abundant Life’. This theme brings to mind the scope of the mission of Christians, which is to give something to eat, somewhere to sleep and something to believe in to those without.
Jonathan Luxmoore reports in The Tablet on an initiative by the German bishops to promote women to positions of leadership.
Our Irish football team may have beaten Germany recently but the German bishops seem to be in a commanding lead over ours when it comes to recognising the realities of life in the 21st century and acting on them; this latest development following on from their refusal to accept a poor translation of liturgical texts from Vatican officials and the comments coming from the German speaking group at the synod.
Joshua J. McElwee, NCR Vatican correspondent, reports on the German language group report from the Synod.
The group, which includes Cardinals Walter Kasper and Gerhard Muller, says in their report “The mercy of God reveals to us in this way the reason and the entire purpose of the work of salvation. The justice of God is His mercy, with which He justifies us.”
Joshua J. McElwee says that as a consequence of this understanding of salvation, the German speaking group write, “there cannot be one universal principle that accounts for all particular situations.”
John O Connnell offers his thoughts on an article written years ago by Kevin McNamara (while Kevin McNamara was still a professor in Maynooth).
John suggests that it might help bridge the gap between the people who favour change and those who are against any kind of significant change.
To look at the interests and reasons behind the formulation of rules and laws can be far more productive than a narrow focus on blind obedience.
Brendan Hoban in his weekly column in the Western People writes of a fragmented church in Ireland.
“The plain, simple and difficult truth is that the Catholic Church is very divided.”
“Pope Francis is trying to keep all sides going. And that’s what he has to do because, whatever camp we might place ourselves in, we’re all Catholics – albeit with different attitudes and perspectives “
We carry two reports about the Synod on the Family.
Gerard O’Connell in America Magazine gives an account of the first week and the reports of various language groups.
‘The first week revealed not only the ethnic but also the theological and cultural diversity of the synod fathers, which French language group “A” described as “a unique experience of Catholicity.” ‘
In the second article Sandro Magister, comments in www.chiesa.it on a letter reputed to have been sent to Pope Francis from 13 Cardinals who are said to be a little disgruntled by proceedings at the Synod.
One of their objections is that members of a committee to draft a final document at the Synod “have been appointed, not elected, without consultation.” Interesting they think people should be elected, not appointed, to important positions and that there should be consultation!!
On our journey through life, we pause today for a while, offering God worship and praise. We remember the divine goodness and ask for the gift of wisdom as we continue to hurry towards the Kingdom.
Joshua J. McElwee reports in the NCR about the latest happenings at the synod in Rome.
http://ncronline.org/news/vatican/synod-bishops-express-confusion-group-reports-cardinal-calls-it-healthy
Gerard Moloney gives his vision of church in his own blog
https://gerardmoloney.wordpress.com/author/gerardmoloney/
Gerard says it exists for many but we need those in authority to institute changes that will make it all real and give us a church that is fit for purpose.
Carol Glatz, Catholic News Service, reporting in www.cruznow.com writes about the call made by a Canadian bishop for women deacons.
The issue of the role of women in our church is not going away, and won’t, no matter how many attempts are made to suppress and close down dialogue and debate.
St. John Paul II called for “no more degradation of women” in the world in “Familiaris Consortio”, 1981.
But there is a credibility issue for us with huge numbers of people, in making such calls, when women are still excluded from ordained ministry and from real decision making roles.
Ordaining women as deacons would be seen by many as a very tentative first step in righting a wrong.
Brendan Hoban writing in his weekly Western People column worries about the type of church some church leaders are pushing on the faithful.
“What’s emerging is almost a church within a church where visions, novenas and relics skirt the edges of superstition, where questionable piosities are lauded and intellectual rigour is suspect, where asking a question is tantamount to betrayal, where pleasure is distrusted and sexual pleasure anathema, where Catholicism takes on an Amish-like appearance and where a series of ‘Catholic’ newspapers encourage a return to the severity, rigidity and judgementalism of the past.’
Chris McDonnell wonders which voice will be heard in the Synod. Those that haven’t been included in the past need to be; “we are now in the early days of the Synod, considering the statements that arose from discussions a year ago, the question of women’s place in the Church cannot be set aside.”
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