Brendan Hoban in his Western People column takes a look at the debate on abortion and how current opinion polls are indicating outcomes to the ongoing discussions and disagreements in society. But, as he says, ‘ who knows how extremists on both sides of the debate will eventually, by campaigning not wisely but too well, alienate their own ‘supporters’, as they are prone to do.
In any event, I suspect we have a long way to go.”
Marco Politi will speak in the Loyola Institute, Trinity College, on Tuesday 18th October at 6.30 pm.
SONGS THIS SUNDAY (Suggestions) ‘Be Thou My Vision’; ‘Ag Críost an Síol’; ‘’O The Love of My Lord’; ‘Go Tell Everyone’. Opening Comment If you want results, pray without ceasing,…
Oct 2016 Yesterday a man I know was appointed to the most exclusive clerical club in the world. He was made a cardinal of the Catholic Church by Pope Francis….
Songs this Sunday (Suggestions) Holy God, We Praise Thy Name; Glory and Praise to our God; Ag Críost an Síol; Now Thank We All Our God Opening Comment The Gospel…
BEYOND REDEMPTION? A WOULD YOU BELIEVE? SPECIAL Involving Dr Marie Keenan, Forensic Psychotherapist, UCD Would you believe. 20 October. 10.15 pm They are people we know. They live in our…
Nobody died. Apart from a few dreams. But Mayo people are good at resurrecting our dreams, almost at will. We’re used to it. Tread softly, Yeats wrote, for you tread…
Fr Sean McDonagh, a member of the leadership team of the ACP, recently met with Pope Francis.
Maybe the nuncio to Ireland and Irish bishops might do likewise on a regular basis.
The Church is a People – not an aristocracy or an audience Historical and theological literature shows us that socio-economic dynamics have had a huge impact on the evolution of…
SONGS FOR TODAY’S MASS The Lord’s My Shepherd; Ag Chríost an Síol; Eagles Wings; Holy God We Praise Thy Name. Opening Comment The Spirit of God lives in us, inspiring…
How bishops are appointed remains a very topical item of interest. That the system of choosing bishops remains problematic and a cause of concern cannot be ignored.
Robert Mickens, writing in the National Catholic Reporter, gives his observations on the process in the light of remarks made by Pope Francis to newly appointed bishops.
“Francis says he wants to promote a healthy decentralization of the church. And it is hard to think of anything that currently is more centralized that Rome’s appointment of bishops around the world.”
“If Francis is right and the holy people of God really do have a “scent” — or God’s “nose” — for what is right and good in a bishop, then we must find a way to include them more fully in the selection process.”
Seán McDonagh, SSC reports on a Joint Consultation on ‘Laudato Si’ and the Path to ‘COP 22’ organised by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace and the Pontifical Academy of the Sciences.
He quotes Prof. Ramanathan Veerabhadran as saying “the effect of greenhouse gases on global warming is the most important environmental issue facing the world today.”
“At the end of the meeting the group released this document in preparation for the COP 22 which will take place in Marraakesh from November 7 to 18th 2016.
“ The Paris Climate Agreement is historic. For the first time since the signing of the 1992 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), all countries have agreed to act in order to protect the planet. The core goals include: (1) keeping warming to “well below 2-degrees C” and “to pursue efforts to keep below 1.5-degree C”; (2) enabling countries to adapt to the adverse impacts already underway; and (3) ensuring the flow of fair and equitable financing to achieve the climate goals.”
The Association of Catholics in Ireland is hosting two events featuring Marco Politi, well known author and commentator on Vatican affairs.
Marco will speak in the Chapel in Trinity College, Dublin, on Saturday 15 October 2016 at 4.00 pm.and in Carlow College, St. Patrick’s, on Monday 17 October 2016 at 7.45 pm.
We carry an extract from an exchange between Justice McClellan, Chief Commissioner Australian Royal Commission on Sex abuse of children, and retired Bishop of Parramatta, Bede Heather.
This exchange shows the dangers of bishops being disconnected from society and living at a remove from the lives of the people they minister to. Would they be elected by their community?
Kevin Hegarty writing recently in the Mayo News about the refusal of the Papal Nuncio to meet the ACP touched on the Nuncio’s role in ‘creating’ bishops and its implications for the future of church in Ireland.
Since 1990, 52 priests have been killed, according to a report by Mexico’s Catholic Multimedia Centre.
Harry Farley writes in Christian Today about the recent murders of three priests in Mexico and quotes Roberto Blancharte, a scholar at the Colegio de Mexico, as saying that “there was a deep divide between the Church’s hierarchy who tend to live in luxury and mix with corrupt politicians, and its clergy, who rub shoulders with the country’s poorest”
Farley says ‘The belief church leaders have cowed to pressure is widespread among parishes and the silence over murdered priests only fuels this perception. “When a priest gets killed, it should be a rallying cry,” said David Shirk, director of the Justice in Mexico Project at the University of San Diego is quoted . “We should know his name. He should be a martyr.”
SONGS FOR TODAY’S MASS Lord of all Hopefulness; Ag Críost an Síol; O The Love of My Lord; Praise My Soul the King of Heaven. Opening Comment Today’s readings remind…
Seamus Ahearne sees hope in the world and people about him, in the 40th anniversary celebration of priesthood, in each person’s ‘magnificat’.
“magnificat?’
Mary (Our lady) thanked God – by saying ‘He that is mighty has done great things for me; holy is his name.’
Seamus challenges us; “(we) are searching for words and whispers of God always. And God is always talking and always letting us know something new if we listen. It is an exciting life; a frustrating life and an infuriating life but wonderful, which means of course full of wonder. God is forever a teasing, taunting, torment. Is there a better life? Is there a more fulfilling life? For some of us – it is the right one. Why has God been so good to you and to us? Give us your magnficat. Don’t give us a weary God or shout about problems. There is always more.”
Noel Baker reports in the Irish Examiner on the The Irish Examiner / ICMSA Farming Poll that brought to light the latest views and opinions on religion and the priesthood among the farming community.
Taken among what is regarded as a very traditional group (69% of the respondents said they attended Mass every week), 82% of respondents agreed that priests should be allowed to marry.
Regarding the ordination of women 70% of those aged 34 and under supported such a move, but a higher percentage of older farmers backed the idea of women priests, from 75% of those aged over 65, to 87% of those aged 55 to 64. While 82% of men supported the idea of women priests, 76% of women were in favour.
Sean McDonagh commented “The most interesting thing is here are lay people and people of faith seeing that the present rules are not functioning and want to see a change to allow it to function better,”
The survey certainly shows a hierarchy with views at total odds with the laity.
Archbishop Brown, Papal Nuncio, said “allowing serving priests to marry or allowing women priests would not be following the Catholic tradition.”
Following the release of ‘The ethics of using contraceptives’ by the Wijngaards Institute another group of academics has released their own statement affirming Humanae Vitae during a press conference at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.
Dialogue and debate can only be good and informative.
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