Seamus Ahearne offers an early morning seaside meditation for consideration and reflection.
“Why have I been always so thrilled with the liveliness of the world of God around me? Why has it been such a happy place? Why is ‘my church’ so privileged and so astonishing? Twenty years in Finglas today and and still amazed and delighted daily at the revelations of God among us. A very happy God – indeed the God of surprises.”
The Religious Sisters of Charity have decided to end their involvement in Saint Vincent’s Healthcare Group and to have no further involvement in the New National Maternity Hospital.
In the light of the discussion that has gone on about this subject the statement from the Sisters of Charity is carried here in full.
Gerry O’Hanlon, sj has very kindly given us his speaking notes from his recent talk “Reforming the Catholic Church” in the Jesuit Conference Centre, Milltown
Park,, for ‘We are Church Ireland’.
We celebrate the Ascension of Jesus today. We remember his sending out of the disciples, and his promise to remain with us until the end of time.
Sarah Mac Donald writes in the NCR about recent comments by Bishop Crispian Hollis, the retired bishop of Portsmouth, concerning the ordination of married men to the priesthood which he says “needs to be explored openly within the church in England and Wales at national and diocesan levels.”
With fewer than 40 students in the national seminary at Maynooth it is an issue that is crying out to be explored in Ireland as well.
Liamy McNally is quoted as saying “There is no priest shortage!” ….. “We have many priests, but they are married and so are not allowed to have a public ministry,” ….. “in the early church those with a vocation to priesthood were married, whereas today, those who feel called to priesthood must also have a vocation to celibacy.”
A talk by Gerry O’Hanlon SJ on “Reforming the Catholic Church”
2.00 pm Saturday 27 May 2017
The Arrupe Room
Jesuit Conference Centre Milltown Park.
Chris McDonnell reacts to the tragic events in Manchester
Brendan Hoban writes in the Western People that we should not rely on an appeal to the Constitutional offence of blasphemy to quell the ‘populist rantings of those who have no sense of God (and no feel for the religious quest)’.
Each Sunday in Easter time, we celebrate the gifts we have received in Baptism and Confirmation. We rejoice that the Spirit is our Advocate, who continues to support us in the difficulties of life.
UPDATED –
Regional Meetings on the Wellbeing of Priests.
ACP Members are encouraged to extend an invitation to all priests.
Ardagh & Clonmacnoise, Clogher, Kilmore and Meath; Wednesday 7th June 2.00pm, The Kilmore Hotel, Cavan Town
Clonfert, Galway, Kilmacduagh & Kilfenora: Thursday 15th June 2.00-4.30pm
Sixth Sunday of Easter – Liturgy Preparation
Writing in the Irish Times Mark Patrick Hederman suggests that there is little time left for the Catholic Church in Ireland to adapt to the realities of life as it is now lived before being reduced to a tiny irrelevant minority.
Chris McDonnell, writing in the Catholic Times, pays tribute to Henri Nouwen and finds that one of his metaphors ‘with open hands’ to be ‘very pertinent to our present times. A few days back we saw pictures of Francis at Al Azhar mosque in Cairo where he embraced the mosque’s Grand Imam, Ahmad al-Tayeb, who urged the West not to hold an entire religion “accountable for the crimes of any small group of followers.” That image of greeting between a Christian and a Muslim runs counter to our populist press view of castigation of a whole people through the actions of a few.’
Today’s liturgy puts the life-giving words of Jesus before us. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life, the one in whom we can place all our trust. Because we believe these things, we gather to praise God.
Statement by the Association of Catholic Priests on the Appointment of the new Papal Nuncio to Ireland.
Roy Donovan, a member of the ACP leadership team, will participate in ‘Leap of Faith’, RTE Radio 1, Friday, 12 May at 10.00 p.m.
The ACP Leadership discussed the issues surrounding the National Maternity Hospital at their (quarterly) meeting on 2nd May 2017 and issued the following statement…
As this issue is already being debated on our website comments can be addressed to the article “Catholic Ethos and Other Mysteries”,
Gabriel Daly OSA writes about the current controversy concerning the proposed new National Maternity Hospital.
Gabriel says that for the Church it has been “a testing and uncomfortable time and an opportunity to behave as adult Christians aware that the Second Vatican Council has altered the parameters under which previous disputes of this kind had been fought. Here was an opportunity to step away from triumphalist pronouncements and instead to learn humbly how to listen to others before pronouncing the church’s position on reproductive matters. Modern medicine is highly specialised and difficult to understand by those still moralising under the old essentialist moral categories which were thought to be unchanging and were treated as such. Today we may find that there is a legitimate diversity of views, and thus no univocal doctrinal pronouncement is possible.”
Opening Comment The fourth Sunday of Easter is often called Good Shepherd Sunday, because the readings are about the care we receive from Christ, our true shepherd. Today is also…
The Irish Examiner gives coverage to the wellbeing of priests and in particular to issues of mental health and suicide.
It quotes Roy Donovan as saying that for priests “the issue of depression amongst members of the clergy was certainly one of the main areas of concern” that arose at regional meetings. Roy said that some “are suffering in silence, not knowing where they can turn to for help.”
For your information:
GROW 1890 474 474
PIETA HOUSE 1800 247 247
SAMARITANS 116 123
AWARE 1800 80 48 48
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