Year: 2019

Notice from We are Church Ireland about two upcoming lectures and their AGM

The National Catholic Reporter carries an article about women deacons by Phyllis Zagano that might test, and expand, your knowledge on the subject.
It is a serious issue for our church and needs informed discussion rather than polemical soundbites.

Brendan Hoban, writing in the Western People, comments on the recent decision of Pope Francis not to make a decision about women deacons. “It’s a decision that the Church seems intent on avoiding,” ….
“The key question Francis faces is not whether the Church can afford to ordain women deacons but whether we can afford not to do it.”

A human and honest response to the news of a cancer diagnosis, Dancing to my Death is Daniel O’Leary’s final book.

Chris McDonnell writes in this week’s Catholic Times of how even a single voice can disturb “our comfort zone and there is an unease, almost guilt in consequence. The social disruption created by the preaching of the Nazarene was equally unsettling. ‘Listen, you who have ears to hear’. It was true when the Lord spoke those words and is still true now.”

Seamus Ahearne casts his eyes about on recent happenings.
“May all of us catch the light and begin our song.    May the chorus of life – dawn on us daily.  Let’s sing our song.”

Pope Francis has issued new norms for the universal church outlining how allegations of abuse have to be dealt with.
It has received extensive coverage in Vatican News.

Michael Sean Winters also writes in the National Catholic Reporter of the latest directive of Pope Francis that “establishes new laws for the universal church regarding both the scourge of abuse and the equally abhorrent covering up of such abuse.”
“If you are ordained, or belong to a religious order, you are now a mandatory reporter of abuse. You can’t ignore it.”

Various news outlets are carrying reports about Pope Francis’ comments on women’s diaconate in his airborne press conference while returning from a trip to Bulgaria and North Macedonia. We carry snippets from America Magazine and Vatican News.
“The pope did not tell reporters what steps, if any, would come next on the subject of a women’s diaconate.”

Enda Lyons, a priest of Tuam diocese for over 60 years, died last Thursday.
Brendan Hoban and others paid tribute to him on the weekly Faith Alive programme on Mid West Radio on Sunday. We carry Brendan’s words and a link to the full programme.

Mary T. Malone
How Women founded Christianity and may revive it today
Followed by Q & A
7.30 pm Monday 13 May 2019
Mercy Centre International, 64A Lower Baggot Street, Dublin 2

Please book your free ticket for Mary T. Malone on 13 May 2019 via Eventbrite:  https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/mary-t-malone-how-women-founded-christianity-and-may-revive-it-today-tickets-61030346409

Seamus Ahearne offers some thoughts on recent events.

The immediate aftermath of an event, while memory is fresh, is usually the best time to review how well, or poorly, the event succeeded in achieving what it set out to do?
Brendan Hoban, in his Western People column, raises some pertinent questions parishes could ask of themselves about their celebration of Easter.

Download 1998 Missal Easter Season – Opening Prayer, Prayer over Gifts, Final Prayer [pdf-embedder url=”https://www.associationofcatholicpriests.ie/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Easter-season.pdf” title=”Easter season”]  

Crux Now carries a story about a group of eight celebrities as they traveled a section of the Via Francigena, the ancient pilgrimage route from Canterbury to Rome as part of the BBC2 show Pilgrimage.

Chris McDonnell writing in the Catholic Times reflects on these days of commemoration.