Submissions for the Synod
Summary of AUSCP survey Survey release AUSCP
Report from the Association of Catholics in Ireland ACI REPORT DRAFT 4
Summary of AUSCP survey Survey release AUSCP
Report from the Association of Catholics in Ireland ACI REPORT DRAFT 4
Mary O. Vallely queries the exclusion of women from the permanent diaconate. She believes the Catholic Church has failed to address the vast untapped resource of women, particularly the religious sisters and single women.
This article is an excellent reflection on the policies of Child Safeguarding currently practiced by the Irish Catholic Church, raising many of the questions that we in the ACP have been concerned with. It is reproduced with permission from The Furrow.
Brendan Hoban identifies the positive features of the new pope, suggesting he might be a new John XXIII — an unexpected appointment, who might surprise us all (first published in the Daily Mail of 14/3/2013).
The National Catholic Reporter has a story about an open letter on the state of the church and priestly ministry in Germany that a group of 11 German priests from the Cologne archdiocese have written urging the church to open the priesthood to both men and women and to make priestly celibacy voluntary.
Meanwhile Archbishop of Armagh, Eamon Martin, writes about his visit to Rome, “No doubt Pope Francis and the other curial officials will be interested to learn how we are facing the current challenges of a decline in Mass attendance in Ireland and in the number of vocations to the priesthood and the religious life.
I, and my fellow bishops, will be able to share with them the resilience of our priests and religious under increased pressure and workload, as well as the tremendous generosity and kindness of the faithful towards us.
We will be able to discuss the seeds of renewal and new growth in catechesis, lay involvement, intentional discipleship and pastoral outreach that are emerging all over the country.
This reflection on the need for love in our Church has been sent to us by a former priest in England, Paul Burns.
Kevin Hegarty speaks of ‘the two kinds of Catholic Churches in Ireland – the parish community where I work and find fulfilment and the institutional Church from which I often feel alienated’ in his address to the AGM on Tuesday 4 October
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There is a longer document (12 pages) of the AUSCP Report at http://www.uscatholicpriests.org/storage/Survey%20Report%20to%20Rome%20final%20040115.pdf.
Is anybody interested in the synod anymore?
Well, Joe the members of the ACI are praying for a “Girardian” society on their site which would make this synod seem less important or unnecessary, I believe.