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John Shea is persistent. He continues to write letters to Rome on the place of women in the Church.
“If our bishops remain unable to address women’s ordination and if our theologians who are informed enough to speak are also unable to address it, then who is able to speak?”

Chris McDonnell in the Catholic Times writes about Eating together, becoming one, a recently published book by Professor Tom O’Loughlin. Tom currently holds the chair of Historical Theology in the University of Nottingham and has recently retired as president of the Catholic Theological Association. In this book he addresses the complex issue of intercommunion amongst Christian churches.
“It is ironic that the very centre of nourishment within the Christian family has become the point of division between us, a matter of confusion rather than an occasion of joy and close companionship.”
“Yet too often we look for differences, we set up restrictive practices and discord takes the place of harmony. The advice from the priest over who may receive at weddings and funerals is but one telling example.”

Jack Jenkins reports in The Washington Post: When the votes rolled in Tuesday night on a proposed amendment to the Kansas state constitution that would remove the explicit right to an abortion,…

Brendan Hoban writes in his Western People column of his hopes for a new style of leadership in the church in Ireland.
“What we need are bishops who are secure enough in their own skin to be able to live with ambivalence and complexity……who have the imagination, the creativity and above all the courage not to keep looking over their shoulders to Rome and to confront – respectfully but robustly – those who want to lead us back to the nineteenth century. “

Patrick Burke is curate in Westport, Co. Mayo and is Pastoral Co-ordinator of Clare Island and Inishturk.
“The Pastoral Councils on both islands are vital to the life of the parish. They meet regularly, I’m only present occasionally. ….. In many ways they are an example of what we are now trying to do on the mainland – lay led ministry.”