Author: Mattie Long

Reflecting on his life’s experiences Brian Fahy reminds us how so many people who were strong and experienced in so many theatres of life were reduced to silence simply by the fact that the Church loomed too large in its authority.
“Let us encourage one another to speak and say how we feel and not allow the often, unconscious forces of power to suppress or stifle the truth that needs to be said and heard.”

We marvel that in Ireland the sun still shines after a couple of weeks of summer weather and Seamus Ahearne gets in the humour to write.
“The sun shines. Faces smile. Hearts are lifted.  There is warmth in the air. There is chatter in the companionship of life. We feel better. We walk with a spring in our steps. The world around us is a revelation of mystery …………. In the dull days of faith, we need to catch the beauty and brightness of God among us. Faith cannot be fearful. God cannot be dour.”

The National Catholic Reporter has a story on the annual assembly of the Association of U.S. Catholic Priests (AUSCP). It says the conference “heard calls for the church to focus on young Catholics, embrace the pastoral theology of Pope Francis, and affirm the Second Vatican Council’s theological spadework.
In both his opening evening welcome and homily during the June 27 Mass, Archbishop John Wester of Santa Fe, New Mexico, lauded the group, calling it ‘a wonderfully powerful and necessary voice’ and ‘voice of hope and joy.’ “

Updated with a tribute by Brendan Hoban and with a tribute broadcast on Mid West Radio’s Faith Alive Programme by Monica Morley and Brendan Hoban.

It was with great sadness that we learned of the sudden death on Monday 25 June of our colleague Patrick Burke, priest of Tuam Archdiocese and curate in Westport Parish and Pastoral Co-ordinator of Clare Island and Inishturk.

San Diego Bishop Robert McElroy delivered an important speech at the 2018 assembly of the Association of U.S. Catholic Priests meeting in Albuquerque June 25-28, 2018. l

Chris McDonnell , writing in the Catholic Times, Friday June 22  says that when it comes to the issue of the ordination of women “Just to say ‘it can’t happen’is not good enough, the position requires greater justification than that.”

Seamus Ahearne posts a mid-summer reflection. Among other issues he wonders if “When people look backwards and dump the blame for everything on the past – they simply are avoiding the responsibility of what is facing them at the moment……. It is so much easier to be apologetic about the past than it is to look at today.”
He worries for Pope Francis “Why wouldn’t people leave him alone to get on with his business in Rome? We need him so badly and yet we waste his energy and time.”
But this mid-summer Seamus tells us. “We can stand back and let all this seriousness and pomposity of life be smiled at.”

Brian Fahy’s reflection on the ‘Our Father’ tells us “Babbling in God’s direction is not connection, and babbling in the direction of others is not kind conversation. Our media world is full of our babbling, noise and fury signifying nothing very much.”
Perhaps all bloggers, tweeters, etc. should pay heed!

Tony Flannery gives his impressions of the International Church Reform Conference that took place over five days last week in Pezinok, Slovakia.
“The variety of people was one of the striking factors, – from Estonia, Korea, Russia, Bulgaria, India, Argentina, Australia, and many other places, – fifteen countries in all. So it was a rich experience, being with such people over five days.”

Press Release of the “International Catholic Reform Network” (ICRN) June 16, 2018

Many thanks to Michael A. McGinn.
Best wishes to all members who are celebrating significant anniversaries.

The Association of Catholics in Ireland (ACI) has issued a comprehensive report on the proceedings of their conference Future Families: Challenges for Faith and Society, held in anticipation of the World Meeting of Families 2018 planned for Dublin in August.
ACI challenges the WMOF to reflect the realities of family life today.

Brendan Hoban, writing in the Western People, looks at the continuing fall out from the recent referendum on the eighth amendment and expresses concern at a ‘moral triumphalism and political totalitarianism (that) has no place in public discourse.’
….
“if this is the new Ireland then God help those who disagree with the emerging consensus. It won’t hold a candle to the control and oppressiveness of the Catholic past, and that’s saying something.”

Pádraig McCarthy draws our attention to the preparatory document: “Amazonia: New Paths for the Church and for an Integral Ecology” of the Synod of Bishops for the Special Assembly for the Pan-Amazon Region.

Brian Fahy offers a reflection for the Feast of the Sacred Heart.
“That statue [of the Sacred Heart] represents the human form of the Lord and it is in his body that he came to bring God’s love home to me. That body enjoyed the warmth of this world and endured its bitter cold.”

We Are Church Ireland  launched a petition calling on Pope Francis to change Vatican theological language that is gravely insulting to LGBTQI people.

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.”