The Christmas Season ended last Sunday, and we have entered Ordinary Time, moving slowly from winter to spring. The season of Lent begins on the first day of March: between now and then, we learn a little more each Sunday about the life and techings of Jesus.
Today is World Day of Migrants and Refugees, which this year focuses especially on children who migrate, vulnerable and voiceless.
RTE is carrying a report that the Irish bishops’ conference failed to reach consensus on proposals by the Bishop of Kilmore, Leo O’Reilly, to allow priests who left ministry to get married to return to priestly work and to consider lifting the bans on ordaining married men and female deacons.
Bishop O Reilly is to be commended for actually listening to the outcome of a ‘listening process” he started with the people of Kilmore diocese.
An interesting report by Sandro Magister is being carried at Settimo Cielo, that ‘Liturgiam authenticam’ is to be revisited by Pope Francis. ‘Liturgiam authenticam’ was the criteria for the translation of liturgical texts from Latin into modern languages which led to the “new missal” with its beauties like ‘prevenient grace’, ‘consubstantial’, and had us praying for ‘the resolve to run forth to meet your Christ with righteous deeds’ at the start of Advent.
The Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests (ARCWP) has produced the first edition of their new newsletter, ‘Leading’.
Mary Bergan Blanchard , editor, says that the newsletter “discusses who we are, why we’re here, and what we do…..
We are a prophetic movement. Organized religion needs to be reorganized. Millions of Catholics have given up their faith in disgust. If we do not regenerate the interest in the simplicity of Christ’s message, who will? It is buried in over 1,750 man-made Canon Laws. Women and all their contributions have been ignored for nearly two thousand years. Enough!………………… We are trying our best to inform all curious people exactly what we are about.”
Brendan Hoban, in the Western People, questions why Irish bishops when faced with the dramatically reducing number of priests in the Irish church ‘are not good at maths. It takes them a long time to get their heads around something and then when they do the sums they seem to lose their nerve and back away from the obvious answer.’
Reports suggest the Brazilian bishops are asking Francis to allow married priests to resume their priestly ministry. ‘So shouldn’t we be doing something about it, now? Couldn’t our bishops do what the Brazilian bishops are doing?’.
Brian Fahy has been doing some very early spring cleaning and unearthed some notes made in the past that are still very relevant today.
This feast of the Baptism of the Lord marks the last day of Christmas. At his baptism Jesus sees how much he is loved by God and is given the power to go out and spread the news. We share that power through our baptism.
On this feast of the Epiphany we celebrate the revelation of who Christ is. The visit of the wise men reminds us that Jesus came as the Saviour of all nations, including ours. We worship God who wants all people to be saved.
Tony Flannery, on his own web-site, announced his decision to say a Public Mass in Killimordaly Community Centre on Sunday, 22 January, at 2.30pm to mark the occasion of his 70th birthday.
Brendan Hoban, in his weekly Western People column, ruminates on the passing of 2016 and what 2017 might hold for us.
Brian Fahy, reflecting on his own life experiences, warns against the presumption that we’re always doing good merely because we think we are ‘working for God’.
‘People in the church presume that what they do is always good since they are working for God. They do not think to question many of the practices they perform precisely for this reason. They do not ever think that they might be mistaken.’
Continuing press coverage of our AGM – care of priests, increasing workload, risk of depression and suicide, need for change of rules.
Apology. Site off line from 31 December until 03 January 2017.
Happy New Year! On this first day of the Year of Our Lord 2017, we acclaim Mary as Mother of God and ask her to mind us and those we love during this new year. Today is also World Peace Day, a day during which we pray for peace.
It used to be said that once one became an Irish bishop the new bishop would never have a bad dinner and never again hear the truth.
Going on comments made by Leonardo Boff it would seem that some in the Vatican are trying to ensure the second half of that theory becomes reality for the bishop of Rome by controlling what mail gets through to Pope Francis. “The pope told Boff not to send the materials directly to him, however, because Vatican underlings would grab it and it wouldn’t get to him. He advised Boff to send the materials to the Argentinian ambassador.”
Praytellblog carried a report of an interview with Leonardo Boff that appeared on Christmas Day in the Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger, Cologne.
‘Asked about the lack of concrete church reforms under Pope Francis, Boff maintains that “Pope Francis is more interested in the survival of humanity and the future of the earth than he is in the church and its inner workings. He wants above all that Christianity make a contribution to these overarching problems”. ‘
Opening Comment We celebrate today an amazing mystery — God is born in time. The eternal God has taken human flesh, has pitched his tent in the midst of humanity….
In the dark of this winter night, we proclaim the new light that has shone on the world: Jesus Christ is born! With the angels, we worship God who saves us — for through the life, death and resurrection of this child Jesus, salvation is ours.
A peaceful Christmas to all
Statement by ‘We are Church, Ireland’ in response to Pope Francis’ address to the curia.
When An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, visited Pope Francis recently he agreed to take a message from Tony Flannery to the Pope.
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