In response to the advertised discussion topic of ” Are We Killing Our Priests?” at our upcoming AGM Prof. Thomas O’Loughlin, President of the Catholic Theological Association of Great Britain and Professor of Historical Theology at the University of Nottingham draws our attention to an article he has published about the number of priests that are required in church.
He raises some points well worth considering and his conclusions are challenging;”it is obvious that there has been a serious crisis of under-ordination not just since the mid-twentieth century but since the mid-sixteenth century when as an effect of the Reformation debates the full-time, professionalized, seminary-educated cleric became the norm. Bringing the number of clerics up to quota would initially be a great shock to the churches: the education system of clerics would have to be altered radically, the expectation that this particular ministry would be funded by others Christians (who, incidentally, are expected to offer their ministry to the church usually without payment) would have to be swept aside, along with discriminatory canonical restrictions on who can be appointed presbyter within a given community.”
Brendan Hoban in his Western People column takes another look at the recent regulations issued by the CDF about cremation.
Brendan wonders ‘How is it that Vatican departments, and not least the CDF, get it so exactly wrong so often?’
‘It isn’t just that the rules don’t make sense at almost any level, apart from the arcane reasoning of the CDF, but that the whole debacle, almost anyone can see, is not only excruciatingly embarrassing for the Catholic Church but will damage its reputation, annoy many of its loyal adherents and frustrate priests left to deal with unreasonable and inoperable regulations.’
Pádraig McCarthy alerts us to the possibility of Fr Tom O’laughlin, professor of historical theology at Nottingham University, arranging a one-day workshop for priests on their experience of presiding at celebration of liturgy.
Fr. Tom says that it would be ‘something very specific for priests – a praxis based workshop on the liturgy.’ In his view, the status quo is not an option.
Chris McDonnell in his recent article in the Catholic Times offers his opinion on comments made by Archbishop of Philadelphia, Charles Chaput about the benefits of having a “smaller, lighter Church if her members are also more faithful, more zealous, more missionary and more committed to holiness”.
Chris sees the comments as a backlash by some in the context of the “interesting change taking place in the United States as the conservative nature of the US hierarchy is gradually being eroded by the appointment of bishops more in tune with the openness of Francis.”
He further states that “To advocate a smaller, purer church challenges the very nature of a pilgrim Church, where the open arms of a Christian welcome demands that we offer what we have and accept others who might wish to share the journey.
It all smacks of religious sectionalism that takes no account of the bumps and difficulties that we all experience.”
SONGS THIS SUNDAY (Suggestions): ‘Be Not Afraid’ / ‘Abide with Me’; ‘Ag Criost an Siol’; On Eagles Wings’; ‘How Great Thou Art’. Opening Comment At this time of remembrance, our…
Sean McDonagh tells us of his experience of the celebration of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, in Fiji.
Sean also tells of the terrible air pollution the over exuberant use of fireworks during the festival caused in Delhi.
Any lessons for over enthusiastic thurible swingers?
Press statement from the Chicago conference of International Catholic Priest Movements and Reform Groups.
SONGS AT MASS (Suggestions) ‘Abide with Me’; ‘The Lord Will Heal the Broken Heart’; ‘Grant to Us, O Lord’; ‘How Great Thou Art’. Opening Comment Zacchaeus is the star of…
Anthony Ruff OSB in his Praytell blog gives a round up of reactions to the sweeping changes made by Pope Francis to the Congregation for Divine Worship .
Dare we hope that the new appointees will address the disaster that is the “new translation” of the Roman Missal?
Seamus Ahearne once again challenges us with his musings on the interaction, or lack of interaction, between our faith and modern culture.
“How can a tiring priesthood be pioneers of a new way of sensitising hearts, minds and imaginations? In a world devoted to celebrity culture and to tabloids and to Bake offs and to cheap politics – what hope is there for faith? Brexit and Trump are extremes of the crudity of our culture but they do infect us. Give me poetry. Give me art. Give me music. Give me the privileged half-door into the hearts of people. Give me God. May the colours of autumn stir our souls.”
The CDF has issued new instructions ‘regarding the burial of the deceased and the conservation of the ashes in the case of cremation.’
The text is included for your information.
Are these instructions needed or is the cdf instructing people on an issue they have long since decided for themselves? Will these instructions impinge on how priests interact with bereaved parishioners?
Pope francis urges bishops to be vigilant over who they admit to the seminary as world needs “mature and balanced” clergy according to a report by Christopher Lamb in www.lastampa.it
The report continues ‘Priests must leave their “fortresses” ‘ says Francis and also quotes him as saying ‘the Church should stop reducing Catholicism to a “recipe of rules” while clergy needed to break out of their closed worlds.’
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CHRISTOPHER LAMB
SONGS AT MASS (Suggestions): ‘Be Thou My Vision’; ‘Ag Críost an Síol’; ‘’O The Love of My Lord’; ‘The Lord hears the Cry of the Poor’; ‘Go Tell Everyone’. Opening…
Tony Flannery reports from Chicago on the recent 3rd International Conference of Church Reform Network.
” A wide range of issues were discussed and worked on. The one I myself was most involved with had to do with the need for some type of Declaration of Rights in the Church. We believe that at all levels in the Church there is a lack of accountability in the exercise of authority, and little or no means of appeal or redress. A group, of which I am a member, was set up to work on this over the next year.”
Brendan Hoban in his Western People column takes a look at the debate on abortion and how current opinion polls are indicating outcomes to the ongoing discussions and disagreements in society. But, as he says, ‘ who knows how extremists on both sides of the debate will eventually, by campaigning not wisely but too well, alienate their own ‘supporters’, as they are prone to do.
In any event, I suspect we have a long way to go.”
Marco Politi will speak in the Loyola Institute, Trinity College, on Tuesday 18th October at 6.30 pm.
SONGS THIS SUNDAY (Suggestions) ‘Be Thou My Vision’; ‘Ag Críost an Síol’; ‘’O The Love of My Lord’; ‘Go Tell Everyone’. Opening Comment If you want results, pray without ceasing,…
Oct 2016 Yesterday a man I know was appointed to the most exclusive clerical club in the world. He was made a cardinal of the Catholic Church by Pope Francis….
Songs this Sunday (Suggestions) Holy God, We Praise Thy Name; Glory and Praise to our God; Ag Críost an Síol; Now Thank We All Our God Opening Comment The Gospel…
BEYOND REDEMPTION? A WOULD YOU BELIEVE? SPECIAL Involving Dr Marie Keenan, Forensic Psychotherapist, UCD Would you believe. 20 October. 10.15 pm They are people we know. They live in our…
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