Dissident Cardinals (unwittingly) do the Church some service!
Brendan Hoban in his Western People column argues that dissident Cardinals and bishops do the Church some service, however unintentionally.
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Presider’s Page for 18 October (Mission Sunday)
This year’s Mission Sunday theme is summed up in two words: ‘Abundant Life’. This theme brings to mind the scope of the mission of Christians, which is to give something to eat, somewhere to sleep and something to believe in to those without.
German bishops pledge promotion of women
Jonathan Luxmoore reports in The Tablet on an initiative by the German bishops to promote women to positions of leadership.
Our Irish football team may have beaten Germany recently but the German bishops seem to be in a commanding lead over ours when it comes to recognising the realities of life in the 21st century and acting on them; this latest development following on from their refusal to accept a poor translation of liturgical texts from Vatican officials and the comments coming from the German speaking group at the synod.
Doctrine does Develop
Joshua J. McElwee, NCR Vatican correspondent, reports on the German language group report from the Synod.
The group, which includes Cardinals Walter Kasper and Gerhard Muller, says in their report “The mercy of God reveals to us in this way the reason and the entire purpose of the work of salvation. The justice of God is His mercy, with which He justifies us.”
Joshua J. McElwee says that as a consequence of this understanding of salvation, the German speaking group write, “there cannot be one universal principle that accounts for all particular situations.”
Bridging the Gap
John O Connnell offers his thoughts on an article written years ago by Kevin McNamara (while Kevin McNamara was still a professor in Maynooth).
John suggests that it might help bridge the gap between the people who favour change and those who are against any kind of significant change.
To look at the interests and reasons behind the formulation of rules and laws can be far more productive than a narrow focus on blind obedience.
A church quartered?
Brendan Hoban in his weekly column in the Western People writes of a fragmented church in Ireland.
“The plain, simple and difficult truth is that the Catholic Church is very divided.”
“Pope Francis is trying to keep all sides going. And that’s what he has to do because, whatever camp we might place ourselves in, we’re all Catholics – albeit with different attitudes and perspectives “
Synod on the Family – Please fasten your seat belts
We carry two reports about the Synod on the Family.
Gerard O’Connell in America Magazine gives an account of the first week and the reports of various language groups.
‘The first week revealed not only the ethnic but also the theological and cultural diversity of the synod fathers, which French language group “A” described as “a unique experience of Catholicity.” ‘
In the second article Sandro Magister, comments in www.chiesa.it on a letter reputed to have been sent to Pope Francis from 13 Cardinals who are said to be a little disgruntled by proceedings at the Synod.
One of their objections is that members of a committee to draft a final document at the Synod “have been appointed, not elected, without consultation.” Interesting they think people should be elected, not appointed, to important positions and that there should be consultation!!
Presider’s Page for 11 October (Ordinary Time 28)
On our journey through life, we pause today for a while, offering God worship and praise. We remember the divine goodness and ask for the gift of wisdom as we continue to hurry towards the Kingdom.
Healthy Confusion at the Synod
Joshua J. McElwee reports in the NCR about the latest happenings at the synod in Rome.
http://ncronline.org/news/vatican/synod-bishops-express-confusion-group-reports-cardinal-calls-it-healthy
The church I long to see
Gerard Moloney gives his vision of church in his own blog
https://gerardmoloney.wordpress.com/author/gerardmoloney/
Gerard says it exists for many but we need those in authority to institute changes that will make it all real and give us a church that is fit for purpose.
Archbishop calls for possibility of ordaining women as Deacons
Carol Glatz, Catholic News Service, reporting in www.cruznow.com writes about the call made by a Canadian bishop for women deacons.
The issue of the role of women in our church is not going away, and won’t, no matter how many attempts are made to suppress and close down dialogue and debate.
St. John Paul II called for “no more degradation of women” in the world in “Familiaris Consortio”, 1981.
But there is a credibility issue for us with huge numbers of people, in making such calls, when women are still excluded from ordained ministry and from real decision making roles.
Ordaining women as deacons would be seen by many as a very tentative first step in righting a wrong.
Faith; the ability to live with uncertainty
Brendan Hoban writing in his weekly Western People column worries about the type of church some church leaders are pushing on the faithful.
“What’s emerging is almost a church within a church where visions, novenas and relics skirt the edges of superstition, where questionable piosities are lauded and intellectual rigour is suspect, where asking a question is tantamount to betrayal, where pleasure is distrusted and sexual pleasure anathema, where Catholicism takes on an Amish-like appearance and where a series of ‘Catholic’ newspapers encourage a return to the severity, rigidity and judgementalism of the past.’
Who shall be heard? The Synod, 2015.
Chris McDonnell wonders which voice will be heard in the Synod. Those that haven’t been included in the past need to be; “we are now in the early days of the Synod, considering the statements that arose from discussions a year ago, the question of women’s place in the Church cannot be set aside.”
Presider’s Page for 4 October (Ordinary Time 27)
October is Mission Month. In two weeks time we will honour the work of missionaries on Mission Sunday; throughout the month, we pray that all may have ‘abundant life’, the theme of this year’s Mission Sunday.
• Today is Day for Life in Ireland, with the theme “Cherishing Life, Accepting Death” •
Speak freely, boldly, and without fear.
John J. O Shea writes an open letter to 300+ delegates and alternates who are going to the synod from the different countries.
John J. challenges all to speak freely, boldly, and without fear about the true status of women in our church.
Sin, Mortal & Otherwise
Donald Cozens writing in Commonweal suggests that ‘Pope Francis, in harmony with the work of contemporary theologians like Bernard Häring, Charles Curran, Margaret Farley and others, is showing us how to move beyond the narrow legalisms of act-centered morality.’
This is in contrast to the position that has pertained since the time of the Council of Trent when there was ‘an emphasis on the “act committed” rather than on the penitent’s encounter with the healing mercy of Jesus Christ and his or her overall moral orientation.’
Protecting the Pope ……. from us.
The U.S. Secret Service kept Pope Francis safe during his recent travels in the U.S.A., even if some think their methods a little over enthusiastic for a man who prefers to travel in a small Fiat rather than an armoured SUV.
Seamus Ahearne suggests that maybe we now need to protect him from our need for a jamboree by expecting him to attend the Congress on the Family for 2018.
Seamus thinks Francis’ time is precious and “I would much prefer that we respect the age of Pope Francis and conserve his energy and reduce his trips abroad. We should be caring for him and protecting him …We need to keep him at home and let him do as much as he can, in enlivening the Church.”
The laity has spoken and the Church must learn
The Catholic bishops of England and Wales have published an extraordinarily candid piece of criticism of the Church taken from a summary of responses to a consultation conducted in preparation for the forthcoming international synod of bishops in Rome next month, on the subject of marriage and family life.
An editorial in The Tablet states that “they want a Church that engages with married life and its messy difficulties realistically and humanely, not one offering idealistic textbook answers.”
One respondent is quoted as saying: “It would seem that right now the Church may well have more to learn from marriage and family life than to teach.”
Presider’s Page for 27 September (Ordinary Time 26)
All are welcome in this place: anyone who is not against us is for us. All may gather here to worship God our Saviour.
Pope Francis speaks to the Joint Session of the United states Congress
Standing ovations for Francis from Congress but is anyone actually listening?
Are we, the church. listening?
Are Church administrators and curial officials listening?
Caroline Wyatt, BBC religious affairs correspondent, says in a report “Above all, Pope Francis in the US has challenged his audiences to think, and to cast aside ideological divisions in favour of unity and mercy – to reflect on how to help the poor and those without. ……. Then, he left in his small car that makes a big point about the environment, showing that sometimes, actions can speak louder than words.”
Francis used the example of four people to highlight his points. “Three sons and a daughter of this land, four individuals and four dreams: Lincoln, liberty; Martin Luther King, liberty in plurality and non-exclusion; Dorothy Day, social justice and the rights of persons; and Thomas Merton, the capacity for dialogue and openness to God.”
Liberty; liberty in plurality and non-exclusion; the rights of persons; the capacity for dialogue and openness to God:
They’re as needed in our church as in U.S. society.
It’s time for action.
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