The readings in this Sunday’s celebration about water and thirst remind us that this is a baptismal season. During Lent, many people all over the world look forward to their baptism, while those already baptised prepare to renew their promises.
Chris McDonnell shares some thoughts on how we could use the ‘washing of the feet’.
“It is also a liturgy that can be shared without raising contentious issues in an ecumenical setting. There need be no divisions in this mutual giving, no barriers of race, age or social status. It fundamentally cuts through these restrictions and offers an example of Christian love in a simple yet powerful manner.”
“An intimate act of love” was first published in the Catholic Times on 10 March 2017
Marie Collins resigned the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors.
Cardinal Gerhard Müller, the head of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, gave an interview shortly following Collins’ resignation. Marie Collins has written an open letter to Müller in response to that interview, which she asked NCR to publish.
“I would ask that instead of falling back into the Church’s default position of denial and obfuscation, when a criticism like mine is raised the people of the church deserve to be given a proper explanation. We are entitled to transparency, honesty and clarity.
No longer can dysfunction be kept hidden behind institutional closed doors.”
Now that we are ten days into the season of Lent, our goal is clarified in today’s liturgy. The Gospel of the Transfiguration reminds us that we are destined for glory. Like the disciples, we keep this glimpse of glory in our hearts in the dark days ahead. Resurection will follow, as surely as day follows night.
The Association of Catholic Priests (ACP), in responding to the announcement that the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Charles Brown, has been transferred to Albania, wish him well in his new appointment.
Following the resignation of Marie Collins ‘We Are Church International’ has issued a call for Cardinal Muller to be replaced at the CDF:
We celebrate the first Sunday of Lent. All over the world today, men and women are beginning a period of preparation for their baptism at the Easter Vigil. Like them, we spend Lent preparing to renew our baptismal vows at Easter, looking forward to our blessing with Easter water and to receiving the gift of a new start.
Statement from the Association of Catholic Priests (ACP) on the Tuam Babies revelations and the resignation of Marie Collins from the Vatican Commission on Clerical Sex Abuse
Seamus Ahearne, in thinking of the late Des Connell, asks that when he was appointed “Who thought about the man? Who worried about the suitability of this person? Could this man face the burden of leadership of a Church in Dublin at that time? Was he flexible in his thinking; was he adaptable; was he good humoured; was he strong enough to cope; had he the personality to bend and laugh and mix and take the arrows and stones that could be thrown at him? Was he a team worker? “
Questions as relevant for the appointment of a bishop today.
Werner G. Jeanrond writes in Doctrine and Life about models of church for the future.
“Christian communities are called to become communities of love – and not models of some perfect society with a well-ordered male hierarchy.”
“We live and work at the intersection of two competing models of Church: the Church as well-ordered society and the Church as dynamic community. “
“All kinds of conflicts may appear on the road toward a better Church. All kinds of vested interests will show their often ugly heads when challenged. But in the present period of transition, we are invited to remain faithful to God’s love command,…………. this love command applies also in any struggle within our Church.”
Those who attended the AGM last Autumn, or read the text of the talk given by Marie Keenan, will know that she suggested it might be a good idea for the ACP to offer some ‘Healing Circles’ to priests.
The ACP Leadership has decided to offer this service to priests who may be interested.
Sean McDonagh, on behalf of the ACP, wrote to the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland and RTE protesting at the disrespectful language used recently about the Eucharist on RTE’s Late Late Show.
Updated 2/3/17 with reply from the BAI
A number of regional meetings for priests are being arranged by the ACP.
The first of these will be held in the MacWilliam Park Hotel, Claremorris, Co Mayo on Wednesday, 08 March at 2.00pm.
All priests of Killala, Elphin, Achonry and Tuam dioceses are invited to attend.
Update:
A meeting for the Southern Region has been scheduled for 15 March in The Parish Centre, Ovens from 3.00 pm to 5.00 pm.
The Lord gathers us in to his loving embrace, the Lord who invites us not to worry about tomorrow. Setting our hearts on his kingdom, we entrust all our tomorrows to him and ask him to help us live for this, his day.
Today, the last Sunday before Lent, is Temperance Sunday.
Bishop Vincent Long of Parramatta diocese has been giving evidence at the Royal Commission into Institutional response to child abuse in Australia.
He had some very interesting things to say in the course of his evidence.
“It is my concern that there is a trend not only in certain seminaries in Australia but I think it’s a by-product of the two pontificates before that of Pope Francis which encouraged a certain restoration, you might say, of the traditional model of Church, and therefore the seminarians who were trained in that period, I would say, were by-products of that kind of culture in the Church.”
“I think there’s a link between compulsory or mandatory celibacy and clericalism in that compulsory celibacy is an act of setting apart the ordained. It’s creating that power distance between the ordained and the non-ordained. Insofar as it is an instrument of subjugation or subservience, if you like, of the laity, it is wrong and it has to be reviewed. “
“I do believe that the marginalisation of women and the laity is part of this culture of clericalism that contributes not insignificantly to the sexual abuse crisis, and I think if we are serious about reform, this is one of the areas that we need to look at.”
Seamus Ahearne offers his thoughts on some of the issues and people that have been in the spotlight recently.
“I thank God for working in me and I am in awe. It doesn’t make me good or great. But the fun, happiness and wonder of every day is miraculous. The holiness of each day shouts at me. I have been blessed. I never bother my head thinking if only. If only what. Married. Children. Grandchildren. What has been; is done. What is; I live with. What shape tomorrow is; I can help make. Are there things I would like to make different. Of course, but I don’t have the energy to dream backwards.”
Brendan Hoban writing in the Western People wonders what would happen if Francis was more like Trump in his approach to change; “It would be interesting to imagine, for a moment, what might happen to the Catholic Church if Francis was to adopt Trump’s more robust approach.”
He concludes “But clearly that’s not Francis’ way. Because he believes that how you do something is just as important as what you do.”
Loving the enemy and praying for those who make life difficult are two marks of a Christian, or so Jesus teaches us today. We gather, aware of how difficult love can be, yet united by the saving mercy of God, on which we rely.
Chris McDonnell, in this week’s Catholic Times column, writes “We have seen a movement within the Church that, in some ways, reflects the line of Yeats. ‘Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold’, but not completely. For our centre, Christ incarnate, is secure and will always remain. What will change with each generation, and I would suggest, must change, is the manner in which we respond to this eternal experience of the loving God.”
Sarah Mac Donald, writing in the National Catholic Reporter, gives an interesting account of the Irish bishops’ visit to Pope Francis.
“But while Francis was telling the bishops he wanted to hear their problems and criticisms, back in Ireland, the Association of Catholic Priests (ACP), … issued a statement expressing themselves as “disappointed, frustrated and angry” that, after six years of attempting to engage the bishops in a “respectful and mutual consideration of issues central to the health and well-being of the Irish Catholic church,” the bishops had “pulled the plug on any future engagement with the ACP.”
Select a category in the sidebar for more posts
Select a category in the sidebar for more posts
