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  • The (s)elect .0004% of church members

    Articles, Editor's Choice
    3 Comments

    How bishops are appointed remains a very topical item of interest. That the system of choosing bishops remains problematic and a cause of concern cannot be ignored.
    Robert Mickens, writing in the National Catholic Reporter, gives his observations on the process in the light of remarks made by Pope Francis to newly appointed bishops.
    “‪Francis says he wants to promote a healthy decentralization of the church. And it is hard to think of anything that currently is more centralized that Rome’s appointment of bishops around the world.”
    “‪If Francis is right and the holy people of God really do have a “scent” — or God’s “nose” — for what is right and good in a bishop, then we must find a way to include them more fully in the selection process.”

  • Laudato Si and the Path to COP 22

    Articles, Creation / Ecology
    1 Comment

    Seán McDonagh, SSC reports on a Joint Consultation on ‘Laudato Si’ and the Path to ‘COP 22’ organised by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace and the Pontifical Academy of the Sciences.
    He quotes Prof. Ramanathan Veerabhadran as saying “the effect of greenhouse gases on global warming is the most important environmental issue facing the world today.”
    “At the end of the meeting the group released this document in preparation for the COP 22 which will take place in Marraakesh from November 7 to 18th 2016.
    “ The Paris Climate Agreement is historic. For the first time since the signing of the 1992 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), all countries have agreed to act in order to protect the planet. The core goals include: (1) keeping warming to “well below 2-degrees C” and “to pursue efforts to keep below 1.5-degree C”; (2) enabling countries to adapt to the adverse impacts already underway; and (3) ensuring the flow of fair and equitable financing to achieve the climate goals.”

  • The dangers of bishops being disconnected from society

    Articles
    6 Comments

    We carry an extract from an exchange between Justice McClellan, Chief Commissioner Australian Royal Commission on Sex abuse of children, and retired Bishop of Parramatta, Bede Heather.
    This exchange shows the dangers of bishops being disconnected from society and living at a remove from the lives of the people they minister to. Would they be elected by their community?

  • The priests of Mexico, bleeding with their flock

    Articles
    1 Comment

    Since 1990, 52 priests have been killed, according to a report by Mexico’s Catholic Multimedia Centre.
    Harry Farley writes in Christian Today about the recent murders of three priests in Mexico and quotes Roberto Blancharte, a scholar at the Colegio de Mexico, as saying that “there was a deep divide between the Church’s hierarchy who tend to live in luxury and mix with corrupt politicians, and its clergy, who rub shoulders with the country’s poorest”
    Farley says ‘The belief church leaders have cowed to pressure is widespread among parishes and the silence over murdered priests only fuels this perception. “When a priest gets killed, it should be a rallying cry,” said David Shirk, director of the Justice in Mexico Project at the University of San Diego is quoted . “We should know his name. He should be a martyr.”

  • Four Part Harmony of Gospel moments: There is hope.

    Articles
    1 Comment

    Seamus Ahearne sees hope in the world and people about him, in the 40th anniversary celebration of priesthood, in each person’s ‘magnificat’.
    “magnificat?’
    Mary (Our lady) thanked God – by saying ‘He that is mighty has done great things for me; holy is his name.’
    Seamus challenges us; “(we) are searching for words and whispers of God always. And God is always talking and always letting us know something new if we listen. It is an exciting life; a frustrating life and an infuriating life but wonderful, which means of course full of wonder. God is forever a teasing, taunting, torment. Is there a better life? Is there a more fulfilling life? For some of us – it is the right one. Why has God been so good to you and to us? Give us your magnficat. Don’t give us a weary God or shout about problems. There is always more.”

  • Church faces ‘huge wake up call’

    Articles, Editor's Choice, Reform of the Irish Church
    10 Comments

    Noel Baker reports in the Irish Examiner on the The Irish Examiner / ICMSA Farming Poll that brought to light the latest views and opinions on religion and the priesthood among the farming community.
    Taken among what is regarded as a very traditional group (69% of the respondents said they attended Mass every week), 82% of respondents agreed that priests should be allowed to marry.
    Regarding the ordination of women 70% of those aged 34 and under supported such a move, but a higher percentage of older farmers backed the idea of women priests, from 75% of those aged over 65, to 87% of those aged 55 to 64. While 82% of men supported the idea of women priests, 76% of women were in favour.

    Sean McDonagh commented “The most interesting thing is here are lay people and people of faith seeing that the present rules are not functioning and want to see a change to allow it to function better,”

    The survey certainly shows a hierarchy with views at total odds with the laity.

    Archbishop Brown, Papal Nuncio, said “allowing serving priests to marry or allowing women priests would not be following the Catholic tradition.”

  • Affirmation of the Catholic Church’s Teaching on the Gift of Sexuality

    Articles
    5 Comments

    Following the release of ‘The ethics of using contraceptives’ by the Wijngaards Institute another group of academics has released their own statement affirming Humanae Vitae during a press conference at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.

    Dialogue and debate can only be good and informative.

  • The ethics of using contraceptives

    Articles, Editor's Choice
    22 Comments

    In preparation for the 50th anniversary of the publication of “Humanae Vitae: On the Regulation of Birth,” the Wijngaards Institute gathered an interdisciplinary task force of experts to re-assess the ethics of using contraception.
    That have issued a statement presenting a summary of their work.
    They openly declare “Our goal is to encourage the Catholic hierarchy to reverse their stance against so called “artificial” contraceptives. To this end, we will make the Statement’s findings known to Catholic church officials and opinion leaders (e.g. bishops, priests, religious sisters, management and medical staff of Catholic health care facilities, Catholic social workers, journalists, etc.), as well as ordinary Catholics.”

  • The making of bishops

    Articles, Editor's Choice
    3 Comments

    Joshua J. McElwee reports in the National Catholic Reporter that the recent meeting of the Council of Cardinals discussed the role of Nuncios in the appointment of bishops. It seems the Council of Cardinals previously discussed the selection of bishops around the world in their meeting held last April.
    Are they talking to anyone other than themselves about how bishops are chosen and appointed?

  • Church Collusion in Calumny

    Articles, Editor's Choice
    29 Comments

    Tim Hazlewood asks “What is the official Church policy concerning anonymous allegations?” Despite repeated attempts in the past to get an answer to this question Tim says “I failed to secure a tangible answer. All I got was vagueness.” But in a recent meeting he was told “that the policy is to inform the relevant authorities following an anonymous allegation against a priest. There it was at last in no uncertain terms. No ambiguity this time.” But as he asks, “what are the implications?”

  • There’s Something about Seminaries

    Articles
    2 Comments

    Maynooth seminary is still grabbing headlines.
    Tony Flannery, on his own website, gives a frank opinion of the most recent proposals put forward by the trustees. “Are these men serious? Do they expect this effort at very traditional regimentation, and equally traditional spirituality, to solve the problems they believe existed?”
    Brian Eyre, commenting from the remove of Brazil, sees merit in a proposal that “a subcommittee of lay people, families and “especially the presence of women” will be introduced as part of priestly formation”.
    Meanwhile Cindy Wooden, writing in America Magazine, reports on Pope Francis speaking in Krakow about the training of seminarians. Pope Francis is reported as saying “too many seminaries teach students a rigid list of rules that make it difficult or impossible for them as priests to respond to the real-life situation of those who come to them seeking guidance.” and “”We need to truly understand this: in life not all is black on white or white on black,” he said. “The shades of grey prevail in life. We must them teach to discern in this gray area.”
    Perhaps Maynooth’s trustees should consult Pope Francis?

  • The Poetry of life – and I was thinking!

    Articles, Editor's Choice
    6 Comments

    Seamus Ahearne has been reflecting on his life’s vocation and work, and “has been thinking” and thankfully writing for us.
    As always his thoughts are a wonderful antidote to the often banal, myopic, clichéd and uninspiring writing that is done about church and religion in Ireland.
    His words challenge all of us to find new ways of ministering to each other.

    “there is an absence of gratitude. There is a crudity in our public discourse. How can there be Eucharist if we don’t come in humility to say thanks to God? If we don’t stop to be aware of the ‘gracefulness’ of life; if we don’t stop in utter amazement at the very mystery of life in nature, in people, in moments. If we don’t look at a baby and become more human; if we don’t look at a leaf and become more human; if we don’t look at the exuberance of a child for First Communion and become more human; if we don’t look at the act of faith of two lovers in marrying and become more human; if we don’t see the selflessness of parents and become more human; if we don’t see the prayerfulness of our faithful and become more human.”

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