Presider’s Page for Ordinary Time 3 (Sun. 26 Jan.)
Opening Comment (for Presiders) The people that walked in darkness has seen a great light: Jesus, the light of the world, walks among us, preaching a message of repentance. We…
Blog
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Religion shouldn’t make people miserable
Brendan Hoban reflects on unhappy bishops and scrupulous priests — and invites people to re-discover the wonder of God’s love, following the example of Pope Francis (first published in the Western People).
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Devise a 2014 Plan for your parish
Bernard Cotter suggests that parish pastoral groups take on topic a month for 2014, as a way of planning the year. (First published in The Tablet of 4 January 2014 and reproduced here with permission of the Publisher: www.thetablet.co.uk)
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Tony Flannery’s lectures in Galway and Athenry spark vigourous debate
Tony Flannery reports on the first two events of his planned speaking engagements, under the title “Repairing a Damaged Church”.
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Dublin priests’ responses to the Murphy Report are published
Pádraig McCarthy welcomes the publication of a survey of Dublin priests’ responses to the Murphy report, which was compiled by Alan Hilliard and published under the title ‘A Window on Murphy‘.
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Pope’s G8 group member criticises CDF chief
Tom Heneghan, the Reuters ‘Religion Editor’, reports on the comments of Cardinal Maradiaga, a member of Pope Francis’ kitchen cabinet’ of advisers: first published on Reuters, under the heading ‘Top papal ally urges Vatican doctrine chief Müller to loosen up‘ (read original article here).
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Presider’s Page for Ordinary Time 2 (Sun. 19 Jan)
The Christmas Season ended last Sunday, and the season of Lent begins quite late this year, on 5 March. During the time between the two seasons, we celebrate the Sundays of Ordinary Time, learning a little more each week about the life of Jesus. On this Sunday, we reflect on the Lamb of God, our Redeemer.
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Here’s my summary of Pope Francis: “I am Vatican II”
Eugene Cullen Kennedy presents Pope Francis as the personification of the Second Vatican Council, following in John XXIII’s footsteps (first published in the National Catholic Reporter on 16 Jan 2014).
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Post-Christmas reflections from the coalface
Seamus Ahearne reflects on his parish experience of the Christmas and Epiphany liturgies and muses on the liturgical texts he had to use, the Francis effect, the ACP’s role and how the language and ritual of the Church affect people — or don’t.
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Tony Flannery embarks on a lecture tour of Ireland
Tony Flannery announces a series of talks on church reform — and is open to groups wishing to organise such gatherings in March and April,
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Prayers from 1998 Missal to be made available by ACP
The ACP Leadership Team announces that the opening prayers from the 1998 Missal are to be made available on the Presider’s Page published for each Sunday Mass.
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ACP members asked to pay annual fee
The ACP Leadership Team report on their first meeting of 2014 — and request that members pay the annual fee of €20 this month.
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A monsignor-free Church? What next?
Brendan Hoban delights in Pope Francis’ efforts to control careerism in the clergy, seen most recently in his decision to restrict the creation of new monsignori. He suggests those currently holding the title should also resign it. (Article first published in the Western People).
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Presider’s Page for Baptism of the Lord
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.
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Different understandings of ‘magisterium’ spark arguments in the Church
Tony Flannery believes reactions to Mary McAleese’s intervention on homosexuality illustrate differing understandings of Magisterium in the Church (first published in the Irish Independent on 11 January 2014).
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Why has the Feast of the Epiphany been downgraded?
Sheila Mulcahy emails our website to express dismay at the downgrding of the Epiphany and wonders if Irish people have indeed ‘lost their backbone’.
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Shamed Cardinal urged to tell life story by President McAleese
Former Irish president Mary McAleese has urged disgraced Cardinal Keith O’Brien to tell his life story — to help gay people in all walks of life who have felt the need to pretend to be heterosexual.
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Presider’s Page for Epiphany
On this feast of the Epiphany we celebrate the revelation of who Christ is. The visit of the three 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.
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Presider’s Page for Second Sunday of Christmas
We gather to celebrate the first Sunday of 2014, with thankfulness for the year just gone. We ask God for continuing care and protection as face this New Year, not knowing what it will bring.
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Pope Francis tells Religious to “wake up the world”
Joshua J. McElwee presents Pope Francis’ dialogue with the leaders of the international umbrella group for men’s communities, published on Friday 3 January in an Italian Jesuit magazine (this account is from the National Catholic Reporter: read original version and comments here ).
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