Brendan Hoban sees in the recent public disagreement between Cardinals Muller and Maradiaga a part of the ongoing struggle between Benedict XVI’s church and Francis I’s church. It is, he believes, a battle “between a black and white view of Catholic reality (take it or leave it) and an acceptance of the complexity of human experience (try to understand weakness and failure)…” (First published in the Western People).
Tony Flannery reflects on the remarkable exchange between the Austrian bishops and Pope Francis, in which the the bishops were challenged to stay in close contact with their priests. He calls for the Irish bishops to do likewise.
Cindy Wooden, Catholic New Services, reports in the NCR on the publication of the synod questionnaires of Swiss and German Catholics (first published in the National Catholic Reporter on 4 February 2014).
Bryan Dunn reports on the system for supervision being implements for clergy in the Anglican Diocese of Newcastle in Australia — a possible model for Irish dioceses?
Sean O’Conaill notes comments on the atoning quality of Christ’s sacrifice found on this site, and wonders why the issue is never broached by clergy — and a more nuanced position advanced.
Jimmy McPhillips reports on the January meeting of ACP priests in Clogher Diocese, where the matter of priests off-duty because of ill-health was discussed.
The ACP Leadership Team publishes the results of the Synod survey completed by suubscribers to the ACP website before Christmas: 1,562 priests, religious, lay people, parents and teachers participated.
Seamus Ahearne draws inspiration from the Jews at Terezin and asks if we can emerge from ‘all that freezes and destroys the Joy of the Gospel in our lives’.
The ACP Leadership Team responds to comments made by the Minister for Education, in which he suggested that time spent at religious instruction would more profitably be given over to core curriculum subjects.They call his comments “unhelpful, unwarranted and unacceptable”.
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).
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)
Tony Flannery reports on the first two events of his planned speaking engagements, under the title “Repairing a Damaged Church”.
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‘.
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).
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.
Tony Flannery announces a series of talks on church reform — and is open to groups wishing to organise such gatherings in March and April,
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.
The ACP Leadership Team report on their first meeting of 2014 — and request that members pay the annual fee of €20 this month.
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).
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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