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,
Articles
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.
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).
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).
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’.
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.
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 ).
Daily Mass readings app launched
The ACP Leadership Team presents an app containing Mass readings and homily material for each day of 2014, prepared by the ACP homily material contributor, Fr Pat Rogers cp, Mount Argus.
Hang onto your hats for 2014: it may be a bumpy ride
Brendan Hoban rejoices in the renewal Pope Francis has brought in his first year as bishop of Rome (first published in the Western People).
Fr Joe McGuane was an honest priest
Tim Hazelwood pays tribute to his colleague in the diocese of Cloyne and ACP member, Joe McGuane, RIP
Unity must not be confused with uniformity
Gabriel Daly shares a letter he wrote to the Irish Catholic, in response to the interview with Cardinal Levada published recently in that paper.
The late Fr McGuane’s Furrow article is worth re-reading
Reacting to the news of the unexpected death of Fr Joseph McGuane, Sean O’Conaill commends Fr McGuane’s article in the 2008 Furrow, entitled THE PROFESSIONAL CLERIC (reprinted here).
This may help you complete the Synod survey
Padraig McCarthy provides helpful data from the 2011 Republic of Ireland Census, which may help those completing the synod questionnaire — which asks for information about ‘what is happening in your area’.
Why I am not willing to complete the synod survey
Michael Kavanagh, a married man in his sixties, has serious questions about the survey in preparation for the Synod on the Family. He believes the Church needs a true theology of the family.
The Church never treats women as fully independent adults
Joan Chittester reacts to Pope Francis’ committment to develop “a profound theology of the woman”, asking what contributiom women will be allowed to make to this. (Article comprises remarks made at a conference aiming to give a snapshot view of Pope Francis and the challenges he faces: first published in the NCR on 11 December 2013 — see www.ncronline.org.)
Mix of fact and fiction in ‘Philomena’ takes from its impact
Brendan Hoban reviews the movie ‘Philomena’, currently on general release. He believes it didn’t need to add fictional elements to present the facts as unacceptable and inhumane (first published in this week’s Western People).
What Francis said to the Dutch bishops
Joshua J. McElwee reports in NCR on the pope’s ad limina meeting with the Dutch bishops, where pope and bishops sat in a circle together. Read original article and comments here
Irish Bishops’ ten-year plan has come to a standstill
Sean M O’Connail assesses the progress in the ten-year plan of implementing the National Directory for Catechesis and finds that, three years in, it has come to a standstill. He calls on the Irish Bishops to acknowledge the state of emergency in the Irish Church, given the crisis facing clerical manpower and morale.
‘Stupidity’ of Veritas has compounded harm done by Tony Flannery episode
Seamus Ahearne osa reflects with sadness and anger on Veritas’ continuing decision not to stock Tony Flannery’s book
German bishops say pope endorses divorcee Communion plan
The ACP Leadership Team reports that the German Bishops are taking the Pope at his word, and acting accordingly — and they ask: “what are the chances that Irish Church authorities might do the same?”
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