Clogher bishop attends ACP meeting
The Diocese of Clogher’s ACP organisers report on their September meeting, at which Clogher clergy reflected on Priesthood today.
Articles
Priests have earned the right to speak about the state of the Church
Brendan Hoban believes that priests should have the freedom to speak out at this time of crisis for the Church. He proposes practical responses to current difficulties in this article, which was first published in the Irish Times of 2 October 2012 (Rite and Reason.
Quo Vadis? — Mary McAleese speaks
Mary Cunningham suggests that Mary mcAleese’s interview with Pat Kenny provides ‘food for thought’
General Meeting of ACI announced
The Association of Catholics in Ireland [ACI] have announced the date of a general meeting in Dublin. It will follow the AGM of the ACP on 10 November. A draft statement of objectives has also been published.
Wedding in France: Can some priest help?
Anna Barwick from SARL Chareau Rigaud in France seeks a priest to perfrom a Catholic marriage in France
An unusual request to ACP members
Tony Flannery asks ACP members to vote for Roisin O’Shea, who “has been very helpful in working for justice for one of our members, and has been generous in offering her services for others that may be in need.”
Why can women not be deacons?
Mary O. Vallely queries the exclusion of women from the permanent diaconate. She believes the Catholic Church has failed to address the vast untapped resource of women, particularly the religious sisters and single women.
Come to Galway — Brendan Hoban
Brendan Hoban invites you to the Assembly Day in Galway on Saturday, October 6th, with the reminder of the value of days like this.
What Archbishop Martin thinks of the ACP
This is a short extract from a long interview with the Archbishop of Dublin in the Sunday Times of 23 September 2012, by Justine McCarthy — and the ACP’s response to it.
‘Ireland’s Troublesome Priests’ feature on BBC Radio 4
‘Ireland’s Troublesome Priests’ , presented by Ruth McDonald, was first broadcast on Sunday, Sept 23rd at 1.30pm on BBC 4. It can be heard on iPlayer on the BBC website.
Shame over sexuality has blinded Church to sex abuse
Seán O Conaill argues that clergy-inspired shame over the phenomenon of sexuality has brought about the magisterium’s blindness to the effects of clerical abuse of children.
Sin of clericalism is at heart of sexual abuse crisis
Scott Appleby believes that at the heart of the sexual abuse crisis is the sin of clericalism — a constellation of ideas and practices rooted in the conviction that ordination to the priesthood confers a special and privileged status that places the priest above the non-ordained baptized by virtue of the sacrament itself
Vatican process against Basque theologian continues
Jesús Bastante of the Spanish newspaper, El Público, reported in 2011 that the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith had opened a process against Basque theologian José Antonio Pagola. Pagola’s book Jesus: An Historical Approximation is available from Convivium Press. This is an English translation of Bastante’s article
I am the youngest Kildare priest
Paddy Byrne, the youngest priest of Kildare and Leighlin diocese, writes of his experiences (first published in the Carlow Nationalist)
Bishop’s Public Statement when priest steps aside is unnecessary
Bill Cosgrave argues against the practice of making a public statement in a parish in the event of an allegation against a priests. This is a position that has been vigorously argued by the ACP since its foundation. This article was first published in The Furrow.
American bishop escapes jail
A lawyer slams the freeing of Bishop Finn on a charge of failing to report child abuse (opinion piece first published in the Kansas City Star, submitted here by Paddy Moran, Westland Row).
Why people fail to confront sexual abuse
Fr Raymond J. de Souza writes on why is it so difficult to speak up about sexual abuse, and why so many prefer to keep quiet
Shortage of priests is having drastic consequences
Brendan Hoban writes of lay funeral presiders being commissioned in Liverpool and lay-led Communion services taking the place — two responses to a shortage of priests that is becoming drastic in these islands (published with acknowledgement to the Western People).
Full text of Cardinal Martini’s interview shortly before he died.
Thanks to the National Catholic Reporter, we are glad to be able to bring the full text of Cardinal Martini’s interview. We in the ACP believe that this is an enormously significant statement, coming from a man of such learning, distinction and spirituality; and the circumstances of the interview make it, in a sense, his last will and testament to the Church. It gives us encouragement and hope in the positions we have adopted.
The Love Revolution: Paul Burns
This reflection on the need for love in our Church has been sent to us by a former priest in England, Paul Burns.
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