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Two articles that remind us of the huge responsibility there is on all church members to ensure they are not risking life or health when re-opening after lockdowns.

An Irish Times story about a Dublin church being forced to close after ignoring regulations also covers the comment by Archbishop Martin of Dublin about the need to respect the sacrifices made by so many.
“The current public health policy has required sacrifice on the part of all of us. People have accepted that. I think of those who have had to bury a loved one without the normal process of grieving, with funeral rites limited to a bare minimum. We must show respect for those whose sacrifice has been greatest.
Public health policy will only work when its proposals and sequencing are fully respected by all. There is no room for self-dispensation from or self-interpretation of the norms. Jumping the queue by individuals or communities puts everyone at risk”
In another article

Michael J. O’Loughlin of americamagazine.org interviews a man we have become familiar with on our TV news programmes, Dr. Anthony Fauci.
““There have been situations in multiple countries where the source of the cluster was a church service,” he said. “That’s the reason why we gotta be so careful about that.”
As a result, even if churches are open, the elderly and those with underlying medical conditions should consider staying home, “because they really are at high risk,” he said. “It would be so tragic for someone who just comes to a place of worship, gets sick themselves, or gets infected and brings it home to an elderly person who might have a compromising comorbidity, and the person gets seriously ill and dies.”

Chris McDonnell reviews Jim Forest’s Writing straight with crooked lines

Thomas O’Loughlin, in a slightly longer version that was published in La Croix, looks at some objections raised to ordaining married men as presbyters.
“It has often been noted that while universities speak of ‘education’ (focusing on developing the individual’s talent), seminaries, along with military academies, speak of ‘formation’: learning to think with the group, act together, and became familiar with the group’s standard procedures and goals.”

Tony Flannery, writing on his own in his own blog and in an article that was published in the Connaught Tribune, questions the wisdom of ‘live-streaming” Masses during this crisis when church buildings are closed.

Statement from the Association of Catholic Priests on COVID-19 Pandemic

Paddy Ferry draws our attention to the coverage in novenanews.com of Pope Francis’ remarks that he intended to deliver to Pontifical Mission Societies. Pope Francis addressed ‘pitfalls’ in the church in his message, including, “The elitist temptation in some organisations connected to the Church can be accompanied at times by a sentiment of superiority and of intolerance towards the rest of the baptised, towards the people of God who may attend parishes and visit shrines, but are not ‘activists’ busy in Catholic organisations”

Brendan Hoban comments on the progress so far in the campaign to suppress the corona virus but cautions that the battle is still only half fought.
“The phased re-introduction of normality has encouraged different vested interests to argue their claims to be shunted up the list of important services. Clearly concerted media campaigns by groups with commercial agendas are in train. “
Brendan mentions those in the media who comment on everything and anything and do so as if they bear no personal responsibility for their commentary apart from satisfying their readers.
“Leaders, in church and society, haven’t that luxury.”

Seamus Ahearne reminds us that grace filled moments can come about in chance encounters, even in the sad and bitter memories from the past. “He still can’t grasp how those in the Institutions and those out on the farms, who were full of God and faith, never displayed anything of the God of love.  That haunts him. He doesn’t feel bitter about anything else.  It is the model of God presented, that hurts most deeply.  Mass, Benediction and prayers were very important but there wasn’t any sign of the God of love.”   ….. ” A new Church is needed. New worship is needed. New vision is needed.  No one else is going to do it.  We have to get on with it.”

Thomas O Loughlin challenges us to think more deeply about our attitudes towards liturgy as some shortcomings in understanding are being highlighted by the COVID-19 lock downs.
The article first appeared in La-croix International

Prof. Thomas O’Loughlin suggests a home liturgy for celebrating Ascension Day.
Perhaps consideration could be given this year to celebrating Ascension on Thursday, 21 May – the day that is forty days after Easter Sunday?

Seamus Ahearne has expanded his exercise zone as per guidelines and gets to observe to behaviour of birds on his walks. But he also considers what the pandemic may mean for us.
“It asks us big questions:  What am I about? What is important? Who matters to me?  Do I matter to anyone? … For us as ministers, it is quite dangerous and can undermine our very existence. Do we need ‘them’ (them=our faith community) more than ‘they’ need us?   We feel very ‘useful’ normally. We are very busy. Now many of us can do very little. We don’t like it.”

UPDATED with sample of guidelines from Diocese of Santa Fe, USA

Diarmuid Martin, Archbishop of Dublin, has contacted parishes suggesting “a list of the questions that each parish should be asking at this stage as it prepares its own plan and reflects on the personnel needs required to put that plan into action.”  

Two items:
1. Interview with Mattie Long by Monica Morley of Faith Alive on Mid West Radio about some of the issues that need to be considered before the re-opening of churches on 20 July.
2. Pádraig McCarthy draws our attention to a statement issued on Friday 01 May by the leaders of Churches in Ireland on church reopening.

Prof. Thomas O’Loughlin, in a version of a piece published last week in La Croix International, tells us that “If we believe that the Spirit is moving in the community of the baptised, then a ‘vocations crisis’ is nonsense. It is only a crisis of us failing to look, train, and empower.”

Seamus Ahearne is thinking about what is to come. “Vocation is a big word. It isn’t limited to the wonderland of priesthood. Parenting. Frontline folk. This is ministry.  Any return from exile, needs an expansive exploration of Church, Sacrament, Priesthood, Ministry.  We cannot come back to celebrate what was. We come from the desert and the wilderness.”

We are Church present a Zoom event with Amanda Dillon on the topic of “Lydia, Phoebe and the women of the Early Christian Churches”. Monday 25 May 2020 7.30 p.m….

Joe Mulvaney questions the use of the imagery of sheep and shepherd in the modern world for the type of ministry that is now required.
“there are lots of alternative words and concepts which could be used more meaningfully today e.g. servant leader, influencer, inspirer, animator, coordinator of parish services, moderator, facilitator, Christian community leader for shepherd and People of God or Friends of Jesus instead of sheep. You have many better words.” ….. “We Catholics are honest people. Let us speak out for reform in the Catholic Church using every modern means available to us.”

Chris McDonnell in The Catholic Times contrasts the picture of nurses celebrating in 1945 at the end of World War 2 to current images of, often young, hospital staff clad in PPE, administering comfort and care to their patients in the ICUs of our hospitals.

A report in Global Sisters Report outlines grave discomfort being expressed by many in the Catholic church in the U.S.A. at the expressions of admiration for President Trump’s leadership by Cardinal Dolan. It would appear that many women religious are offering leadership on this issue.
” ….. while politicians look for votes by saying the right thing, a Christian has got to stand in the shoes of immigrants,” she paraphrased. “I expect that from our leadership — not this pandering to power.”

The Government has announced a plan for the phased lifting of restrictions that were introduced to help stop the spread of the corona virus.