Blog

“The Women the Vatican Couldn’t Silence”
Mary McAleese and Sr. Joan Chittister in conversation at 2.00pm on Saturday, 02 November, 2019 in Trinity College Dublin.
We are Church Ireland are celebrating the awarding of Europe’s most prestigious Alfons Auer prize for Ethics to Mary McAleese!

Seamus Ahearne lets his mind (and fingers on the laptop) wander as he explores how we find God in those moments when God whispers to us. Seamus like many found inspiration from the late Fr. Tony Coote.
“Tony Coote’s ‘Walk while you can’ and his book ‘Live while you can’ stirred many of us. He put the spirit into us with his courage, his honesty and his ability to find hope. He saw God and treasure in the midst of Motor Neurone Disease. So yes. ‘Wow’ and ‘Amazing’ is sometimes all we can respond. God-moments and Good- moments are precious. Treasure them as Tony did.”

With the fires burning in the Amazon We Are Church look forward to seeing you at our next meeting with Sr Nellie McLaughlin who is a passionate environmentalist!
Venue: Mercy International Centre, 64A Baggot Street, Dublin 2
Time: 7.30pm to 9.15pm
Date: Monday 09 September 2019

Brendan Hoban in the current edition of Studies gives an honest assessment of the current state of the Church in Ireland and says “that ongoing change is now a permanent reality for the Catholic Church”. Brendan also posits a possible way forward based on the reality of the situation but reminds us that by rejecting the reality of change we are “by extension, rejecting the possibility of reshaping a different church.”
Our thanks to the Editor of Studies, Bruce Bradley SJ, for permission to publish this article on our website.

Tim Hazelwood in responding to a letter from his bishop to all priests in the diocese asks “As regards this conversation about “the way forward” I am wondering why this conversation should only take place among priests? Should not any discussions involve all affected parties? Would this not be an ideal time for a diocesan synod, as Pope Francis recommends, where all Bishop, priests, laity work together to plan a way forward?

Fr Peter Daly wrote recently in the National Catholic Reporter about problems he sees that arise as a result of the church’s position on mandatory celibacy for priests of the Latin Rite.

“Celibacy is not essential to Catholic priesthood. It is only mandated in two of the 24 “autonomous churches” in communion with Rome; the Latin Rite and the Ethiopian Rite….. At least seven popes were married…..There was even a father and son pope combination, Pope Hormisdas (514-523) who was father to Pope Silverius, (536-537)…..Today we have many married priests in the Roman (Latin) Rite who have come to us from the Anglican or Lutheran traditions. ….. If they can be married, why not others?
The practice and teaching of the church on priestly celibacy has been inconsistent and incoherent. But, most important of all, Jesus did not mandate celibacy.” 

The Sunday reading from Ecclesiastes inspires Seamus Ahearne to reflect on current issues.

Seamus Ahearne advises “Pause, contemplate, give thanks and enter into real Communion. Allow the unexpected to happen.”

Chris McDonnell in a recent article in the Catholic Times comments on the role of the prophet in our church.
“Prophets exist in our time, they tell the story of what is and of what it might become. They do so fully aware of the consequences of speaking out, knowing that they will be ostracized and derided. For love for the Church, their home, they suffer the loneliness of rejection.”

Sarah Mac Donald writes in the National Catholic Reporter about how research of Artifacts show that early church women served as clergy.
“New research recently unveiled in Rome suggests women had a greater role in the early church’s ministries and liturgies than previously thought and were present at church altars as deacons, priests and even bishops.
Ally Kateusz, research associate at the Wijngaards Institute for Catholic Research, presented her findings July 2 to the International Society of Biblical Literature, drawing on iconography from ancient Christian art.”

America magazine reports on the appointment by Pope Francis of seven women to be full members of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.

Brendan Hoban, writing in The Western People, expresses disappointment with An Taoiseach for his comments in the Dáil.
“While many people admire Leo Varadkar for his ability and, not least for the new Ireland that’s being created under his watch, as I do, it was disappointing that in the Dáil chamber he descended to the mocking and stereo-typing of Catholic priests…”

Seamus Ahearne is not getting too worked up about recent comments made by An Taoiseach about priests, but does offer a whispered bit of advice.
“This is a great life. The life of priesthood. It is full of humour and fun and grace and beauty.  We are privileged. And it is delightful.  You can use us in any way you wish.”

Chris McDonnell writes in the Catholic Times about the urgency of the cry from the depths about the future of our church.
“Current critics have rocked the complacency of many priests and laity who simply prefer not to think of failure within the church. They still occupy a Church of peace and tranquillity that is the stuff of false memory. That is why the urgency to change is not recognized. The first stimulus  to begin reform is a recognition that current circumstances cry out with the urgency of a wounded child.”

We are indebted to Sharon Tighe-Mooney who has written this article for us about the very topical issue of women and the diaconate.
Sharon clearly outlines what has been the stumbling block for the hierarchy – “the fear that including women to any extent would lead to a call for admission to the priesthood”, … “Fear, which is signified by the prioritising of the preservation of the self, has been the dominant feature in the Vatican’s response, both to the exposure of its faults as well as to the challenges that are a normal part of the human evolutionary experience. That is why a perfectly reasonable proposition, to restore women to a formal ministry within their own church, has floundered.”

This article was recently published on-line on the NCR website in the US. It is a response by Don Cozzens to a piece by James Carroll in the Atlantic journal. Our thanks to Don Cozzens for forwarding it to us.

“Carroll has named for me what continues to unsettle my soul — the superior status and lofty identity the church claims for its priests, cultivated and sustained by clerical celibacy and the withholding of meaningful leadership roles from the laity, especially women.”

Seamus Ahearne says of “Dancing to my death” by Daniel O’ Leary that “His honesty;  taunts, teases and torments us.   The final canvas from this artist, is a challenge to all of us in every aspect of ministry.”
….. “remind us of the delicacy and gentleness that is needed, as we meet with sickness, dying, funerals, bereavement and absences.   We have to be ever so careful with our Rituals and with our Religious demands.”

Colm Holmes, spokesperson for We Are Church Ireland, draws our attention to an article on www.newwaysministry.org by Deacon Ray Dever from Florida. Deacon Dever attended the World Meeting of Families in Dublin last year. He assisted at the Papal mass. He is the father of a Transgender daughter and a Bisexual daughter.
In this New Ways Ministry article he asks “Is there Hope?” about the Vatican’s new document on Gender.

Brendan Hoban writing in the Western People highlights how some people opposed to the reforms of Pope Francis are misusing the retired Benedict in an attempt to further their cause. “At first it was mainly a few cardinals and higher churchmen whom Francis had removed from their positions (mainly those who opposed his Vatican reforms); then it was others who imagined they warranted promotion but their prospects in the new dispensation were no longer promising; and there was the hard-right of Catholicism who imagine that anyone who disagrees with them (even a Pope) is wrong.”

Brian Eyre considers the recent comments of Cardinal Kasper about married priests in the light of his own life experiences and in the light of the fact that St Peter was a married man.

We welcome Brian home to Ireland and Tralee after many years in Brazil.