Gabriel Daly OSA writes that ” In a body as large and as culturally diverse as the Catholic Church, discrepant and irreconcilable attitudes are inevitable. We should try to live with them, not pretend that it is necessary – or even desirable – to smooth them over. “
Gabriel reminds us that “The truth and the will of God may actually be found in the clash of ideas and convictions expressed freely and without the threat of institutional interference.”
Brendan Hoban, in the Western People, advises that we need to listen to what Pope Francis is saying. Francis means what he says. His plain speaking in the scathing demolition of the assembled curia in his pre-Christmas address left no room for dilution through interpretation, translation or contextualisation.
Nor should we be distracted from his message by the speculative kite of a Papal visit being hoisted aloft. Such a visit is ‘exactly what the Irish Church doesn’t need at present.’
Reports from Rome suggest Pope Francis delivered a Christmas message with a bite to the Roman Curia. We carry the report from the National Catholic Reporter by Joshua J McElwee.
Joshua J. McElwee, NCR’s Vatican correspondent, reports on the latest request from the Vatican in preparation for Synod 2015.
Will our bishops’ conference be better organised, and willing, this time in getting the views of ‘all levels’ of church in Ireland?
Seamus Ahearne shares his thoughts on a day in the life of a parish
“The life in the day could fill a book and not a page”
“The routine of daily living is ‘killing the spirit’ of so many.”
“We are invited to open the eyes of our hearts, minds, imaginations to the enjoyment, hilarity, fun, laughter and peace. It isn’t only Autumn is colourful. Life is full and good. The day goes on. “
Report of Annual General Meeting, 01 October, 2014
Canberra-Goulburn Catholic priest Peter Day quizzes Cardinal Pell about his outspokenness in reasserting the church’s longstanding exclusion of divorced and remarried people from communion ahead of October’s Extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the Family. ‘Has a simple, inclusive and profound ‘family’ meal been overwhelmed by an impersonal and, often times, sterile institutional sacrifice; one that tends towards mass exclusion?’
http://johnmenadue.com/blog/?p=2459
Seamus Ahearne, as usual, asks the pertinent questions about what is essential in belonging to church.
‘I feel so embarrassed that such nonsense (banning and silencing) is still going on. Robust discussion is essential in our faith. Anselm said: ‘Theology is faith seeking understanding’
“If any of us are listening to the Christ of the Gospels in recent times – we would get something of these message: The Table is open. All comers are welcome. The outsiders are the insiders. The unlikely ones are the most acceptable ones. Never shut doors. Open hearts and open minds and open imaginations.”
The pope said the enormous amount of work and demands being made on pastoral workers “make us run the risk of becoming frightened and withdrawing in on ourselves out of fear and self-defense.”
“And out of that springs the temptation of self-sufficiency and clericalism, that codifying the faith into rules and instructions, which the scribes, Pharisees and doctors of the law did during the time of Jesus. We will have everything exact and everything just-so, but the faithful and those who are seeking will continue to be hungry and thirsty for God,” Pope Francis explained.
If pastoral ministry uses the same approach the scribes and Pharisees took, “never, never will we be witnesses of being close” to people like Jesus was, he said.
Since I got involved in the reform movement in the Church with the ACP some five years ago I have attended many meetings and gatherings on various aspects of reform….
Statement issued by the Association of Catholic Priests on the forthcoming Synod on the Family.
Johan Bonny, Bishop of Antwerp, Belgium, has written of his expectations of the forthcoming synod.
It is a longish document but well worth reading in its entirety. The following excerpts are meant to only give a flavour of what he has written.
As a preparation for our discussions ‘The Vocations Crisis, will clustering work?’ at our AGM on 01 October, we commend to our members two articles from the September Furrow, On the Edge by Donagh O’Meara and The Last Priests in Ireland by Donald Cozzens, which map out the context for our discussion.
We encourage as many of our members as possible to attend the AGM in the Hodson Bay Hotel, Athlone, 01 October 2.00 p.m. to 5.00 p.m.
As a preparation for our discussions ‘The Vocations Crisis, will clustering work?’ at our AGM on 01 October, we commend to our members two articles from the September Furrow, On the Edge by Donagh O’Meara and The Last Priests in Ireland by Donald Cozzens, which map out the context for our discussion.
We encourage as many of our members as possible to attend the AGM in the Hodson Bay Hotel, Athlone, 01 October 2.00 p.m. to 5.00 p.m.
Kirsty Jane McCluskey interviews Peter McVerry SJ, for her project about Jesuit vocation and identity: http://jesuitstories.wordpress.com/2014/08/31/peter-mcverry-sj-social-activist-and-campaigner/
Seamus Ahearne in his unique style shares his reflections on his fifty years with the Augustinians. Seamus, as usual, challenges us with his experience and wisdom.
Ad multos annos.
The Association of Catholic Priests will hold its AGM at Hodson Bay Hotel, Athlone
on October 1 from 2.00pm to 5.00pm.
This year the theme is: The vocations crisis: will ‘clustering’ work?
Pages for presiders (including bidding prayers for the Sundays and holydays of August) have now been published on the ACP website.
I have always believed that to be a Catholic, you need faith. It’s what Jesus had: the faith to question the status quo, to seek a different way, to share…
Statement from the Association of Catholic Priests (ACP) responding to the establishment of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and the appointment of Yvonne Murphy The ACP welcomes…
Select a category in the sidebar for more posts
Select a category in the sidebar for more posts
