Homosexuality and the Bible to be explored in Dublin conference
A conference on ‘Homosexuality & The Bible’ is to be given by Augustinian Kieran O’Mahony in Dublin in June. Full details in the EVENTS section (see menu at top of this page).
Similar Posts
Ad Limina – no need to be afraid of married priests or of Francis.
Brian Eyre encourages the Irish bishops on their visit to Rome to face the realities about the shortage of priests, about the benefits of having married priests. “Today after 34 years of married life I still feel and know that I have been faithful to the calling of Our Lord and that my marriage has helped me be a better priest.”
ACP needs to address priests’ coalface issues
Jimmy McPhillips, an ACP member in Clogher diocese, critiques the ACP and its website, and regrets that so few of priests’ real concerns are raised: frustration, absence of real leadership, low morale, depression and all the burdens of pastoral ministry. He suggests that ACP members meeting at local level in dioceses and Religious communities might help keep the leadership in touch with these core issues.
Could Pope Francis be the new John XXIII?
Brendan Hoban identifies the positive features of the new pope, suggesting he might be a new John XXIII — an unexpected appointment, who might surprise us all (first published in the Daily Mail of 14/3/2013).
Ecology, Economics, and Ethics
In response to Seán McDonagh’s call for more discussion in church about issues that matter and are relevant to the lives of all people rather than silly season tabloid fodder Joe O Leary replied with a long response that includes an article by Stefano Zamagni, on “Ecology, Economics, and Ethics”.
We carry it as a stand alone post rather than a reply as it is well worth reading. Our thanks to Joe.Mission Impossible – or is it?
Seamus Ahearne gives his thoughts on “mission” informed by his own life experiences.
“I’m a believer:
My Mission here may distract me, out to the byways and highways where the Church is forgotten and where the gibberish of sacred language is irrelevant. But I cannot go out there, unless I am enjoying the living God, where I am. I need to be taking off my shoes, seeing the burning bush, hearing the gentle breeze and finding the teasing- God of the caster-oil plant (Jonah.) I need to be telling people and showing people that God and Church, isn’t like the scarcely remembered version, which is a caricature of the Christ-picture from the Gospels. But I shouldn’t tell anyone, anything, if I am not alive myself. Possibly, the only Mission I have now, is to create some kind of oasis, where the refreshment of God, makes a little sense in the desert of our modern world. I have to do this with total humility and must exude some personal serenity, believing that nothing can ever happen, that is beyond the goodness and love of God. Mission now might just mean: Believing and living as if I/we believe.”The Practice of Mercy v The CDF
John O Connell, retired parish priest of Bray, recalls a run in some years ago with the CDF. Their heavy hand has been felt for many years by teachers and pastors alike but now more and more people are no longer willing to submit to their secretive ways and suffer in silence. There are probably many more stories of their attempted suppression of pastoral practices.
I was at two talks given by Fr Kieran O’Mahoney recently and I can highly recommend him. He is a very engaging speaker with a great sense of humour and a passion for his subject. He also has the gift of really connecting with his audience and this topic is vitally important. There are so many people suffering deeply because of a failure to understand. This story below is not an isolated one unfortunately.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/21/opinion/bruni-one-schools-catholic-teaching.html?comments%23permid=14&smid=fb-share
The amount of youth suicide in Ireland attributable to our homophobia or our cute-hoor silences will never be measured.
I cannot attend the conference due to another previous engagement, but I am delighted it is taking place, and I pray and hope it is very fruitful.It is a most important issue and I pray God’s blessing on this timely initiative and all the participants,speaker and organiser.Let it be indeed the Good News” which brings liberty to captives.” There has been too much suffering too long for too many of our brothers and sisters.
I would also be wanting to know what is said at this conference.
I’ve been reflecting today on the notion that it is the gay/lesbian on-going protest for change that probably has the best traction world-wide, even though, there is also, ‘pushback’. We know that the Vatican held the line for years and years on issues, especially, the ordination of women, and could be years and years before same sex marriage is a Catholic reality. However, I am wondering if the time has passed for the Vatican to be able to continue to “push away” what it does not want to hear or deal with. I’m thinking that it may be the pressure from the gay and lesbian community that is the “straw that broke the camel’s back.’ If the Vatican continues to refuse to hear this protest group, I think, it will be this issue, this fight, that will ultimately create schism.
I have a friend in his 60s come out today. He feels like an immense weight lift off him. He can breathe better and his friends and family did not expect it but have been fantastic.
Maybe I should thank ACP for existing or we’d never have met.