ACP leadership to meet diocesan reps
Combined summary table from the NBSCCC Diocesan Reports
Pádraig McCarthy
Rocco Palmo reports that Pope Francis today, Sunday 15 November, visited Rome’s Evangelical Lutheran church for an ecumenical dialogue.
Speaking of her marriage to a Catholic, a woman member of the Lutheran congregation addressed “the hurt we’ve felt together due to [their] difference of faith” and asked about their ability “to finally participate together in Communion.”
In response Francis said “I ask myself and don’t know how to respond – what you’re asking me, I ask myself the question. To share the Lord’s banquet: is it the goal of the path or is it the viaticum [etym. “to accompany you on the journey”] for walking together?”
The editorial staff of the NCR call for a dialogue about sexual ethics.
“We strongly encourage dialogue between laypeople and church leaders regarding all issues in the sexual sphere. But we also recognize that dialogue can have its limits, particularly if those in leadership do not demonstrate an openness to developing the church’s teaching on sex and sexuality.”
Tim Hazelwood outlines his thinking, and that of the Pastoral Council of Killeagh-Inch parish, for inviting Tony Flannery to speak in their parish and the subsequent reasons for the withdrawal of the invitation.
The initial fall out from Bishop Billy Crean’s intervention has been covered previously at “What did the bishop achieve?” http://www.associationofcatholicpriests.ie/2015/09/what-did-the-bishop-achieve/
Seamus Ahearne in his reflections on ‘our search for the God of our everyday life’ reminds us that ‘The presents of life have to be appreciated.’
The ACP, in conjunction with some others, are organising a gathering, which we are calling “Towards an Assembly of the Irish Catholic Church”. It will take place on Monday, May…
A welcome Spring Initiative, surely. Let’s hope all 26 dioceses will be represented. A meeting of 50 or 60 genuine parish priests from all four provinces should be just right to thresh out those and other issues in a relaxed but businesslike way.
As for “anyone else who would really like to attend”, have the courage for once to tell us members of the Laity (I just love that word!) to stay at home for a change and say our prayers for the rest of you.
Talking of threshing, I’m a divil for real porridge. I go down to the corner shop here in North London and pick up a tin of McCann’s steel-cut oats from Meath & Kildare or a package of Flahavan’s from Waterford – none of your Scotts’ or Quaker rubbish. I’d be leppin mad if I opened it in the morning only to find it full of Kellogg’s Rice Krispies. It’s what it says on the tin: “An Association for Catholic Priests – steel-cut, naturally”.
Which is why I’m full of admiration for my friends in the Irish Confraternity of Catholic Clergy: full membership for diocesan parish priests and deacons; associate membership for those in religious and secular institutes, personal prelatures etc. End of.
Now if the Hodson Bay would just ban Kellogg’s Rice Krispies too, and not leave a chap standing at their Octagon breakfast bar for twenty minutes waiting for a minimalist bowl of mediocre ‘rolled oats’ porridge . . . .!
It has been my experience that “transparency” is not a strong point with the Church anywhere and at any time.