Fr Peter Byrne CSsR issues statement
A contributer to this website signed himself as Peter Byrne. Fr. Peter Byrne C.Ss.R. has stated clearly that he is not the author of such comments and wishes to be dissassociated from them.
Vatican News covers the story that the Australian Catholic Church, with the approval of Pope Francis, will hold a Plenary Council in 2020 to discuss its way forward in light of the challenges it faces in contemporary society.
With speculation that arrangements for Pope Francis’ visit to Ireland will be announced this week would it be too much to hope that a Council like Australia’s could be called for Ireland. It might have more lasting benefit that a Papal visit.
A lawyer slams the freeing of Bishop Finn on a charge of failing to report child abuse (opinion piece first published in the Kansas City Star, submitted here by Paddy Moran, Westland Row).
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.
Brendan Hoban is saddened at the Iona Institute’s rush to the lawyers on being called ‘homophobic’, and contrasts it with the Institute’s earlier comments on the ACP, which did not lead to a legal remedy being sought (first published in the Western People).
Brendan Hoban in the Western People outlines the campaign being waged against Fr. James Martin. “What’s clear is that Fr. Martin is no heretic. He’s in good standing with his Church, supported by his Jesuit colleagues and respected in his ministry. He’s not rejecting church teaching. He’s doing what Pope Francis himself has done, creating a space in the Catholic Church for LGBT people and creating greater awareness of the need to respect them”.
“The truth is that, in America, the presence of homophobic groups who place themselves under the umbrella of ‘Catholic’, are spewing unimagined levels of vitriol on anyone whom they believe is compromising what they see as ‘Catholic teaching’. It is a sinister and corrosive development that runs counter to the gospel, to the mercy Pope Francis consistently underlines and even to minimal standards of civility and respect.”
“we appeal for a respectful and civilised debate in which the issues involved can be discussed in a calm and reasonable manner.”
It was I who assumed that it was the respected Redemptorist Fr Peter Byrne, who wrote what I considered, was a despicable attack on his brother Priest Fr Tony. For that I offer Fr Peter my sincere apology and seek his forgiveness. The opening lines of the offending post “Our Redemptorist Constitution” made me believe it was written by Fr Peter. Again I request your forgiveness, and with a contrite heart, will have a mass celebrated for your intensions.
This clarification once again urges me to ask the team leaders at the ACP to reconsider again the way comments are allowed to be put on your website-comments which are often posted under false names or anonymous names.
I think it serves no purpose or rather it serves a negative purpose.
Firstly it discourages most of your ACP members and others from engaging actively with the site -that is people who would be happy to be identified and secondly it encourages a level of abuse that is not constructive or helpful to many of the debates.
Indeed who wants to engage in a dialogue with someone when they have no way of knowing who they are corresponding with or what their agenda is ?
Surely allowing a dialogue to take place in this way resembles how the CDF engaged with Tony Flannery.
Need I say more.
I second Anne Walsh’s plea. The level of discussion would soar if people gave their real names.
And I would add to that, how about contributors offering their email address. Identity and openness are of great value in honest exchanges.
So…I have the same name as a redemptorist and was quoting from their constitutions.
I had no intention of attempting to imitate Fr. Peter.