Prague: Synod Update: The unity of the Church can only be understood in relation to diversity

Presiding the Holy Mass in Prague Cathedral, attended also by delegates of the Czech National Stage of the synodal process, Cardinal Mario Grech discussed in his homily the relationship between unity and diversity as part of the ‘essence’ of the Church.
 
“The synod is not there to destroy distinctions, to destroy the Catholic identity. It is not there to raze distinctions. Rather, it is there to uphold distinctions, to understand the Gospel and what makes the Catholic Church truly One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic. […] The unity of the Church can only be understood in relation to diversity. Its holiness only in relation to what is unholy. Its universality in relation to what is particular. And this is never a static relationship, but a dynamic one. [….] Every day we have to ask what makes us distinct as a Catholic Church. But we also have to ask, in what way does that which makes us distinct imply that we are also in relation?
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Fr. Patrick Burke R.I.P.

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Updated with a tribute by Brendan Hoban and with a tribute broadcast on Mid West Radio’s Faith Alive Programme by Monica Morley and Brendan Hoban.

It was with great sadness that we learned of the sudden death on Monday 25 June of our colleague Patrick Burke, priest of Tuam Archdiocese and curate in Westport Parish and Pastoral Co-ordinator of Clare Island and Inishturk.

One Comment

  1. Soline Humbert says:

    Talking about diversity, just a few simple observations about the composition of the assembly, from the sidelines:
    There are 200 participants in Prague.

    There are 135 men and 65 woman.That means there are 2 men for every one woman.

    Out of the 135 men, 46 are cardinals/arch/bishops. There is also a large number of other clerics (priests/deacons), but I do not have the figure.

    8 delegations didn’t include a single woman.

    Julianne Moran of the Irish delegation publicly commented on the first day about the fact/optics that there were only men (clerics) at the large top table. That was a courageous observation, not graciously received by all…

    Not much changed, from what I could see on the livestream, and it ended up with an all male cleric top table on the last day.
    No I didn’t time the contributions from women and men, but it would appear that just as the men outnumbered the women, they also out-spoke them!…
    Of course I don’t know what happened in the small groups or for the representatives online…

    And now of course, for the next 2 days it will be all-men, all heads of the bishops conferences.
    No pesky woman to ask: Where are the women?
    All Adam and no Eve… (thank you Roy Donovan for your comment on todays readings…)
    Diversity, Equality, Inclusivity: A long way to go….

    Reply

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