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That was the week that was
Seamus Ahearne shares his reflections on a week of murder and funerals, politicians’ promises and one pope’s anger and another pope’s letters, and sadly more deaths.
But in it all we were taken ‘yet again to a mountain top and experienced that awesome presence of God and the dullness and dreariness of daily news was overwhelmed by grace and goodness.’Listening rather than hearing
Chris McDonnell reminds us that hearing is not listening. ‘Listening demands that we pay attention, that we concentrate, that for a while we are silent.’ When we really listen the results can be surprising and transforming.
St Mark has a message for people on the margins
Richard Rohr meditates on Mark’s gospel and finds there a model for ministry
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.”
Fr. Tony Flannery hosts International Network of Church Reform Movements participative conference in Co. Limerick
An International Network of Church Reform Movements conference will take place next week, from Monday 13th April to Thursday 16th April, in the Radisson Blu Hotel in Limerick.
This four day event is not open to the public but there will be an open session at 8.00pm on Thursday, 16th April in the Radisson Blu in Limerick. Some of the international participants will speak of their experience of Church Reform in their parts of the world, and how we can move forward. Members of the public are welcome to this event.Bishop Resigns – Pope Francis backs down in dispute with Nigerian priests
Joshua J. McElwee reports in the National Catholic Reporter on the long running dispute in the Nigerian diocese of Ahiara.
“The priests had complained that Bishop Peter Okpaleke was not from Mbaise, the region surrounding their diocese..”
In this case the charges could be proven false by the paternity test. In the vast majority of cases there is no way of proving the charges false. Even when charges are proven false, something sticks. Moreover, even when there is some truth in a charge, the tendency is to exaggerate it and paint things in the blackest possible colours.
Having just listened to the podcast of Friday morning’s edition of Today with Pat Kenny, I wish to congratulate Fr Sean and Fr Liam on an excellent interview. They spoke clearly of the huge injustice done to Fr Reynolds and of the tremendous anguish it caused to him and to all who know him. They spoke too for the need of a more fair approach on the part of RTE’s News and Current Affairs office in the way it reports on matters to do with priests and church. And all of this was said with dignity and in an even-handed way that did not sound either triumphant or vengeful. Well done lads!
Regarding Fr Reynolds defamation case against RTE I am glad that he has had the paternity test and his reputation and integrity are restored to him with that test.The minor who was raped and made pregnant who made accusation and is some one else guilty of this crime .There are many victims of clerical abuse who never had a day in court and were so damaged that their innocent lives were cut short and destroyed.Christ took all the sins of mankind to the cross for our salvation HE did not did not shrink that dreadful suffering but said forgive them Father no day in court !!
Fr Reynalds has had a very large payment in compensation etc and as a follower of Christ will he give this to the many victims of clerical abuse those whose names only the God knows.
I hope RTE continues with investigative journalism but learn from the mistakes in this particular case.
i
The Inquiry called for by Patsy McGarry yesterday (Tuesday), and now set in train by Pat Rabbitte, should be the responsibility of the Minister of Justice, not of Communications. This should not be a merely ‘technical’ inquiry to judge whether RTÉ carried out its remit, but one to decide which heads should roll so that others may learn some lessons. Aoife Kavanagh was no young ingénue, trying to break into investigative journalism by landing a big story, and nor were her producer, editor and director. McGarry is right in that the future credibility of Prime Time and RTÉ will be the main casualty if the investigation is less than thorough and transparent. But the rest of the media, and those who drove their own virulent agendas over the past decade, should be investigated too.