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Irish priests: Guilt by association is unfair and unjust (Irish Times)
The editorial in today’s Irish Times, following the Annual General Meeting of the ACP, is interesting and is to be welcomed, even if it is, to be honest, somewhat of a surprise.
Bishop: Irish hierarchy should reach out to priests like Fr. Tony Flannery
Sarah Mac Donald reports in the NCR on comments by Bishop Donal McKeown of Derry who said that unless the bishops are seen to be “willing to go way beyond our comfort zone then people will say you are just a group looking after yourselves.”
Tony Flannery responding said that he has received “great support from many people and priests,” but he has also experienced “how quickly and completely church authorities shut you out as soon as the Vatican moves against you…… All I have ever looked for in relation to myself and others who are accused of ‘dissent’ is a process that is fair, just and transparent.”
He added, “The present CDF process is a scandal, and brings shame on our church.””The Widow’s Mite
Brian Fahy’s reflection on ‘The Widow’s Mite’ reminds us “to give what I have, however little it seems. It will be the more in God’s eyes.”
…. “This is a Christian truth. Every human being, every life is important: important to oneself first of all, important to God most of all, and important for all of us to learn.”Provisional translation of Pope Francis’ address at the closing of the Synod:
Address of Pope Francis at end of Synod.
“… a temptation to hostile inflexibility of the so-called ‘traditionalists’ and also of the intellectuals… the temptation of the ‘do-gooders,’… of the so-called ‘progressives and liberals…’
Laudato Si and the Path to COP 22
Seán McDonagh, SSC reports on a Joint Consultation on ‘Laudato Si’ and the Path to ‘COP 22’ organised by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace and the Pontifical Academy of the Sciences.
He quotes Prof. Ramanathan Veerabhadran as saying “the effect of greenhouse gases on global warming is the most important environmental issue facing the world today.”
“At the end of the meeting the group released this document in preparation for the COP 22 which will take place in Marraakesh from November 7 to 18th 2016.
“ The Paris Climate Agreement is historic. For the first time since the signing of the 1992 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), all countries have agreed to act in order to protect the planet. The core goals include: (1) keeping warming to “well below 2-degrees C” and “to pursue efforts to keep below 1.5-degree C”; (2) enabling countries to adapt to the adverse impacts already underway; and (3) ensuring the flow of fair and equitable financing to achieve the climate goals.”Nurturing the roots
Siobhán Larkin is a Holy Faith Sister who worked in New Zealand; she has lectured in All Hallows and has recently completed her Doctorate.
In this article she kindly shares some of the conclusions that she has drawn from her research.
Her thesis “puts the spot light on work that is being done by many committed lay people and suggests that education of this group in particular is imperative if this strong force within the Catholic Church is to be maintained and expanded.”
“the renewal of the Church in Ireland is most likely to begin at grass roots level, and that it is in the renewal of parish life that the sense of belonging to the community of the Church will be revived.”
“Official recognition of the place of lay people in ministry roles in Ireland is essential……. At national and diocesan level it is essential that ways of financing the education of adult lay people, particularly those who are undertaking significant roles, is found.”
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.