Report on Clonfert meeting of ACP

A very good and well attended meeting of priests ministering in Clonfert on Monday afternoon, March 21st. It was organised and hosted by Fr Ciaran Kitching, in Killimor. There were 18 priests present (very impressive in a small diocese) and participation was good. It was chaired by P.J. Madden, who gave a brief background to the formation and present loose structure of the association, with the desire to strengthen our organisation so that we could better minister to members. P.J. also explained that the association website was open to all priests and encuoraged those present to join in a show of solidarity with each other, to lift morale.
Issues considered in detail were the rights of priests when accused, and our stand on the new translation. In the latter, P.J. outlined in detail the policy of the association so far and then briefed them on the bishops’ meeting and follow up letter. There was a good discussion, with differing views coming across: Some were very annoyed with this new development, while others felt it was a done deal, and advised that we should leave it; don’t take a position which will see the new ACP get crushed by the hierarchy as happened the NCPI. But there majority opinion probably favoured not opposing the new missal.
There was a good exchange on the rights of priests issue with questions raised about house rights and right to one’s good name.
P.J. also raised the Eucharistic Congress and the new Catechetical Directory, and informed the meeting that we would have an organisational meeting again in June and a full open meeting in September. Overall there was a positive attitude to the new ACP and several paid dues there and then.  The meeting lasted one and a half hours.

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