The support group for Priests and Religious out of Ministry is now up and running. The first meeting of the Support Group will take place on February 2nd, 2013. Priests and Religious may access more information about this meeting by phoning one of the organisers of the meeting at 085 8607144
Martin Pendergast reflects on the growth of priests’ movements around the world, and what it might be saying about the Church
A small number of us priests who are out of ministry because of boundary issues realise that we can get through the sense of isolation and exclusion by being companions…
Peter Feuerherd reports in the National Catholic Reporter on a resolution endorsed by the Association of U.S. Catholic Priests, calling upon Catholic bishops in the United States to enlist the aid of lay pastoral workers to administer parishes.
Sean McDonagh gives his reaction to the report from COP20 in Lima.
The Lima document broke with all previous COPs where the burden of reducing greenhouse gases was placed squarely on the shoulders of rich countries which historically have been emitting carbon dioxide since the beginning of the industrial revolution. In Lima poor countries felt that rich countries were attempting to move the burden of reducing carbon dioxide emissions on to their shoulders.
Seán O Conaill argues that clergy-inspired shame over the phenomenon of sexuality has brought about the magisterium’s blindness to the effects of clerical abuse of children.
The New York Times profiles Father Helmut Schüller, the ‘mild but rebellious priest’ who was part of the 2011 ‘Appeal to Disobedience’ by 400 priests in Austria. This initiative began with a small group of priests, talking about the problems faced by their parishes, about the lack of successors to take their places, and about the fusing of congregations.
(A version of this article appeared in print on March 23, 2013, on page A8 of the New York edition with the headline: With New Pope, Spotlight Returns to a Mild but Rebellious Priest.)
Well done and good luck with this – and may those good men/women get that help and support they so desperately need. If really successful might initiate another level of support for others in our Church community who might wish some affirmation and support also, in differing contexts.
Good for you and hope men, and women are making use of the call.
God bless all in this endeavour.