The Association of Catholic Priests
will host a public meeting on
Women and the Church
on Saturday, 05 October 2019, at 2.00 p.m.
in DCU, Dublin
Speakers:
Sharon Tighe-Mooney
and
Mary McAleese (in an interview with Gerry O’Connor cssr)
All welcome
Live link to Vatican News…
Seamus Ahearne posts a mid-summer reflection. Among other issues he wonders if “When people look backwards and dump the blame for everything on the past – they simply are avoiding the responsibility of what is facing them at the moment……. It is so much easier to be apologetic about the past than it is to look at today.”
He worries for Pope Francis “Why wouldn’t people leave him alone to get on with his business in Rome? We need him so badly and yet we waste his energy and time.”
But this mid-summer Seamus tells us. “We can stand back and let all this seriousness and pomposity of life be smiled at.”
Chris McDonnell offers a thought on Holocaust Memorial Day – lest we ever forget where hatred and racism lead.
With acknowledgement to La Croix, this article is a disturbing account of the impact of clerical sex abuse on the Australian Church. It is crystallised in the trial of George…
Austin Ivereigh is a great friend of Pope Francis – having written his two Biographies. He has also just written a new book entitle First Belong to God – On Retreat…
Seamus Ahearne is wondering if “We may have to learn new and different ways of celebrating Rituals. I think the official Books don’t do it. But that is very true of much of our present Liturgies.”
” If only this time of desert, (of House Arrest) stirred the hunger within, for what really is essential to living life to the full.”
Thank you ACP for facilitating a further discussion in relation to women in the CC.
Mary Vallely’s comment in an earlier thread is I feel equally relevant here.
“Eddie@1, I took great comfort in some of the statements issued by our new auxiliary bishop, Michael Router, both as bishop elect and in his ordination address.
If I may quote :-
“the Church must never hanker for the certainties of the past but work towards creating a new expression of what it means to be Church in this time and this place.”
The Church in Ireland had become “too comfortable in its position of temporal as well as spiritual authority.”….
“It must be said that as a Church we rely heavily on the cooperation, support and help of women to achieve anything worthwhile. Their contribution needs further enhancement and development if we are to flourish in the future.”
And quoting Pope Francis in his recent Exhortation Christus Vivit,
“a Church that is overly fearful and tied to its structures can be invariably critical of efforts to defend the rights of women, and constantly point out the risks and the potential errors of those demands. Instead, a living Church can react by being attentive to the legitimate claims of those women who seek greater justice and equality”.”
—
I would hope that priests at local Parish level, along with their respective PCs would show their appreciation for women and the work they do in their parishes by publicly announcing this public meeting from the Sanctuary and/or posting it in the weekly newsletter. Parishioners need to know that their PP/ Priests are supportive in this regard. Whilst this is not the ideal situation it is our reality and so silent gentlemen.. it’s time to find/lend your voice to positive change… be not afraid..
https://twitter.com/irlpol/status/1180552351427502081