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
We are indebted to Sharon Tighe-Mooney who has written this article for us about the very topical issue of women and the diaconate.
Sharon clearly outlines what has been the stumbling block for the hierarchy – “the fear that including women to any extent would lead to a call for admission to the priesthood”, … “Fear, which is signified by the prioritising of the preservation of the self, has been the dominant feature in the Vatican’s response, both to the exposure of its faults as well as to the challenges that are a normal part of the human evolutionary experience. That is why a perfectly reasonable proposition, to restore women to a formal ministry within their own church, has floundered.”
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Pádraig McCarthy
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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”.”
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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