An edited version of this article by Peter Stanford about the bishops' meeting in Rome to discuss clerical sexual abuse appeared recently in The Observer.
"It is an appalling moral failure and needs to end now, but that will involve rethinking an entire approach to sexuality in Catholicism that is peculiar, punitive and often plain perverse. The Jesus of the gospels had almost no interest is such matters. Why does the Church leadership? "

Gerry Heffernan of St Joseph’s and St Anthony’s Parish, Brisbane shares a prayer with us on the occasion of the Vatican Summit dealing with the issue of abuse in the church.

Brendan Hoban in his Western People column takes a look at a new proposed programme on Sex Education in schools, at what could be the next debate / battle "between civil and religious contexts' where "distrust and accusation are the order of the day."....
"The hope would be that ... we’ve learned a bit from our mistakes: that we don’t know it all; that we can learn from those we may disagree with; ... and especially that, given all that has happened in recent decades, we’re not in the best place to pontificate on matters sexual. In other words, that we can learn as well as teach."

A talk by Fr Gerry O'Hanlon in The Parish Centre, Leighlinbridge, Co Carlow on Tuesday 19 February at 7.45 p.m.

Paddy Ferry brings our attention to an article by Mary Cullen, editor of Open House where she sets the scene for the Open House conference in June which will explore some of the new directions opening up in the Catholic Church in Scotland.   
This article first appeared in February/March edition of Open House and we are grateful to Mary Cullen for permission to publish it here.

A reminder for our Scottish friends that Gerry O'Hanlon travels to Edinburgh on Tuesday to speak at the Newman Association.

Seamus Ahearne reflects on the final article written by Daniel O Leary for The Tablet - ‘Coming Home Too Soon.
We carry a link to the article in The Tablet.

Chris McDonnell in the Catholic Times (an edited version of a longer article published in the Dominican Journal SPIRITUALITY this month) about the cult, and curse, of clericalism.
"Our recognition of clergy as a defined group has become confused with our appreciation of priesthood, that 'royal priesthood' we all share, ...... "

The ACP is following up issues raised at the recent AGM on the care and wellbeing of priests with a series of Regional Meetings.
A series of public meetings on church reform issues is planned for later in the year.

Brendan Hoban writes in his Western People column of his hopes for a new style of leadership in the church in Ireland.
"What we need are bishops who are secure enough in their own skin to be able to live with ambivalence and complexity......who have the imagination, the creativity and above all the courage not to keep looking over their shoulders to Rome and to confront – respectfully but robustly – those who want to lead us back to the nineteenth century. "

Fr Daniel O'Leary passed away peacefully in the early hours of Monday 21st January.
Announcement of his death from his website and a tribute from Chris McDonnell