Month: September 2018

When Words prevent Prayer – the current state of the Eucharistic Liturgy

Maire Lawless voices her concerns with the on-going difficulties people experience with the “new translation” of the missal.
“The issue is very serious because some deeply spiritual people …… have found this to be the last straw of a power driven authoritarian church which now touched directly on their highly valued prayer life.  As a result they no longer have attendance at Roman Catholic Eucharist as a part of their practice.”

Automation is taking over more and more jobs

As artificial intelligence and automation is increasingly taking over and replacing workers, Sean McDonagh alerts us to the fact that it is not just governments and trade unions that need to plan for the future.
“Most Churches have not considered how they will organise pastoral care if 40% of the people in the parish are not involved in paid employment, which seem to be where this technology is taking us.”

The Best and Worst of Times

Seamus Ahearne shares one of his reflections on life and God being revealed in the reality of the world about us; “God is not dead. The beauty of our gift as faith-people is magnificent. We cannot tolerate the dark, the dull, the dreary, the deluge of overwhelming sadness.
We have to sensitize our minds, hearts and imaginations to the world of God. We are ministers of the Gospel. We have the ‘joy of love.’ That enthusiasm has to burst out from us. Whatever gets in the way of this; has to be pushed aside.”

The Fragile Face of Dignity

Chris McDonnell, writing in the Catholic Times, states what should be obvious to all; “Renewal and repair is not only a clerical task, for clericalism has been one of the deep seated roots from which have grown our present dysfunctional state. The laity must willingly accept the burden of reformation, bringing their skills, talents and experience to the service of faith. And they must be listened to, not brushed aside as an inconvenient irritant as has so often been the case. Parish councils, Diocesan councils are not an optional feature but play an essential part of our journey, they facilitate meaningful exchange.”

Book Review: Priesthood Imprisoned: A crisis for the Church. 

Tim Hazelwood reviews John E. Ryan’s ‘Priesthood imprisoned: A crisis for the Church.’
Tim says of it “we experience an insider’s look and honest appraisal of priesthood that greatly adds to this book’s authenticity and attraction.”

Tim’s review first appeared in the The Furrow, June 2018. With thanks to the Furrow and to Tim.

The Regulation of Episcopal Conferences since Vatican II

Joe O Leary commented that “The whittling away of the theological status of episcopal conferences right through John Paul II’s pontificate has a kind of blueprint in Joseph Ratzinger’s 1982 book, Theologische Prinzipienlehre [Principles of Catholic Theology,1987]. It is dismal reading and unveils a full-length portrait of the conservative theologian that he had become.”
Joe kindly makes available an article that Massimo Faggioli wrote in the Japan Mission Journal in 2004:

Ireland’s Care for Our Common Home

Sean McDonagh, Columban priest and president of An Taisce, reminds us that in his ‘On Care for Our Common Home’ Pope Francis asserted that “Christians realise that their responsibility within creation and their duty towards nature and the Creator, are an essential part of their faith.”
Sean says that “If our care of the environment is judged by our commitment to vision outlined in Laudato Si’ Ireland is not doing well at all. “

Erring Shepherds

Aidan Hart, in this article from the Association of Catholics in Ireland website, not only provides a catalogue of the abuse of minors that has led to the Church losing ‘much of its moral leadership around the world, particularly among younger Catholics in the northern hemisphere.’ but says ‘Lay people must be given back effective ownership of their Church, in which they will work, in word and action and partnership with clergy, guided by the Holy Spirit and a deep knowledge of Sacred Scripture and strengthened divine Eucharist – to help bring about on earth God’s Kingdom of unconditional love and mercy for all human kind and all of nature.’

A Suffering Church

Chris McDonnell writing in the Catholic Times comments on the ongoing crisis about abuse; “We cannot avoid the downpour of critical comment that now surrounds us. It is only through our sincere and humble action that we can begin the re-establishment of the credibility of the Christian message.
It will demand a re-examination of structures and disciplines that may have led us down this broken path.”

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