Like those involved in overseeing the synodal process all along, the people who served on working groups producing proposals for this weekend’s National Assembly deserve appreciation for their efforts. Nevertheless, their proposals require close scrutiny, as the Synodal Pathway is not simply another venture in renewal, but makes the extraordinary claim of having determined the…
An uncompromising challenge for parishes amid priestly shortages My this stage of the year, whatever “clerical changes” there have been will have taken effect across Irish dioceses, and those most directly impacted will be adjusting to their new or their amended circumstances. Such changes have generally become less newsworthy throughout the country, reminding us of…
Northern Catholics of my parents’ generation had an image of Belfast City Hall as a citadel of hardline unionism. It was an imposing presence at the centre of the city and seemed to symbolise the dominance of a culture with which they felt little in common. They would hardly have envisaged that, within most of…
An editorial in this newspaper, last week, reflected on the issue of engagement with the Synodal Pathway. Ultimately it posed the fairly fundamental question of ‘who exactly is this process for?’ It raised, in its analysis, the apparent “disengagement” of Irish priests. It implied an absence from the process on the part of The Irish…
As readers of this newspaper may recall, a resource was offered by the Irish Synodal Pathway for use during Lent this year. Baptised and Sent in Lent was presented as a “Reflection Programme” for parishes, schools, individuals and groups. As the title suggests, the resource was related to the previous Irish synodal document Baptised and…
Relentless Ministry – In a new series written by Priests, we will explore what most priests describe as “Relentless Ministry” and the challenges of being a priest in Ireland today Listening to priests around the country – and reading what some have written – there is a discernible sense of the ‘end of an era’…