Chai Brady and Ruadhán Jones Young Irish priests have expressed their hurt at being characterised as “rigid” in the national synodal synthesis sent to Rome recently. The synthesis, which identified key themes emerging from nationwide consultation, made one mention of younger priests, saying: “some participants were concerned that some younger priests are very traditional and…
Staff Reporter One of the Pope’s key advisers organising the unprecedented synod consultation process has insisted that what is needed is a change of attitude, not a change of doctrine. Chairman Jesuit Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, who is serving as chairman of the synod, insisted at a Vatican press conference on Friday: “I am not in…
Participants will face a packed agenda and heated debate at the upcoming fourth plenary assembly of the Synodal Path reform project on the future of the Catholic Church in Germany. At their meeting September 8-10 in Frankfurt, the approximately 230 delegates will discuss 14 papers, reported the German Catholic news agency KNA. These include texts…
Bishop Kevin Doran has said it is not for bishops or any member of the Catholic faithful to “cancel” Christ’s invitation to the Eucharist for certain groups. In his homily at Knock, August 21, the bishop of Elphin said he “would seriously question whether I as a bishop, or you as a member of the…
A secretary general of the synodal pathway has been appointed to promote synodality in the Church in Ireland and coordinate the work of the national synodal pathway. The appointee, Julieann Moran, will also support Ireland’s contribution to the ‘Synod on Synodality’ initiated by Pope Francis for 2021-2023 with the theme, ‘For a Synodal Church: Communion,…
The Church in Ireland claims credit for listening to survivors, but doesn’t hear them, survivors of abuse in the Church who took part in the synodal process have said. Eight survivors took part in the synod on the invitation of the Oversight Committee Towards Peace, a spiritual support group for people who experienced abuse in…
The Church stops listening to the voice of the Lord when it follows cultural changes and ceases “to be a stone in society’s shoe”, according to Bishop Donal McKeown of the Diocese of Derry. In his homily on Sunday Bishop McKeown said that Jesus “challenges our cosy assumptions” about God and being Christ’s follower, and…
The signs of the times can sometimes directly contradict the Church, writes David Quinn Throughout the history of Christianity there have been battles over what is true and false, right and wrong. These battles have often been fierce, and sometimes violent. In the early Church there were tremendous disputes over the doctrine of the Holy…
Staff reporter The bishops of Ireland welcomed Tuesday the publication of the National Synthesis of the Synodal Process on www.synod.ie, while inviting “the whole people of God in this country to study its findings carefully and prayerfully”. The National Synthesis has been forwarded to Rome as part of the worldwide synodal process launched by Pope Francis…
The findings of the largest consultation process ever undertaken in the Church in Ireland – part of the synodal pathway – were sent to Rome this week. Here The Irish Catholic presents a summary of the 15 major themes of the report. Abuse as part of the story of the Church The scale of…
Ruadhán Jones
Chai Brady
David Quinn