Prayers were offered in parishes across Ireland at the weekend in thanksgiving for the diocesan phase of the universal synod, with Archbishop of Armagh Eamon Martin describing it as the “largest consultation ever to take place in the Catholic Church”. “I am grateful to all who participated for their constructive engagement in the many local…
Sacramental marriage for gay and lesbian Catholics and the ordination of women priests are key demands of an LGBT focus group set by Bishop Kevin Doran as part of the synodal process. A Church-wide apology to LGBT people and their families from the Pope as well as priests and bishops and an end to the…
Staff reporter A new book aimed at helping Catholics engage with the ongoing synod process has been launched in Limerick. Bishop of Achonry Paul Dempsey urged all people who care about the future of the Church to be part of the process and use the book as a tool in the wider discernment process that…
Editor’s Comment The Irish synodal process is continuing apace. Interest has been patchy; some parish gatherings have attracted only a handful of people – others have seen hundreds of people eager to have their say on the future of their faith community. Priests and even bishops have varying levels of interest in the process, with…
Dear Editor, Anyone who has been following the live streaming of Masses during the pandemic and after, could not fail to have noticed that not only are many of the priests elderly, but almost without exception, regular congregations are made up of elderly men and women. Pope Francis is challenging us to look to the…
Despite the challenges, Mass-going Catholics continue to find their parishes life-giving and hugely value the role of their hard-working priests. This is one of the key trends emerging in synodal reports as the 26 dioceses have now forwarded their summaries to Maynooth. Many parishes have been meeting over recent months to look at what brings…
A former Anglican bishop of Rochester who converted to Catholicism late last year has warned against the danger of viewing the synod as a “democratic process”. Speaking to The Irish Catholic newspaper, Dr Michael Nazir-Ali said that the Anglican communion has sometimes been “misled” by this kind of thinking and that while consulting laity and…
Fr Billy Swan The recent controversy over the ownership of the National Maternity Hospital brought the issue of Catholic ethos sharply into focus. The central issue played out in the media was that medical procedures in the hospital should not be influenced by Catholic ethos. Why? Because a Catholic ethos, it is assumed, is an…
The Vatican hosted a virtual listening session with Catholics with disabilities May 19 as part of the Synod on Synodality process. People from more than 20 countries participated in the video call hosted by the Vatican Dicastery for Laity, Family, and Life on May 19, with some expressing concerns about experiences of discrimination and exclusion. A participant…
Michael Kelly
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