Dear Editor, Thank you for your continued focus on the synodal pathway on which the Church in Ireland is not embarked. It is long overdue, but must not be allowed to become a ‘talking shop’ that goes nowhere dominated by the sort of people we all remember at meetings during our professional career. Thankfully I…
Bishop of Raphoe Alan McGuckian SJ launched an “ambitious” pastoral plan March 31, which he said will encourage a more synodal diocesan structure, with greater emphasis on well-formed parish pastoral councils. The pastoral plan for 2022-2024, Forward Together/ Ar Aghaidh le Chéile, recommends the formation of a diocesan pastoral council, as well as new professional…
The chairman of Germany’s Catholic bishops’ conference has responded to a strongly worded critique of the “Synodal Way” by his Polish counterpart. Bishop Georg Batzing said in a March 16 letter that he sought “a real theological exchange” with Archbishop Stanislaw Gadecki over the direction of the controversial multi-year process bringing together Germany’s bishops and…
We are called to be more energised Christians with a stronger pastoral and missionary sense, writes David Quinn Most parishes are now holding meetings, or gatherings, to consider the future of the Church ahead of a Synod in Rome next year. In its own words, the purpose of that synod is “not to produce documents,…
The chair of Ireland’s synodal steering committee has said that the synodal pathway will reach out to other denominations, but there is a “special emphasis” on Baptised Christians. Dr Nicola Brady said that for the purposes of the synodal pathway a “distinction is made between those who are Baptised Christians and those who are not”.…
The View In March last year the bishops announced a new synodal pathway leading to a national synod assembly or assemblies. The purpose of that process was to answer one question – “What does God want from the Church in Ireland at this time?” Some 500 people or groups wrote in to answer the question…
For some reason the last week felt very long. When Friday night, February 4, finally came last week I found myself sitting at the kitchen table, in front of the laptop, watching the live stream from the synodal path in Germany. It was the third out of four major gatherings taking place in Frankfurt/Main. I…
Cardinal Newman, Justin Martyr and Irenaeus have a lot to teach us about synodality, writes Kingsley Jones In a time of confusion and division in the Church, to whom should we go? We could try St Irenaeus, whom Pope Francis has recently declared the Church’s Doctor of Unity, or perhaps Bishop William Crean of Cloyne’s…
We need to use the synod to see what we can learn from the newer Catholic communities in Ireland, writes Sr Josephine Enenmo, OLA I am delighted at this opportunity to share my experience of being part of the Church in Ireland and my hopes for this journey titled: ‘For a synodal Church: Communion, Participation,…
Over the past week, two leading European cardinals, both of whom enjoy broad favour with Pope Francis, have made public statements calling for a change in the Catholic Church’s current position on the issues of homosexuality and priestly celibacy. Homosexual relationships In an interview published in Germany’s Catholic News Agency (KNA) earlier this week, Jesuit…
David Quinn
Nuala O’Loan