Wednesday, May 01, 2024
New national Synodal team starts its “challenging and exciting” work
Father Declan
Hurley, Administrator of Saint Mary’s Parish, Navan, has been appointed
chairperson of the team.
At today’s meeting, Father Hurley said, “The National Synodal Team has
been formed with both continuity and growth in mind. Some of the
members of the previous Steering Committee have been appointed to the
team, alongside some new members, representing diverse competencies in
the areas of synodality, communications, theology, formation and
training, planning, pastoral and social outreach, cultural discernment,
and youth. It is envisaged that the National Synodal Team will also
work co-responsibly with the councils, commissions, and agencies of the
Bishops’ Conference, and establish working groups to assist in the
implementation and rolling out of specific pathways/themes within the
overall National Synodal Pathway. The Synodal Pathway represents both a
challenging and exciting time for the Church in Ireland as we discern
together what it is that God is asking of us at this time.”
Also speaking today, the General Secretary for the Irish Synodal
Pathway, Ms Julieann Moran, said, “I look forward to working closely
with the National Synodal Team over the next two years as it aims to
introduce and support initiatives across all levels of the Church in
Ireland. The success of the Irish Synodal Pathway requires continuous
engagement with parishes and dioceses, as well as engagement with
religious communities, ecclesial movements and associations of lay
faithful. The change in name, and focus – from a Steering Committee to a
National Synodal Team – better reflects the fact that the role of this
team will be to work collaboratively with the local Church, whilst
progressing aspects of the work that will require national-level
planning and implementation.”
Pope responds with 'open heart' to Vatican document criticism from parents of LGBTQ children
The pontiff told the parents he received their critique with an "open heart."
On April 30, Francis sent a brief letter to Drachma Parents — an outgrowth of a ministry seeking to provide welcome spaces for LGBTQ Catholics and other people of faith — praising what he described as their "very beautiful and good" work.
Both the pope's letter and the original correspondence from the Drachma Parents have been reviewed by the National Catholic Reporter, and Drachma has asked that the full contents of Francis' correspondence remain private.
In their original April 23 letter to Francis, Drachma alleged that the Vatican text, released on April 8 and titled Dignitas Infinita, makes it more difficult for transgender Catholics and their parents to remain in the church and fails to understand the concrete realities of such families.
Further, they argued that the Vatican declaration makes it more difficult for parents to accompany LGBTQ children, fails to recognize the complexity of issues around gender and sexuality and is inconsistent with the pope's own approach of pastoral outreach.
Their three-page letter began with effusive praise of Francis, including his December 2023 decision to allow priests to bless individuals in same-sex relationships, his support for decriminalizing homosexuality and his own personal outreach to LGBTQ individuals, including inviting trans women for lunch at the Vatican.
According to Drachma Parents, the letter was hand-delivered to Francis by Fr. Andrea Conocchia, an Italian parish priest known for his work among various marginalized groups, including transgender Catholics.
But, the letter argued that there is a "grave risk" that five paragraphs in the 12,000-word Vatican document could undermine these initiatives and "once again push trans people to the periphery and so remove that small shaft of light they might have found to make them feel whole."
Released by the Vatican's doctrinal office, Dignitas Infinita ("Infinite Dignity") was intended to broaden the scope of what the Catholic Church considers to be "grave violations" to human dignity, beyond only questions of sexual ethics.
At the same time, among a specific list of violations to human dignity, the text includes gender-affirming surgery, gender theory and surrogate motherhood alongside issues such as war, migration, poverty and sexual abuse.
Among the criticisms raised in the letter to Francis are:
- Concerns of possible rising homeless rates of transgender children being kicked out of their homes, often motivated by religious convictions;
- A potential increase in hate speech, discrimination, violence and transphobia as a result of the Vatican's document;
- The decision to include gender theory and medical interventions for transgender people as potentially morally on par with poverty, war, human trafficking, the abuse of migrants, abortion, and clergy sexual abuse;
- A failure to recognize that transgender persons are seeking physical and mental integrity;
- A lack of scientific or theological studies cited within the Vatican document.
The parents' letter goes on to call for an international symposium to be organized on the themes of sexual and gender diversity that includes LGBTQ persons and their parents, scientific researchers and theologians to "explore a more inclusive language and a better pastoral framework."
In an April 30 NCR interview, Joseanne Peregin, a founding member of Drachma Parents, said she had originally hoped the human dignity document would be an opportunity to clarify some of the language the church has used around LGBTQ issues.
In particular, she said the church's use of the phrase "intrinsically disordered" to describe same-sex relations "creates a ripple effect among many millions of faithful, because the LGBT reality is put in a negative framework."
At an April 8 Vatican press conference promoting the document's release, Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández, head of the Vatican's doctrinal office, did not disown the church's past language but said perhaps the description should be "conveyed in other words."
Peregin said that the pope's pastoral outreach to LGBTQ individuals over the years has been hopeful and "it had a ripple effect to show people they had a place in the church." Now, she says she worries this new document will have the opposite effect, especially for transgender individuals and their parents.
"Suddenly, this document makes [parents] question, 'Should I be walking with my child?' " she said. "This document may have had good intentions but it misses an opportunity to put a bit more clarity and, like a parent, have the humility to admit that it does not know enough and may still need to learn more."
At a time when the global church has prioritized synodality and the need to listen to the concerns of all Catholics, she specifically emphasized the need for a global forum within the church specifically on these issues.
"It could be a moment of grace if we have the humility to say, let's bring research together, let's try to build some hopeful vision for families," she said.
Peregin, who is also a founder and president of the European Network of Parents of LGBTI+ Persons, drew a comparison to when before the release of "Laudato Si', on Care for Our Common Home," the pope's 2015 encyclical on the environment, the Vatican consulted with a range of scientific researchers and theologians on the question of climate change.
"We need a wide consultation with leading experts," on these issues, she said. "It's a chance to prove how credible you are or not."
Peregin herself knows firsthand what type of fruits this dialogue can yield, citing her own experience with Cardinal Mario Grech — the now head of the Vatican's synod secretariat — and his efforts to better understand the experience of LGBTQ Catholics and their families when he was bishop of Gozo, Malta.
As of now, she told NCR she is pleased with the pope's initial response and hopes that a deepening of the discussion may continue.
"We are determined to continue in our mission to support other parents and continue building a bridge between the LGBT+ community and our Church," the Drachma Parents' letter concludes. "Yes, we still call it 'our Church.' "
Archdiocese of New Orleans under investigation for decades-long child sex trafficking coverup
The warrant says that Louisiana State Police are seeking all documents linked to the archdiocese's sexual abuse scandal including letters and emails, as well as priest assignments, transfers and personnel files.
State Police are also asking the archdiocese turn over records of all complaints of sexual abuse made to archdiocesan officials and financial records related to the archdiocese's sexual abuse cases and documents that led to priests being added to the list of priests who have been credibly accused of committing sexual abuse.
The warrant comes after case's lead investigator testified under oath that his team found a decades-long pattern of "widespread sexual abuse," which included a victim investigators spoke with in June 2022 who "detailed being anally raped at an Archdiocese facility by Ex-Priest Father Lawrence Hecker, who served in 13 different congregations during his career."
This led to the investigation into the Archdiocese, WWL reports.
Archdiocesan officials reportedly covered up the abuse and failed to report it to law enforcement.
When investigators executed the search warrant during their investigation into Hecker, they uncovered documents that previous archbishops knew of the sexual abuse and failed to report claims to law enforcement, but spent Archdiocese funding to support the accused priests.
According to the warrant, investigators gathered statements from multiple victims who reported being brought to other parishes outside of Louisiana where they were abused.
WWL reports that Rodrigue said those victims reported how priests allegedly passed victims around to each other, with priests giving victims gifts to give to another priest as a signal that the victim was a target for abuse.
Other victims, detailed how they were brought to the New Orleans Seminary where they were told to swim naked in the pool and would be sexually assaulted or abused.
The search warrant's release comes as the Orleans Parish District Attorney's Office works to prosecute Hecker, who admitted to a WWL-TV reporter that he molested a teen in the 1970s.
A judge recently ruled that Hecker, 92, is mentally incompetent to stand trial on sexual abuse charges, WWL reports.
Laity accuses India’s Eastern rite Church's head of conspiracy
Representatives from 300 parishes out of 328 under the Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese in southern Kerala passed a resolution on April 30 against the Eastern rite Church’s move to implement the disputed uniform mode of Mass (Holy Qurbana), in which the celebrant faces the altar during the Eucharistic prayer.
The resolution passed at a meeting in central Ernakulam, where the Church is headquartered, urged the Vatican to allow the archdiocese to continue with the traditional mode of Mass where the celebrant faces the congregation throughout.
The Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese is the seat of the Church's head, Major Archbishop Raphael Thattil. It is currently run jointly by a pontifical delegate and an apostolic administrator. The Major Archbishop has no administrative power in the archdiocese.
Last year, the Vatican appointed Jesuit Archbishop Cyril Vasil of Slovakia as a pontifical delegate to resolve the liturgical dispute. However, his mission failed as priests in the archdiocese stuck to their demand to continue their traditional Mass, where the celebrant faced people throughout the Mass.
Barring Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese, all 34 dioceses of the Church implemented the uniform mode of Mass, approved by the Synod, the apex decision-making body, within the November 2021 deadline.
In a video message, Pope Francis had warned the dissenting priests of excommunication if they fail to celebrate the Synod-approved Mass by Dec. 25, 2023.
The archdiocese houses nearly 10 percent of the Church's 5 million followers. Established as a vicariate by Pope Leo XIII in 1896, it is the seat of power of the second largest Eastern rite Church.
The resolution asked the Vatican to grant their traditional mode of Mass a liturgy-variant status or declare the archdiocese as a separate Church under the control of the Holy See.
They said this move was necessitated after Church head Major Archbishop Raphael Thattil started “conspiring to destabilize the archdiocese.”
Archbishop Thattil was elected on Jan. 10 and assumed office the next day. His election was necessitated by Major Archbishop Cardinal George Alencherry's resignation on Dec.7, 2023.
Alencherry resigned amid escalating tension over the liturgy dispute and after his name figured in a court case in which he was accused of incurring loss of US$10 million to the Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese with his controversial property deals.
Thattil promised to talk with all stakeholders after assuming office, recalled Riju Kanjookaran, spokesperson of the Archdiocesan Movement for Transparency, a body comprising priests, religious, and the laity that spearheads the protest in the archdiocese.
“Until now, Thattil held no official meeting with priests and the laity. Instead, he is trying to destabilize the archdiocese by pushing to implement the Synod-approved Mass,” Kanjookaran told UCA News on May 1.
At the April 30 meeting, lay leaders opposed attempts to implement the Synod-approved Mass in the archdiocese.
“We have already informed the Vatican of our stand through an email. The hard copy of our resolution will be handed over to the papal office through our emissary in the Vatican,” added Kanjookaran.
They want the Church to approve their Mass as a liturgical variant or allow them to become an independent Church under the pope, separated from the Syro-Malabar Church.
The Syro-Malabar Church has not yet responded to the demand of the laity.
Their call to the Vatican came 11 days after 300 priests from the archdiocese made a similar appeal to the Vatican through its apostolic administrator, Bishop Bosco Puthur.
Priests and laypeople are irked with Thattil after he and Puthur issued a letter on April 12 underscoring the need to celebrate the Synod-approved Mass.
The letter made it clear that it was impossible to give any exemption to the archdiocese and warned of punitive action in case of failure.
Church ceremony for mafia couple sparks outrage
Tommaso Lo Presti, known as "the glutton" was recently released from jail after serving twelve years for mafia-related crimes.
His wife, Teresa Marino, was herself convicted of managing her husband's illicit activities during his incarceration.
The pair held their vow renewal ceremony at the Church of San Domenico on 15th April.
The event has caused considerable embarrassment among the Catholic clergy in Palermo, who insisted they were unaware of Lo Presti's identity, Italian media have reported.
Fr Sergio Catalano, who officiated the Mass, expressed his ignorance regarding the couple's background, stating to Italian media: "How could I have known? It's not as if I can ask for an anti-mafia certificate from people who come to the church."
He learned of their true identities only through subsequent news reports and mentioned that the couple made a generous donation intended for those in need.
The incident has sparked discussions about the responsibility of churches in vetting individuals for ceremonies.
Catholic Church to open more schools amid plans to scrap 50pc limit
The Catholic Church is poised to open more schools as Gillian Keegan confirms plans to scrap a limit on faith admissions in England.
The Education Secretary will launch a consultation on Wednesday on lifting a cap on faith-based admissions which stops free schools and academies from selecting more than half of pupils on the grounds of religion.
The Catholic Church has long opposed the cap, introduced in 2010, because it has argued that turning pupils away on the basis of their Catholic faith goes against canon law. Bishops have said they cannot sanction the creation of Catholic free schools while the cap is in place.
If the cap is removed, oversubscribed faith-based free schools will be able to select up to 100 per cent of their intake based on pupils’ religious belief.
Responding to the proposals, Ruth Kelly, the vice president of the Catholic Union, said: “The Catholic Church is one the oldest providers of education in this country, and Catholic schools consistently produce higher than average results. The fact that Catholic free schools were prevented from opening never made sense.”
‘Faith groups run some of the best schools’
Mrs Keegan, who attended a Catholic school, said she had seen first-hand how values and standards in faith schools “often give young people a brilliant start in life”.
She said: “Faith groups run some of the best schools in the country, including in some of the most disadvantaged areas, and it’s absolutely right we support them to unleash that potential even further – including through the creation of the first ever faith academies for children with special educational needs.”
It is understood that existing faith-based free schools, which currently have to adhere to the 50 per cent rule if oversubscribed, will be able to apply to have the cap lifted if the Government’s plans are given the green light.
The Department for Education consultation will also explore how to improve provision for children with special educational needs and disabilities by opening special faith academies.
It is currently not possible for special schools to open as academies and be designated with faith status.
The proposals were welcomed by the Church of England (CofE).
Nigel Genders, the chief education officer of the CofE, said: “This broad package is good news because it will mean more people can benefit from the education provided by Church of England schools which is so highly valued by parents and children and young people.
“By enabling Church of England special schools, we can serve the needs of more children in more communities, irrespective of their faith background.”
However, campaigners and education union leaders said going ahead with the plans would be a “retrograde step” and “wrong-headed” as they argued that more faith schools would exacerbate “discrimination, division and disadvantage”.
Andrew Copson, chief executive of Humanists UK, said: “The proposal to allow 100 per cent religious discrimination in new state faith schools will increase religious and racial segregation in our schools at a time when integration and cohesion has never been more important.
“It will further disadvantage poorer families, non-religious families, and families of the ‘wrong’ religion.”
Stephen Evans, chief executive of the National Secular Society, said lifting the cap would only “exacerbate the discrimination, division, and disadvantage that faith-based education encourages”.
Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the NAHT school leaders’ union, said it was worried that removing the cap was “an unnecessary and potentially retrograde step”.
He said: “We are concerned that there is a danger that such a move could inadvertently lead to a sense of selection through the back door and could potentially make it harder for some pupils to get a place at their local school.”
Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) charges metropolitan of Moscow-linked church with inciting religious hatred
Earlier the same day, sources in law enforcement agencies told the Kyiv Independent that SBU is carrying out searches at Kovalenko, without specifying the reason.
Kovalenko is the metropolitan bishop of Zaporizhzhia and Melitopol of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP).
The SBU press service said that Kovalenko had expressed contempt for followers of other religious denominations during church services and insulted other religions on his Telegram channel.
Chesno, a public transparency-focused Ukrainian NGO, accused Kovalenko of spreading pro-Russian propaganda and justifying Moscow's aggression against Ukraine.
In 2023, Kovalenko said that the Soviet persecution against the church in the era of Josef Stalin and Nikita Khrushchev was insignificant compared to "what is happening now in Ukraine," Chesno wrote.
Ukrainian authorities have stepped in against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate after widespread evidence of collusion of some of its members with Russian invading forces.
Other religious groups, such as the autocephalous Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) and other Christian and non-Christian organizations, operate freely in Ukraine, except for territories occupied by Russia, where they face heavy persecution.
Kovalenko also reportedly said in 2022 that Ukrainians deserved Russian strikes and shelling because they tolerated gay parades in Kyiv.
Ukrainian authorities sanctioned Kovalenko and six other members of the UOC-MP in December 2022.
Two men before court accused of burglary from Kilkenny church
David McDonagh, 1 Paddy Kelly Apartments, Good Shepherd Centre, Church Lane, Kilkenny is accused of the offence which is alleged to have taken place at St John’s Church on the Dublin Road on February 22, 2024.
The defendant is also accused criminal damage at St John’s Church on the same date and of burglary at St Mary’s Presbytery on James Street in Kilkenny on February 23.
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The defendant is also accused of theft from Dunnes Stores in Kilkenny on February 22.
State solicitor Gerry Meaney told the court that on March 13 of this year the DPP had consented to the defendant being sent forward to the current sittings of Kilkenny Circuit Court on a signed plea.
The defendant was remanded on bail subject to conditions to the current sittings of Kilkenny Circuit Court.
A co-accused also appeared in court charged with burglary at St John’s Church in Kilkenny City on February 22, 2024 and the matter was adjourned to July 22 for DPP’s directions.
Churches accused of a ‘shattering silence’ on redress for past injustices at Victoria’s Indigenous truth-telling inquiry
Representatives from the Catholic, Anglican and Uniting churches appeared on Wednesday at the Yoorrook Justice Commission, which is holding public hearings on land injustice.
The leaders told the inquiry their churches had run missions that harmed First Nations people and were complicit and benefitted from the dispossession of Indigenous Victorians’ land, including through receiving grants of land from the state with no regards to Indigenous sovereignty.
The Rt Rev Dr Richard Treloar, bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Gippsland, told the commission the diocese “laments that our colonial history includes atrocities committed against First Peoples”.
“Some of these involved in these heinous but no longer unspeakable acts are likely to have identified with the Church of England. Of this terrible legacy we repent,” he said.
But the Yoorrook commissioner, Anthony North KC, accused the churches of a “shattering silence about actions to redress” past injustices.
“I find that really saddening,” he said.
North said “treaty was one answer. It’s not the only answer.
Earlier in the hearing, Timothy Goodwin, counsel assisting the commission, said the Anglican Churches’ property trust held 260.5 hectares of land in Victoria – estimated to be worth $1.49bn.
Treloar told the commission that the diocese of Gippsland had a policy for 1.5% of the 20% it retains from land sales to be set aside for its Aboriginal ministry, but noted this was a “woefully inadequate figure”.
“This includes outreach to the community through rites of passage, times of grief and crisis, material support, referrals, pastoral care and school and agency governance,” he said.
Treloar said it was his “sincere hope” the 1.5% figure would increase. “I want to acknowledge that land injustice causes systemic disadvantage and legacy trauma,” he said.
The Uniting and Catholic Church representatives would not discuss their total land values.
The Rev David James Fotheringham, moderator of the Uniting Church synod of Victoria and Tasmania, said since the mid-1980s the church had a policy for “direct transfers of land.” He said since 2011 its policies ensured that a portion of sale proceeds went to its Indigenous congress. But he said it could also receive additional funds and was not limited to this.
Yoorrook has a mandate to investigate and create a public record of the systemic injustice experienced by First Nations people in Victoria since colonisation, including inequalities that persist today. It is due to deliver a final report by June next year that will make recommendations for reform and redress.
On Monday, the Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, appeared at Yoorrook. In a submission to the inquiry, she said and she said would deliver a potential apology to First Nations Victorians for injustice committed by the state.
Allan said said any apology would take place after the inquiry handed down its final report next year and would be negotiated with the First Peoples’ Assembly - the state’s democratically elected Indigenous body – who would consult with the wider Indigenous community.
Almost 1,000 litres of heating oil stolen from local church
The theft occurred between Saturday 6th of April and Saturday the 20th of April.
According to Garda Mick Duffy it is believed that the culprits spent a "considerable" amount of time at the scene to remove such a large quantity of oil.
Gardaí are appealing to anyone who noticed any suspicious activity or who observed a vehicle parked nearby for a length period of time to get in touch.
Speaking to Northern Sound, Garda Duffy highlighted that any information, big or small, can go a long way in helping investigating officers with their enquiries.
"Something that you may feel is insignificant could in fact tie in with other elements of an investigation. If there is anything at all that you feel may benefit the investigation please get in touch."
Campaign to save historic bell tower of Abbeyside Church in Waterford
A fundraising campaign has been launched to restore a historic church overlooking the sea in Waterford, and the public are urged to donate whatever they can to save the old bell tower.
Abbeyside Church's architecturally stunning Bell Tower and Chancel ruin are the historic and eponymous centre of Abbeyside Parish in County Waterford. The parish is fundraising to preserve the tower for future generations.
Today Abbeyside Church adjoins the tower forming the main entrance to the Church, meaning each time people worship they literally walk in the footsteps of the early Friars thus marking over seven centuries of ecclesiastical presence on this site.
The structure, officially recognised as a national monument, boasts a bell tower dating back to around 1450, affectionately known locally as ‘the Clogchás’, from the old Irish for belfry.
Water damage is now threatening the structural integrity of the bell tower and the Church authorities have to take action to preserve the structural integrity of the building."Please only donate if you can genuinely afford it,” said Fr Ned Hassett, PP of Abbeyside, Ballinroad, and Garranbane Parish. “Time has taken its toll on our bell tower, with water damage threatening its integrity. To safeguard this heritage for future generations, a conservation program is imperative.
“While the Parish has secured some funding, of 52pc, for the project, additional support is needed to stabilise the bell tower. We appeal to the community of Abbeyside, both near and far, to contribute to this vital preservation effort.
“This is phase one of our conservation project. Phase two which will happen in the coming years is the conservation of the chancel,” added Father Hassett. Donations can be made at www.idonate.ie/fundraiser/saveourabbey
Diocesan changes are met with a sense of sadness and unease (Opinion)
When I was 13 or so and a boarder in St Muredach’s College, I was given the honour of serving Mass every morning for the then Bishop of Killala, Patrick O’Boyle, who lived adjacent to the college.
Each morning I ran across to his house, lifted the latch on the back door and scurried up the stairs to a tiny oratory where he was kneeling in prayer.
Our exchange of pleasantries followed a limited and unvarying pattern.
Bishop: Is it raining?
Me: Yes (or No) My Lord.
That was it – apart from the responses to the Mass in Latin that followed an unvarying pattern and with which I was both familiar and practiced, having been tutored by St Perpetua Hynes in my native Ballycastle.
O’Boyle was a mild man, and I was surprised to discover in later years that, in the controversy over his dispute with striking primary teachers in Ballina in the 1950s, he had resisted enormous pressure from Archbishop John Charles McQuaid – eventually having to remind McQuaid that he had no jurisdiction over Killala diocese.
I thought of Bishop O‘Boyle and his successors – Tommy McDonnell and Tommy Finnegan – and wondered how they would have responded to the recent news that Killala diocese was being ‘merged’ into Tuam. With surprise, I’d imagine, but possibly too with a mixture of unease, disappointment and sadness.
A range of similar feelings are now being experienced by the people and priests of Killala diocese.
While it was obvious for some years that the downward spiral in the Catholic population, in religious practice and crucially in priest numbers was moving inexorably towards some form of rationalisation, it was one thing to predict the inevitable but a different matter to accept the reality of the disappearance of a diocesan identity and its history and traditions in all their familiar manifestations.
With any kind of dying, its implications, personal and far-reaching, tend to catch us by surprise. We never realise how deep-seated the influences and how substantial and potent the sense of loss can be. That’s unsurpisingly true of the loss of loved ones but also stunningly true of less personal closures.
Many, I suspect, were surprised by the sense of loss and sadness that accompanied the expected changes for Killala and Achonry dioceses. While those outside the experience can milk the more positive implications of change and can even advise the disappointed to get over themselves, those inside the experience find it difficult to rise to that wisdom.
It's interesting that the two bishops least emotionally involved in the proposed changes, Archbishop Francis Duffy of Tuam and Bishop Kevin Dolan of Elphin, have been most positive about their possibilities. It’s instructive too that, in recent years, the two dioceses most active in researching their history and traditions have been Killala and Achonry.
While it may be necessary to amplify the positivities of the new arrangements, it can be a bridge too far – certainly in the short term – for those experiencing a sense of loss and unease and whose natural sensitivities need to be respected.
Expectations, say, of ‘a new Springtime’ may (hopefully) turn out to be true but in the short term could be interpreted as a diminishment of the contribution the supporting diocese may be expected to play in the new ‘union’.
Part of the problem with uniting dioceses is that the lesser party can be in denial of it ever happening or may fail to imagine what it might actually look like in practice. Unrealistic expectations of what alternatives are available, despite the obvious data influencing the possible range of decisions, can feed that presumption. Like imagining that even though priest numbers in a given diocese in the immediate future of less than ten, that a diocese would be entitled to ‘at least an auxiliary’!
In recent months, when reading between the lines of comments made by the Papal Nuncio that Tuam and Killala would merge, I thought of the most famous Killala priest who became the most famous Tuam bishop – John MacHale, a native of Lahardane.
McHale served in Killala for ten years (1824-34). Appointed as a lecturer in Maynooth College, immediately after his ordination at 23, eleven years later he was appointed coadjutor bishop of Killala. Ten years later, in April 1834, on the death of Bishop Peter Waldron, he became bishop of Killala and six months later, in October of the same year, archbishop of Tuam.
It was no secret that MacHale had his eye on Tuam for some time. Just two years after being appointed to Killala, when he was invited by a number of Kilmore (Cavan) priests to submit his name for appointment to that diocese, he pointedly declared that he didn’t wish to leave his own province.
There was general consensus that MacHale – ambitious, gifted and with a strong national profile – was declaring his preference for a bishopric in the West and that he didn’t have either Clonfert or Achonry in his sights!
That said there was no doubting MacHale’s concern for his native diocese.
Some would even say that the possibility of bringing Killala with him to Tuam had crossed his mind but that happy dispensation of a merger was not to be.
As metropolitan –the head of the province – the task of appointing his successor in Killala fell into his lap and he brought the full force of his position and person to bear on persuading the Killala priests (and Rome) to accept that Francis O’Finan, a Dominican friar and a native of Corrimbla, Ballina was the best choice to take on the mantle of St Muredach.
It would, despite MacHale’s best efforts, all end in tears with an investigation by Rome into the mayhem that followed and O’Finan’s removal as bishop.
It all goes to show how mixing cocktails can sometimes end in tears.
Vatican to offer special Marian tour of Pope's gardens
For the month of May, which is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, the Vatican Museums are offering a tour of the Pope’s gardens every Wednesday and Saturday dedicated to Marian spirituality.
"The only way to stop war is through forgiveness!"
The message of the Virgin Mary is both disruptive and clear. Throughout history, she has not failed to indicate to humanity her plan of salvation. At Fatima, for example, appearing to the three shepherd children, she delivered a genuine "peace plan," inviting the world to pray, to return to the Gospel, and to consecrate themselves to her Immaculate Heart.
Prayer for Peace
These words are as relevant as ever when considering the state of the world today.
The Popes have always emphasized the importance and power of prayer for peace. The initiative "May with Mary," which will be offered by the Vatican Museums every Wednesday and Saturday, offers visitors the opportunity to immerse themselves in the beauty of the Vatican Gardens by walking through the various Marian images present there.
Wednesday and Saturday
"In the Marian month," explains Sister Emanuela Edwards, "on Wednesdays, pilgrims are invited to join us after the papal audience for an exceptional opening of the Gardens in honor of the Madonna. Additionally, on Saturday mornings, traditionally dedicated to Mary, visitors can take advantage of this pilgrimage tour."
The Queen of Peace
"May with Mary," continues the nun, "is a visit that includes 10 stops at the most important statues and images of the Madonna. It evokes a decade of the rosary, so in this period when there are many tensions in the world, at each Marian image, we will pray for peace in the world. It is worth remembering that in the gardens, there are 27 different images of the Madonna, so we can rightly say that these are Her gardens. Mary is the "Queen of Peace," and it is right to pray in this way for peace in the world."
The Pope’s Prayer
The Marian images featured in the "May with Mary" tour are linked to the devotion of the peoples who have turned to the Virgin in times of war to invoke peace. Regarding the Madonna of Fatima and the conflict in Ukraine, Sister Emanuela recalls: "Pope Francis followed the Fatima appeal by consecrating the cause of peace to the Queen of Peace. During our visit, we recite this same prayer in front of the statue of the Madonna of Fatima, in communion with the intentions of the Holy Father."
Mercy: The way to lasting peace
Walking through the Vatican Gardens, we encounter another example of Marian intercession for peace: the Madonna of Mercy, created by Renata Minuto at the entrance of the Chalet of Leo XIII.
"The Madonna," recalls the head of the Educational Activities Office of the Vatican Museums, "appeared to the peasant Antonio Botta in 1536. At that time, Savona was using all its forces in a war against the Republic of Genoa. Mary appeared to invite both parties to peace, urging them to use mercy and not justice, thus putting an end to the conflict.
Appearing as Our Lady of Mercy, our Mother teaches us how to have lasting peace. This is what she wants us to remember today in our world torn by war. The only way to stop war is through forgiveness!"
The spirituality of the Vatican Gardens
Nature, fountains, ancient artifacts, statues of the Virgin and saints contribute what can be defined as the "spirituality of the Vatican Gardens," a refuge of prayer and contemplation appreciated and lived by the Successor of Peter.
"In this beautiful place, the Popes, such as John Paul II and Benedict XVI, used to take a daily walk as a moment of rest and prayer. Even Pope Francis, like his predecessors, adorned the Gardens with a statue of the Virgin of Luján, made from recycled materials to remind us that nothing is lost, nothing is discarded, but everything has meaning within the magnificent work of God. We can say that, in a sense, the garden also reflects the teachings of the Popes, and this also leaves us with an important message."
The Vatican Gardens
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Top African cardinal says Fiducia Supplicans ‘has been buried’ on the continent
The African cardinal’s comments came at a press conference, held on the sidelines of a meeting for the African members of the ongoing Synod on Synodality. Fielding questions from journalists, the 64-year-old Ambongo praised and welcomed a recent intervention by Cardinal Robert Sarah.
“I followed with much attention Cardinal Sarah’s address and I think what he said is true,” he stated.
“Fiducia Supplicans wasn’t primarily about cultural aspects; rather, it was best approached through the perspectives of theology, morality, the Bible, and the Magisterium,” stated the prelate, who serves as president of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) and is also archbishop of Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Sarah’s wide-ranging speech, given in Cameroon earlier this month, contained strong support for the Cameroonian bishops’ own rejection of the homosexual “blessings” that are espoused by Fiducia Supplicans.
You “have spoken for the whole Church ‘in the name of the truth of the Gospel and for the human dignity and salvation of all humanity in Jesus Christ,’” he said.
But Sarah also called on Africa’s synod members to use their voices in the synod to fight against the “misrepresentation of the dictatorship of relativism.” He warned that such relativism “aims to allow violations of doctrine and morality in certain places under the pretext of cultural adaptation.”
Indeed, the Guinean prelate listed as examples of this a number of the more controversial issues being pushed by differing activists within the Church, outlining them as part of the “dictatorship of relativism.”
It would like to allow female diaconate in Germany, married priests in Belgium, confusion between ordained priesthood and baptismal priesthood in the Amazon.
Sarah also critiqued some papal appointees to the Synod who are in favor of “female deacons”: “Some recently appointed theological experts do not hide their plans. And they will tell you with false kindness, ‘Rest assured, in Africa, we will not impose this kind of innovation on you. You are not culturally ready.’”
In a notable turn of phrase, Ambongo stated that the entire continent of Africa is “united” in its rejection of “blessings” for homosexual “couples.”
“The Church in Africa is united in communion, there is no division; I think that all over the world, people agree and in one accord with the Church in Africa,” stated Ambongo, who serves as one of Pope Francis’ close advisors on the C9 Council of Cardinals.
“This is the reason why we shall no longer talk about Fiducia Supplicans; it has been buried,” he declared.
He added that Fiducia Supplicans had even “played a part in trying to bring down this issue of Synodality” but added that now “we are coming back on track.”
While numerous African bishops had already rejected Fiducia Supplicans within days of it emerging, Ambongo led the continental move to declare on January 11 that the Catholic bishops in the continent will not be implementing Fiducia Supplicans’ homosexual “blessings,” saying to do so would contradict African culture, which is “deeply rooted in the values of the natural law regarding marriage and family.”
He subsequently revealed that this move came about through his direct collaboration with Pope Francis and Fiducia Supplicans’ author, Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández.
The African cardinal flew to Rome, where he worked with Francis and Fernández in drawing up the document, which was published on January 11. He stated that a private version was made for the Vatican archives, which was co-signed by Fernández – although the public version was signed by Ambongo only.
Revealing these details during a speech some days later, the Kinshasa cardinal told the crowd present that “in Africa, there is no place to bless gay couples.”
However, some division has emerged, with bishops in the north of Africa declaring shortly after Ambongo’s January 11 letter that they remained open to such “blessings” being offered in their regions.
The statement came from local bishops’ conference president Cardinal Cristóbal López Romero, but Ambongo has continued his stance opposing Fiducia Supplicans unabated in the weeks following.
Indeed, Ambongo’s description of Fiducia Supplicans as having “been buried” in Africa is notable, since it remarks his continued and very public rejection of the text, despite being one of the pope’s close advisors. Just two weeks ago, he spent two days with Francis and the rest of the C9 Council of Cardinals, discussing various aspects of ecclesial life including the “role of women in the Church” and the Synod on Synodality.
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