Delegates ‘heartened and encouraged’ by synodal meeting in Athlone which forms part of global feedback to Vatican
By Patsy McGarry; The Irish Times; 18 June 2022
A national assembly of the Catholic Church met in Athlone, Co Westmeath on Saturday in what was described by participants as “challenging”, “heartening” and a “a once in 2,000 year” opportunity to influence Vatican teaching.
Attended by 160 delegates representing the Church’s 26 dioceses in Ireland as well as religious congregations and various lay groupings, it is part of a worldwide process in the Church in preparation for a synod at the Vatican in October of next year.
The delegates discussed and reflected on reports from every diocese in Ireland as well as submissions from the religious congregations and others, following widespread consultation over recent months. Each diocese published its own report earlier this month and, in general, these called for radical change in the Church’s attitude to women, and to LGBTI+ people and other marginalised people. They also called for a greater role for laity and for priests to be given the option to marry.
These reports are to be collated by a “synodal pathway steering group” into a final synthesis which is to be sent to Rome by August 15th, as representative of the views of the Irish Catholic Church for consideration at the Synod there in October 2023.
Delegate Ursula Halligan of the We Are Church Ireland group, said she was “heartened by what I heard today. To be honest, I was dreading coming here because I felt so excluded from my Church but I was really heartened by the presentation of the feedback. It was so raw and so honest and I am just sorry all of Ireland didn’t get to see it because there was a lot of hard work put into it too”.
She said “at the table discussion afterwards I could hear that people were challenged by it”. She realised “a lot of us are out of our comfort zone. It will be our shared faith that will get us though this because it’s not going to be easy. But I think today was a good start. I am heartened and encouraged by what I experienced this morning”.
As to whether Church thinking could revert back to what it was before Pope Francis, she was “quite aware that there are a lot of people who are comfortable with the Church as it is and have very set views, very rigid views, and I could easily see it reverting and going back.
“It will require leadership and courage, at the moment from those who are in those positions, which are the male hierarchy, and that’s how the Holy Spirit works through us. I would have concerns about it reverting but I have been heartened by what I’ve heard today, in a way I hadn’t expected. So, I see today as a good starting point.”
Anthony Neville, who represented the Association of Catholics of Ireland at the meeting, said it was “important to realise it’s the first time in 2,000 years that the people of God have an opportunity of discussing what’s happening in the Church, what has happened and indeed what will happen in the future. It gives us great hope that for the first time we have an opportunity to have our say”.
Tony Brennan, a delegate from Derry diocese, emphasised that the meeting “isn’t an event, a one-off event. The message from Pope Francis is that synodality, the concept of walking together, is continuous. And we are at the very start of this”. While people were engaging in a form of conversation “that hasn’t ever been done before”, he said, “it’s not that we’re going to finish it now. We’re going to continue with these conversations.”
Bishop of Limerick Brendan Leahy said “I think we’re in a major moment. Pope Francis often says it’s not just an era of transformation it’s the transformation of the era and I think we recognise that.”
The second Vatican council, which ran from 1962 to 1965, “was much more significant than perhaps we realised, about opening up a spiritual revolution really,” the bishop said. “That is something we’re gradually entering into. The actual reform called for by the council was something deep and it’s something we can only enter into together.”
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What do we think God is asking of us in Australia at this time?
I think God is speaking to the whole world, not just Australia, and saying it is time to have a WHOLE church – a church that does not discriminate and does not exclude. A church that shows it knows that each human being, both male and female, are made in God’s image and likeness (Genesis 1:27) and that there is “no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.” (Gal 3:28)
Brisbane Archbishop Mark Coleridge says a “change in culture in the Church is needed” and “part of the culture shift we’re trying to bring about is to break the hold of that clericalism.” He also says that “obviously lay people need to take on responsibilities that are new in the Catholic church.” (http://cathnews.com/cathnews/32367-change-in-church-culture-needed-to-prevent-child-abuse )
While these quotes are in connection to preventing child abuse, I believe it is time for the whole culture of the church to change. The Roman Catholic church could use this moment in time to turn its wisdom of changing its culture to become world leaders in equality and inclusiveness. It could be saying to the world that it recognizes the Church has to change if there is any chance of being a WHOLE church. The knowledge that every part of creation is connected tells us that if one part is denied wholeness, then it follows that all parts suffer the same fate.
Fr Richard Rohr ofm, with a group of Christian leaders in the USA, says it beautifully –
We believe we are one body. In Christ, there is to be no oppression based on race, gender, identity, or class (Gal 3:28). The body of Christ, where those great human divisions are to be overcome, is meant to be an example for the rest of society. When we fail to overcome these oppressive obstacles, and even perpetuate them, we have failed in our vocation to the world – to proclaim and live the reconciling gospel of Christ. (http://reclaimingjesus.org/ )
For this culture change to be genuine, I believe that God would want the following –
- Women to be given their rightful place beside men, as equals, to answer the call to priesthood. If man and woman are going to contribute to the healing and wholeness of our Church, we have to start dancing together, where we “step forward and back, twirl and bring out the best in each other” (Andrew Hamilton, Pope’s lessons in boldness for Australian politicians. Published in Eureka Street 10 July 2013. Source http://www.eurekastreet.com.au)
- For seminarians and those discerning their call to the priesthood to be encouraged to meet with female spiritual directors in order to gain a wider perspective. This I believe, would help break the hold of that clericalism that Archbishop Coleridge referred to and would encourage those trained in spiritual direction to answer the Archbishop’s call to take on responsibilities that are new in the Catholic church.
At the moment in the Archdiocese of Brisbane, according to Canon Law, seminarians are only permitted to see priests for spiritual direction.
- That all people are welcome at the Table of the Lord. The Eucharist should not be a prize for those who follow the rules but a table of nourishment for us all.
- The Third Rite of Reconciliation was a wonderful life-giving celebration of communal forgiveness and churches were packed when these ceremonies were offered. Since this Rite has been discontinued the sacrament has lost that feeling of community connection which in turn has impacted on the attendance at reconciliation.
- That LGBTQI people are not labelled with derogatory terms, such as ‘disordered’ and that they too are welcome at the Eucharistic table.
What questions do you have about the future of the Church for the Plenary Council to consider in 2020?
Are you genuinely wanting culture change in the Church?
Are you, as the listening Church, ready to make major changes….not cosmetic changes?
Do you want to be part of a WHOLE Church?
Do you have a story of your experience of faith, or the Church you would like to share?
While I have never had the call to the priesthood, I have never understood how the church can exclude those women who do have the call and are prevented from answering that call. That goes against all I know about Jesus and what scripture says about all being equal. Up until the age of 55 I would never miss Mass on Sunday and now I struggle to go as I long for a WHOLE church and what I hear from the pulpit does not match that longing.
I hear from the pulpit that it is everyone’s responsibility to spread the word of God’s Kingdom and yet when I asked those parishes to advertise retreat days that I was running, these same parishes, except for three out of eight, did not even respond to my email and never advertised the retreat days.
I believe we all have a piece of the universal puzzle and if we are not encouraged to answer our call, the Catholic Church, and indeed the whole world will be the poorer for it.
I pray that the call of the Holy Spirit will be heeded at this time.
Peace and blessings to all involved in the Plenary Council 2020.
Yes, I would like the Plenary Council team to contact me about sharing more details of my story. My contact details are:
Carolyn Doherty (Mrs)
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
0416 268 316