Pope Francis has urged a group of Italian seminarians to avoid clericalism and rigidity. He encouraged them to ask God for the gift of docility instead. “Clericalism is a perversion of the priesthood: it is a perversion. And rigidity is one of the manifestations,” the pope said June 10. “When I find a rigid seminarian Read more
Pope Francis elevated 13 new cardinals on Saturday making the College of Cardinals more representative of the universal Church. Only 11 cardinals participated in the consistory in St Peter’s Basilica all having been in quarantine for two weeks and all wore face masks during the ceremony. Two new cardinals who were unable to be physically Read more
There are many aspects to reform in the church. Different people and different reform groups, have their own take on what, or who, needs reform the most urgently. I must admit the recent article by Antonio Spadaro on Pope Francis has prompted me to think more about it.[1] I would like to share some of Read more
COVID-19’s impact on liturgical praxis has left us reeling! Significant liturgical decisions have left the liturgical ministry by all the baptised out in the cold and refocused the Mass as a clerical experience. John N. Collins addresses the issues of priest and presbyter and as a factor in clericalised worship decision in ‘“Is it just Read more
As the human race joins the rest of the planet in a struggle for survival, the church is also trying to find its footing. Why? Clericalism. For too long — say, 800 to 1,000 years — the sacramental life of the church has been under priestly lock and key. Around the 10th century, the custom Read more
“Instead of watching Mass on the computer, why don’t we read from the Bible together?” That’s how our eight-year old daughter reacted last Sunday when we gathered to watch the celebration of Mass at home, where we’ve been self-quarantined since last week. From the mouths of babes… Our daughter is used to seeing me as Read more
A paternalistic attitude within the Church that devalues laypeople and puts clergy on a pedestal is worse than clericalism says German Jesuit priest Hans Zollner. Zollner is one of the Church’s leading experts in child protection. There are two sides to this problem, Zollner says. One is with “the hierarchy not involving the gifts of Read more
Pope Francis, Saturday, again lamented the clerical attitudes of some lay people in ministry. He made the comment in the Vatican and at a meeting with the Vatican Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life. Francis said the purpose of creating the dicastery is to promote the care of family and the mission on the laity, Read more
Clericalism is a direct result of rigidity and linked to a fixation on sexual morality, says Pope Francis. “One dimension of clericalism is the exclusive moral fixation on the sixth commandment [Thou shalt not commit adultery],” he says. “We focus on sex and then we do not give weight to social injustice, slander, gossip and Read more
Clericalism is coming to an end, says Marie Collins, who is a clergy sexual abuse survivor from Ireland. However, Vatican officials needed “a safeguarding policy” in place ages ago to prevent abuse and address it when it occurs. Collins says a policy of this sort was promised at the Vatican summit on child protection in Read more