In a wide-ranging interview, Pope Francis has spoken about sexual abuse, the Society of St Pius X and clericalising laity by making them deacons. Pope Francis told French newspaper La Croix that it is often a mistake to “clericalise” talented laity by turning them into deacons. “In Buenos Aires, I have known many good priests Read more
Posts Tagged ‘Clericalism’
Pope Francis hits out at clericalism and lay elites
Friday, April 29th, 2016
Pope Francis has again hit out at a clerical mindset which obstructs the laity from taking its proper role. The papal criticism came in a letter from Francis to Cardinal Marc Ouellet, the president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. Cardinal Ouellet is also the Prefect for the Congregation for Bishops, which plays a Read more
Layman wears a soutane to see what happens
Friday, February 19th, 2016Esquire Magazine published an article titled “What Happened When I Dressed Like a Priest: An investigation into the power of the uniform.” The author decided to do an experiment to test the power of various uniforms. He bought four: the uniforms for looking like a Catholic priest, security guard, mechanic, and doctor. When he wore Read more
Archbishop Dew to attend Synod on Family
Friday, September 12th, 2014
The Archbishop of Wellington, John Dew has been selected as a participant in the of the Third Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops. The Synod will examine the Pastoral Challenges of the Family in the context of Evangelisation. More than 250 participants, including 14 married couples from around the world, are expected to Read more
Monasticism, clericalism, and the priesthood of the baptised
Friday, August 1st, 2014
The essence of monasticism is not clerical service—which is possible only for some—but a radically converted way of life, available to all. “In the church, the [consecrated] religious are called to be prophets in particular by demonstrating how Jesus lived on this earth, and to proclaim how the kingdom of God will be in its Read more
Francis shows his human side
Friday, March 21st, 2014
When the head of an international religious order visited Japan many years ago, I was asked to be his translator. One evening at a convent of the order, the superior greeted a large group of nuns, saying what a pleasure it was to be with them for the visitation (shisatsu). I thought I had turned Read more
Clericalism is bad for priests and laity
Tuesday, February 18th, 2014
Clericalism has a negative impact on laity as well as priests says Head of the Congregation for Clergy, Archbishop Beniamino Stella. Archbishop Stella spoke with Italian daily, La Stampa, shortly before being made a Cardinal. “Clericalism” is bad for priests because it distorts their mission and is harmful for the laity because it hinders their development as Read more
Four suggestions for the pope’s ‘to-do’ list
Tuesday, October 1st, 2013
When addressing the cardinal conclave, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio from Buenos Aires warned of “self-preferentiality” and “theological narcissism,” which he said would lead to a “sick” Church. He particularly criticized the “mundane Church that lives within itself, of itself and for itself.” Six months into his papacy, it is crystal clear that this Argentine cardinal, Read more
Clericalism criticised by future Pope Francis
Tuesday, April 23rd, 2013
Clericalism and worldly priests are criticised by the future Pope Francis in a book of conversations he had with an Argentine rabbi in 2010. The dialogue between Archbishop Jorge Mario Bergoglio and Rabbi Abraham Skorka has just been published in English by Image Books, with the title On Heaven and Earth: Pope Francis on Faith, Read more
Set-decorator Catholicism and thriving clericalism
Tuesday, July 5th, 2011
American Catholicism should be preparing for 2020 when a large increase in the Catholic population, mostly Hispanic, will present Church leaders with the challenge to open rather than close new churches and schools. Instead of preparing for the future, bishops and priests now in key administrative and pastoral positions, led by Pope Benedict XVI, are Read more