A diverse group including Ireland’s Health Minister Stephen Donnelly, a clerical abuse survivor and the co-founders of the Association of Catholic Priests (ACP) are urging Catholic bishops not to resume confirmation and first communion ceremonies. “When you’re dealing with a deadly virus, ultimately what you’re doing is putting people’s lives at risk,” Donnelly says. Clerical Read more
Several Irish Catholic dioceses are defying a government ban on celebrating sacraments of initiation. They are planning to hold the ceremonies from mid-August. Bishop Kevin Doran of Elphin says after consulting with clergy, baptisms, First Holy Communions and confirmation ceremonies will be held. The regulations for general religious services will be followed. “The mission of Read more
Parishes risk reducing sacramental acts to commodities when they bow to pressure to rush through First Communion and Confirmation ceremonies. “Some efforts, often well intentioned, run the risk of reducing the administration of sacramental acts almost to the level of a supermarket in which you can drop in and ‘get the sacrament done.’ “This would Read more
The Catholic Church wants to change its way of doing catechesis and its way of looking at catechism. On June 25 The Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelisation released a new Directory for Catechesis. Previously catechesis was the responsibility of the Congregation for the Clergy. The new directory underlines that every baptised person is Read more
Mafia godfathers – bosses of the scandalous crime syndicates – have been banned from standing as godparents at baptisms or as sponsors at confirmations. Sicilian Archbishop Michele Pennisi, an outspoken Mafia critic, says he wants to challenge the idea that crime bosses have a paternal side. “The Mafia has always taken the term godfather from Read more
There’s an old joke about two pastors discussing the problem of bats in the attic of their respective churches. “I’ve tried everything,” Father Brown complains to Father Smith. “Exterminators, electric wires, traps, poison—everything—but I just can’t seem to get rid of them.” Father Smith smiles and says, “Don’t worry. I have found the perfect solution. Read more
Honolulu diocese is planning to return to the traditional order of the sacraments of initiation because Confirmation of teens isn’t working well. In a pastoral letter, Bishop Larry Silva said Confirmation is “often experienced more as a graduation from the Church than as a free gift of God’s grace”. He cited Pope Francis’s 2013 description Read more
It’s long been accused of adopting an at best ambiguous role in the fight against organised crime in Sicily, but the Catholic Church has now taken a symbolic stand against the Mafia in its Palermo heartland by refusing to give the sacraments to the son of a notorious Cosa Nostra crime lord. Despite protests from Read more
A common activity in youth work is to use the day’s newspapers to help start a discussion with young people. I can only imagine the apprehension of any church youth leaders using this activity last Wednesday. The Daily Mail headline, ‘Minister: My fear for boys warped by porn’ could have produced a rather uncomfortable conversation. Read more
A family and their parish in Minnesota are in conflict after a teenage son missed out on the sacrament of confirmation because of his Facebook post in support of same-sex marriage. Lennon Cihak, 17, was on track to be confirmed at Assumption Church, Barnesville — until parish priest Father Gray LaMoine saw the teenager’s photo Read more