Posts Tagged ‘laity’

Synodal vs traditional – Church at crossroads

Monday, February 26th, 2024
Synodal

The recent Vatican letter to the German Bishops’ Conference highlights the tension between a synodal, inclusive approach to Church governance involving bishops and laity and the traditional structures of clerical authority. This letter, and the broader debate it represents, is emblematic of a Church at a crossroads. It’s a Church grappling with the need to Read more

Keep trying creative ways of evangelisation

Thursday, October 27th, 2022
creative

Being creative is better than being discouraged by many difficulties, Cardinal Oswald Gracias of Bombay said at Mass last week. The Gospel is currently calling the Church in Asia – and especially its leaders – to do good in a ‘creative way’ and to continue to work together on the mission of evangelisation. “We as Read more

Clericalised laity

Thursday, May 12th, 2022
Clericalised laity

The denunciation of clericalism can no longer wait. And led by Pope Francis, the Catholic Church is reacting strongly. There are two faces of clericalism. One is the authoritarian priest who decides and does everything on his own. The other is the clericalised laity. These two major errors prevent the laity from developing the charisms Read more

Archbishop proposes replacing priests with lay pastors

Monday, August 16th, 2021
National Catholic Reporter

The Archbishop of Lima suggests replacing priests with laity in parishes in the Peruvian capital. Archbishop Carlos Gustavo Castillo Mattasoglio (Castillo) says he has been asking the Vatican for permission for lay people to be allowed to administer parishes. In his opinion “there is a philosophy of the simple daily life of the people that Read more

NZ bishops welcome new Canon Law covering priests and laity

Thursday, June 3rd, 2021

New Zealand’s Catholic bishops have welcomed Pope Francis’ approval of changes to the Church’s Code of Canon Law which toughens and extends sanctions against sexual abuse. Bishop Stephen Lowe, secretary of the NZ Catholic Bishops Conference, says the new code makes it clear that bishops must take decisive action when abuse is reported to them. Read more

Laity must be included in Rome – Germany parish document talks

Thursday, August 27th, 2020
protestant holy communion

The German bishops, planning to talk with the Vatican about parish reform want laity included in the discussion. News of the move came after a meeting of the bishops’ conference 27 member Permanent Council, reports the German Catholic news agency KNA. The Conference’s permanent council says Bishop Georg Bätzing of Limburg (pictured), would “accept the Read more

Catholic laity will move Church forward

Thursday, June 11th, 2020

The Catholic laity became more discerning about the quality of worship services and preaching during the coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdown, says the head of Germany’s Catholic bishop’s conference. Speaking from his own experience, Bishop Georg Bätzing says he has noticed when he preaches “dialogically” (ie in a dialogue-like way), he gets a lot of feedback from Read more

Bishops pledge before martyrs graves to serve the poor

Thursday, October 24th, 2019

Forty bishops at the Amazon synod pledged to work for a prophetic Church dedicated to serving the poor during a ceremony on the burial site of some of Rome’s early Christian martyrs. Last Sunday, the prelates, including two cardinals, went to the Catacombs of Domitilla, on the outskirts of the Eternal City, to sign the Read more

Vietnam diocese trains laity to become church reporters

Thursday, September 26th, 2019

A diocese in northern Vietnam has started training parishioners how to become reporters so they can help promote evangelization and share church news with local people. The Hung Hoa Diocesan Communication Committee and Yen Bai Deanery held the first ever course on communication skills Sept. 19 and 20. The 24 attendees, mostly in their 20s Read more

I now wonder why priests are called Father

Thursday, April 11th, 2019
Father

In his recent Newsletter, the Archbishop of Wellington drew attention to an article written by a priest from France, Jean-Pierre Roche, entitled “Stop calling me Father.” In his article, Roche says that priests may be able to make some small changes to overcome clericalism if they gave up expecting to be called “Father.” “In August last Read more