New Irish Catholic Catechism for Adults

Some good news at last from the Irish Bishops' Conference.  The new Irish Catholic Catechism for Adults (ICCA) has been published by Veritas.

I only had a chance for a quick flick through it and may come back later declaring it to be a heterodox outrage.  But at first glance it seems like a worthwhile effort.

On the plus side, the format is much more readable as a book than the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), which has multiple paragraphs, each numbered and cross referenced.  The CCC is undoubtedly an essential resource, but for most people not a book that you sit down and read in sizeable chunks. 

Following the format of the United States Catechism for Adults, there are frequent insertions about people of faith from Ireland and these are welcome.  They point to the saints in a way that the Irish church sometimes fails to do.

The negatives? 

There is only one format which is the oversized paper-back.  I like a more compact version.

It is pricey - €24.99 or £19.99.  And the study guide, at €12.99 for 92 pages, is very pricey.  That said, it is A4 and lends itself to easy photocopying.

It was launched amidst the Tuam baby crisis/scandal.

It was launched by Sean Cardinal Brady - not really the image we want going forward as they say.

It undoubtedly fills a gap - but I'm not entirely convinced as to who the readership will be.  It is described as for adults but it strikes me as possibly most suited to older children in schools who continue to be fed a very poor diet of religious education.

The Archanalyst of Dublin

Once more the Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin, delivers the diagnosis, the analysis of the problems in the Church.

And once more he fails to deliver any suggestions for fixing things.  Nor does he seem to be remotely aware of his part in the failure.  Patsy Mc Garry writes:

Catholic teaching on contraception, cohabitation, same sex relationships, the divorced and remarried is “disconnected from real life experience of families – and not by just younger people”, said Archbishop Diarmuid Martin last night.

In general, church teaching in those areas was found to be “poorly understood . . . poorly accepted” by Catholics in Dublin, he said at a meeting in Holy Cross College, Clonliffe. He was commenting on findings of a consultation in the diocese.

Every time the good Archbishop opens his mouth some sort of subtle nuance drops out.  Where Cardinal Brady (God help us, has he still not retired?) back in 2008 managed to condemn same sex civil unions in something like clear terms, Martin, in a letter to the Irish Catholic wrote:

The debate about civil unions is precisely about a situation in which the mutuality of the sexes is no longer seen as something anthropologically unique and irreplaceable, but simply a cultural construct which can be adapted and changed. That is the central issue which the Church should be addressing in her catechesis and in her witness towards society.

No doubt the faithful in Rialto and Fatima Mansions were grateful for the clarity of that contribution.

So now Catholic teaching is disconnected from real life. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be.  Christ has always made "impossible" demands on us.  He wants hands cut off and eyes plucked out to avoid sin.  He expects sinners to go and sin no more.  He expects marriage to be for life.  He wants us to love God and neighbour more than we love ourselves.  Of course there's a disconnect from "real life".

Protestant bishop defends denominational education and does it well

There's a good piece in the Irish Times by Archbishop Richard Clarke, the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All-Ireland. He'll have another one in next week.


An air of weary defensiveness seems to permeate discussion among church people on the purpose and future of an educational system that is faith-based in any respect, let alone any structure that is manifestly denominational.

Much of the wariness is due, I suspect, to the relentless assertion in the public square of the idea that faith is somehow an additional, optional appendage to “ordinary life”. That is a flawed and disingenuous philosophy.

The absence of any echo of religious faith in the public square does not bring about the absence of all ideology or public conviction, even if this conviction is now in something other than any religious perspective. Very few people can live their lives with no convictions or principles; to do so is to live aimlessly, disjointedly and truly “pointlessly”.

Removal of the transcendent

We need also to remember that some of the most dehumanising political philosophies ever to exist have enjoyed the monopoly of the public space and even unrestricted adulation in the forceful removal of the transcendent from the psyche of the public place.

There is no neutral value system that is the default position for “normal” humankind. Religious faith should not expect to be the only voice to be heard in public. It is, however, a delusion to believe that the only natural state for humankind is to hear no ideological voices of any kind. Proper education cannot, therefore, be an ideology-free or

value-free zone, but this does not of itself make it narrowly propagandist. The education of children will always have some value-system at its heart. It would be dangerous if it were otherwise.

We need also to bear in mind that the overwhelming majority of the population of the Irish Republic admits to membership of a faith community.

A recent survey was undertaken within national schools under Church of Ireland patronage and it clearly indicated that more than 90 per cent were very happy with the religious aspect of Church of Ireland national schools.
As we seek to chart an educational future for Ireland, our starting point should be that there is at present no particular reason to move away from an educational system which, certainly at primary school level, functions broadly in accordance with the general approval of parents and is reflective of the religious demographics of the country.
An educational “mixed economy” is a perfectly reasonable scenario. There should certainly be different types of school, some of which will be avowedly non-faith in educational method, and others will clearly encompass a faith content that has real meaning and is more than a cursory nod in the direction of religion.
Wider community

In origin, the rationale that lay behind specifically “Church of Ireland schools” was for the protection of a minority community within the state. The ethos of the Church of Ireland school is now regarded not only as of crucial value to the children of the Church of Ireland but also as of worth for a wider community, and for a common good.

Most schools under Church of Ireland patronage have an enrolment representative of a wider community. Far from an effort at proselytisation or conversion, there is now the widespread belief throughout the Church of Ireland that this particular way of being a “faith school” is a valuable educational approach for others, in addition to our own community. The ethos for which we must always strive is a wholesome place, sited at some distance from a crude indoctrination on the one hand, and a vapid, vague congeniality on the other: a “faith-culture” with a definable element of specific religious faith and commitment in the character of a school but also a way of life that unselfconsciously reflects spiritual values, priorities and standards.

At the heart of this ethos will be the RE curriculum and the place of worship, and religious education cannot simply be phenomenological in approach, as though “religion” were a moderately interesting specimen on a laboratory bench.
It is not indoctrination or brainwashing to present religious faith as something that is central to the way one lives one’s entire life; this is to fall into that trap that religious faith is somehow an optional extra in which an individual may indulge in his or her spare time if deemed worth the bother.

"Be Ye as Shrewd as Serpents, as Innocent as Doves"

Mercy sister, Sr Eugene Nolan has decided to go down the confused old lady route in defence of the Mater Hospital's Catholic ethos [Ed: may not be the worst approach.]

The Irish Times reports that:

 Sr Eugene, a former midwife who worked in England and Kenya before returning to the Mater in 1981, said of Fr Doran’s resignation: “It’s a tragedy that’s he’s gone. We will certainly miss him. He has been with the hospital for many years. He is a huge loss.”



She too expressed concerns about the Act at the time of Fr Doran’s statement in August, saying it was “against our ethos”.


Asked her position now, she said: “I don’t know where we go now. I’m going to see. I will see what is said.”


However, she said: “The Mater won’t be performing abortions. This is a matter of how we deal with complicated situations.”


You see what she's done there.  Yes, we'll comply with the Act;  no we won't perform abortions.  Confuse them, keep taking the money, don't perform abortions, see how it goes.

Here's the better approach which the Mater Hospital should have done. 

Issue a statement reconfirming:

1. that the hospital is a Catholic hospital with a Catholic ethos;
2. that all employees of the hospital are required by contract to operate according to the ethos of the hospital;
3. that all employees of the hospital have the right under law not to carry out abortions.

That's all you say.  You don't say anything further.  You don't seek judicial reviews of the legislation. 

Deacons in Armagh - congratulations, but some questions?

Congratulations and best wishes to the five men ordained to the diaconate in the archdiocese of Armagh yesterday.

I fear the archdioces is making life difficult for them in where they have assigned them and the message that has been sent out. 

Priests have always been afraid of deacons.  They fear their "power base" so to speak and it was the reason the order, which remember existed before the separate order of priesthood, was consigned to a temporary and somewhat meaningless stage before ordination to the priesthood.  These fears still exist among many priests, now with the added dislike by feminists, and fears of loss of power by certain lay people.  It will not be easy to be a deacon.

So assignments.  The five deacons have all been assigned to parishes some distance from their home parishes.  And when they get there -

"He is called to minister in close-collaboration with priests and with laity who are entrusted with various ministries. Deacons play a key role in the development and coordination of lay ministry, they are not intended to replace lay ministries. These men have been reminded that in a parish they find their role by negotiation, supporting what already exists and helping to address needs that aren’t being met."

Not the easiest position in which to be put.  But my real concern is this - they are all married men with families and jobs.  They are told explicitly that they must put their marriages, families and jobs first - and yet they are assigned in some cases twenty miles away.  So, Sunday morning comes.  Mammy sings in the choir, two of the children are altar servers, the third is a sulky teenager who just about makes it to Mass.  And Daddy?  Well he has to drive somewhere else for Mass, no longer with his family. 

Next day, Daddy gets home from work.  He's a meeting to go to, only it's not just down the road now like it used to be, but forty minutes away and mammy needs the car.  And work has asked him to stay a bit late.

So, what is the problem with assigning deacons to their home parishes where they are likely already involved in various activities, where it will be easier to negotiate their way round, where they can continue attending church with their wives and children?

Mother of Mercy - Mater Hospital joins the league of abrortionists

"By caring for the sick in the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital we participate in the healing ministry of Jesus Christ;  we honour the spirit of Catherine Mc Auley and the Sisters of Mercy;  we pledge ourselves to respect the dignity of human life;  to care for the sick with compassion and professionalism; to promote excellence and equity, quality and accountability."

This is Mission Statement of the Mater Hospital in Dublin which has just announced it will be carrying out abortions under Kenny's Law.

Even the Irish Times managed to see the inconsistency trumpeting:

"The Mater Misericordiae University Hospital is a Catholic voluntary hospital and was founded by the Sisters of Mercy in 1861. In its mission statement, the hospital says that by caring for the sick, “we participate in the healing ministry of Jesus Christ”.

The Irish Times also notes that: 

"The Mater hospital is a single-member company.

Its website says the majority of the members of the parent company are Sisters of Mercy and the remaining members represent the Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin, the Catholic Nurses’ Guild of Ireland, the Society of St Vincent de Paul and the medical consultants of Mater Misericordiae University Hospital and the Children’s University Hospital."

Fr Kevin Doran has said "no comment".  I presume this will be another case of the Grand Old Duke of York, up the hill and down again.  Just as Archbishop Eamon Martin huffed and puffed and threatened excommunication before the legislation was passed before retreating afterwards and refusing to implement Canons 915 and 916 which require that pro-abortion politicians be refused Holy Communion. 

Fr Doran took a similar postion on RTE's Would You Believe the other night in a dreadful performance, confused, stammering, unclear.  While the "silenced" Tony Flannery pontificated away, attacking the Vatican.

So, if you have the energy for it you can contact the Mater Hospital to complain.  Use the contact form here.  I left a sarky message saying I presumed they'd be changing the Mission Statement and name of the hospital.

You can also write, email or phone the Board of Governors.  The Secretariat and Registered Office for MMCUH is at 74 Upper Dorset Street, Dublin 1.

Telephone: 018607083

E-mail: sryan@mmcuh.ie

It would also be worth emailing the Sisters of Mercy - mercy@csm.ie since their fingerprints are all over this.

First female bishop in the Church of Ireland

Congratulations to Pat Storey who is to be the Church of Ireland (Anglican) Bishop of Meath and Kildare, the first female Anglican bishop in "these islands".

She's a native of Belfast.

I listened to her being interviewed on RTE and I thought she was refreshingly open and honest (Pope Francis effect). 

More details here.

More on the sound of silence priests

The talented letter writer, Eric Conway, has a nicely put one in the Irish Times today.

Sir, – As a financially contributing and intellectually convinced member of the Catholic Church, I expect its pastors to believe in and preach that which they signed up to – the core teachings of the church as laid out by the Magisterium. In this context it’s extremely disconcerting to turn on the radio virtually every day and hear a long interview with a “silenced” priest, enunciating half-baked views on various aspects of Catholic teaching. The church authorities obviously are not very adept at silencing dissent. Perhaps they might avail of the services of the ruthless silencing abilities of the present Taoiseach. He has been the subject of much praise from many political commentators for his firmness in dealing with the anti-abortion members of his party. Bishops, please copy. – Yours, etc,
ERIC CONWAY

Remember that old separation of Church and State we keep hearing about?

Richie Culhane, Mayor of Drogheda, representing Fine Gael, the Pro-Choice Party

I've been away for a while.  It was for the good of my soul.  As usual Patsy Mc Garry makes me mad enough to come back.  Well Patsy and Iggy and Flannery.

Iggy has been moved from Drogheda.  Every summer thousands of priests in dioceses and religious orders across the globe are moved by their superiors.  The same thing happens with bank officials and civil servants.  In the vast majority of situations they react with docility and move.  It goes with the job.

Iggy of course has to be different and he has to trash the Catholic Church in the process.  Read about it here and here.

Bad enough as Iggy is, worse is the fine Gael Mayor of Drogheda, Richie Culhane.  According to the Irish Independent "At the conclusion of the mass the Mayor of Drogheda, Richie Culhane, addressed the congregation and said he believed Fr Iggy was leaving because, “ultra-conservative elements within the Church have forced the hierarchy to push Iggy further afield and out of Drogheda here.”

Cllr Culhane said: “I hope and pray to God that you are never silenced.”

He received a standing ovation when concluded: “I will call on the hierarchy ‘Give him back to us.”

In another sign of support for Fr Flannery, Fr Iggy presented the Mayor with a copy of Fr Flannery’s book at what may have been his final mass at a Church for some time."

If you feel that the Mayor of Drogheda has abused his position and sought to inferere in an issue which is not the concern of civil authorities then feel free to contact him:

Richie Culhane,
34 Melrose Avenue,
Stameen,
Drogheda,
Co Louth.


Richie.Culhane@droghedaboro.ie

Enda Kenny, Schrödinger's Catholic

So now we know the true inspiration for the beloved leader; Enda Kenny is modelling himself on Schrödinger's cat.  He is simultaneously a Catholic and a non-Catholic, in fact the first non-Catholic Taoiseach.  Presumably since he's not a "male Taoiseach", but a Taoiseach who happens to be a male he's also the first non-male Taoiseach. I wonder what toilets he uses in Leinster House.

Terence O'Neill, the last proper Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, once said, "Our faith is meant to enrich our lives - too often our lives impoverish our faith".

St Paul said, in the Mass readings on Saturday:  "We are ambassadors for Christ".

C.S. Lewis said:  "Where the tide flows towards increasing State control, Christianity, with its claims in one way personal and in the other way ecumenical and both ways antithetical to omnicompetent government, must always in fact ( though not for a long time yet in words) be treated as an enemy. Like learning, like the family, like any ancient and liberal profession, like the common law, it gives the individual a standing ground against the State.”

Epistle to Diognetus (2nd/3rd Century): "the Christian is to the world what the soul is to the body".

Lumen Gentium (Ch. 4):  "Because of the very economy of salvation the faithful should learn how to distinguish carefully between those rights and duties which are theirs as members of the Church, and those which they have as members of human society. Let them strive to reconcile the two, remembering that in every temporal affair they must be guided by a Christian conscience, since even in secular business there is no human activity which can be withdrawn from God's dominion....Each individual layman must stand before the world as a witness to the resurrection and life of the Lord Jesus and a symbol of the living God."

Enda Kenny:  "I'm a Catholic when it's convenient and non-Catholic when it counts".

More on Crown the Clown

A few weeks ago I described my outrage at a sordid article by John Crown in the Sunday Independent encouraging hatred against Catholics for daring to have views different from his own.

I made a formal complaint to the Sunday Independent on 20th May and received no response whatsoever.  So today I have made a formal complaint to the Press Ombudsman.

I am not hopeful of a resolution but better to use one cliché than curse the darkness.

If you haven't read Crown's article it's here.  And if you haven't complained to the Sunday Independent please, please make the small effort involved and do so.  The only real way to measure public outrage is by numbers.

Archbishop Eamon Martin on RTE

Listening to Archbishop Eamon Martin on RTE.  Did fairly well before hostile questioning. 

When he tried to mention the thousands at the Pro-Life Rally in Dublin on Saturday the interviewer cut across him - "yes, that was well reported".  Really?

He started asking the bishop about previous referendums which rejected the removal of suicide as basis for abortion.  But as soon as the bishop began to answer he was interupted with "I supposed you're going to start explaining about the other reasons".  Eamon Martin didn't get a half a sentence out.

The bishop refused to let himself be pinned down on two issues - what Catholic hospitals will actually do, and whether Catholic politicians can be Catholics in good standing if they vote for this.  His answers were decent enough but personally I'd prefer a bit more clarity at this stage. 

So, a fairly decent spokesman to put out.

Irish Bishops' abortion statement

A time to uphold the right to life: Statement by the Catholic Bishops of Ireland

On the second day of the June General Meeting of the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference in Maynooth, the following statement has been issued:
A time to reflect

On Saturday last, tens of thousands of women, men and children gathered in Dublin to express their support for the equal right to life of mothers and their unborn children.
We are at a defining moment for our country.
The Gospel of life is at the heart of the message of Jesus. He came that we may have life and have it to the full (Jn 10:10). The Gospel challenges us to work for a world in which the dignity and beauty of every human life are respected.
A time to uphold the right to life

The right to life is the most fundamental of all rights; it is the foundation of all other rights. No individual has the right to destroy life and no State has the right to undermine the right to life.
Yet the Irish Government is proposing abortion legislation that will fundamentally change the culture of medical practice in Ireland. For the first time legislation will be enacted permitting the deliberate and intentional killing of an unborn child. This represents a radical change. Every citizen, not just people of faith, should be deeply concerned.
We value the skill and efforts of our doctors, nurses and other care professionals who have helped to earn Ireland’s place as one of the safest countries in the world for mothers and their babies during pregnancy.
Catholic Church teaching is clear: where a seriously ill pregnant woman needs medical treatment which may put the life of her baby at risk, such treatments are ethically permissible provided every effort is made to save both the mother and her baby.
This is different from abortion, which is the direct and intentional taking of the innocent life of the unborn. No matter what legislation is passed in any country, abortion is, and always will be, gravely wrong.
A time for clarity and truth

The Government is under no obligation to legislate for the X case. People are being misled. We challenge repeated statements that this legislation is about saving lives and involves no change to the law or practice on abortion. Legalising the direct and intentional destruction of the life of an unborn baby can never be described as ‘life-saving’ or ‘pro-life’.
Contrary to clear psychiatric evidence, this legislation proposes abortion as an appropriate response to women with suicidal feelings during pregnancy. It is even possible to envisage as a result of this legislation the deliberate destruction of a child, who could otherwise be saved, right up to and including the moment of birth.
Furthermore, we challenge assurances that the proposed legislation will provide limited access to abortion. As published to date, the legislation will allow for a very wide margin of subjective professional assessment by which the deliberate destruction of an unborn baby can be legally justified. As we have learned from other countries, such legislation opens the door to ever wider availability of abortion.
We remain convinced that enhanced medical guidelines, which do not envisage the direct and intentional killing of the unborn, could provide the necessary clarity as well as a morally, legally and medically acceptable way forward. While good health can normally be restored, life, once taken, can never, never be restored.
A time for freedom of conscience

Freedom of conscience is a fundamental human right. A State that truly cherishes freedom will respect the conscience of its citizens, including its public representatives, on such an important human value as the right to life.
It is ethically unacceptable to expect doctors, nurses and others who have conscientious objections to nominate others to take their place. Neither should any institution with a pro-life ethos be forced to provide abortion services.

A time to decide: a time to act; a time to pray

We call on citizens to exercise their right to make their views known respectfully to our public representatives and to leave them in no doubt about where they stand on this issue.
We ask our public representatives to uphold the equal and inviolable right to life of all human beings, even if this means standing above other pressures and party loyalties.
We also invite our priests and people to continue to pray the Choose Life prayer at Mass and in the home that the dignity and value of all human life will continue to be upheld in this country.
Some mothers today are facing difficult or crisis pregnancies. Other people who have had, or who have assisted with abortions, may be re-living what happened in the past. They deserve to receive all the love, support and professional care that they need.
As Bishops we will join this weekend in prayerful solidarity with millions of Catholics all over the world in the Year of Faith celebration of Blessed John Paul II’s Encyclical Evangelium Vitae (The Gospel of Life).
Every human life is precious, every human life is beautiful, every human life is sacred. Choose life!

Abortion, FF, Colm Keaveney and the Archbishop of Dublin

How lucky we are to live in a democracy.  The Fianna Fáil leader, Micháel Martin's attempts to overturn FF pro-life policy and to reject recent Ard Fheis votes has collapsed and he has been forced into "allowing" a free vote.  Imagine, our public representatives will be allowed to vote according to their own views rather than have them imposed on them by party leadership.

Except in this case their should be no free vote for either FG or FF as both parties committed themselves to opposing abortion legislation before the last election.  They are now renaging on their promises.

The legislation will undoubtedly pass and without amendment of any significance.  We can only hope that we can scrape together 10 TDs to at least force a vote.  An unholy alliance of some pro-lifers and pro-abortionists may force the issue.  The Government would love to get this one through without a vote.

I hesitated to comment two weeks ago on the intervention by the Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin;  I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt and see how things panned out.  It was a very odd letter from a bishop as it began

"I write as a citizen of Ireland who happens also to be the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin. Independent of the role of politicians and of judges, the Constitution of Ireland belongs in the primary place to all the citizens of Ireland, whose right to express their views should not just be respected but encouraged."

I get the point he is trying to make, that he is not arguing from authority, but as a fellow citizen.  But the fact is, he is the Archbishop of Dublin and he signed the letter "Diarmuid Martin, Archbishop of Dublin".  He has a particular responsibility to provide leadership for the Catholics within his diocese, and, as Primate of Ireland, within the whole country, including to the members of the government and Oireachtas who are Catholics.  It was a bad start.

The rest of the letter has a good point, I think, and a bad one.  The good point, and he has been successful in this, is forcing clarity that any termination of pregnancy provided for in this legislation would not be allowed to deliberately force the killing of an unborn child.  So that in late term terminations, there could be no question of scissors in the neck a la our American friends, but rather some form of induced labour or caesarian section followed by full medical attempts to save the life of the unborn.  I think it has been good to show that the constitutional protection would not allow otherwise.  This has given rise to considerable discussion as to what will happen to such children, the disabilities that could follow, the failure of the State to consider these matters etc.  It has prompted the Chairman of the Labour Party, Colm Keaveney, TD, to announce that he will be opposing the abortion legislation.  These are positives.

The negative, however, flows from the same issue, as it brings up issues of time limits and viability.  The message goes out that if you are going to terminate your pregnancy, you should do it early enough to ensure the baby dies.  This can hardly have been the message that the Archbishop of Dublin would intend.

Once viability comes into the mix as a criterion, then we have the fatal foetal conditions being brought up.  If it's okay to kill a child early because it's non-viable, then surely it should be okay to kill a child who is non-viable after birth?  And so the door opens another little bit.

Most Rev Denis Nulty's first address as bishop-elect of Kildare and Leighlin

Carlow Cathedral before its re-ordering

I would like to thank all of you for your welcome this Tuesday morning – Bishop Moriarty, Bishop Smith, Monsignor Byrne, brother priests, religious sisters and brothers, parishioners of Carlow and people of the Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin. I thank His Excellency, Archbishop Charles Brown for his accompanying me in recent days. I thank Monsignor Brendan Byrne for the graciousness of his hospitality, his kindly support to me personally and his unstinting care for the Diocese over the past three years. I equally thank my predecessor Bishop Emeritus Jim Moriarty who is delightfully with us this morning for his very fine stewardship of the diocese during his tenure and I wish him continued happiness and blessings in the years ahead.
A line from the first psalm of Morning Prayer this morning reads: “O send forth your light and your truth; let these be my guide. Let them bring me to your holy mountain to the place where you dwell”. I am honoured, privileged and humbled to be chosen by Pope Francis to be bishop for and with the people and priests of this superb Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin.

I come from Slane, where the story of faith on Irish soil began [em, Saul, Co. Down?] when Saint Patrick lit the fire and used the shamrock to teach us about God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This diocese too has its own strong symbol of our faith in the Saint Brigid’s Cross.

I was ordained for the Diocese of Meath, and Bishop Michael Smith who stands beside me today, opened many doors of ministry to me in the Diocese. For that and much more, I am eternally grateful to him. I have enjoyed my time immensely in Meath and there is a sense of sadness in leaving colleagues and friends, even if it’s only down the road. While there is an excitement around new beginnings there is also a nervousness around the challenges that lie ahead. I have been understandably anxious in recent days since my meeting with Archbishop Charles Brown – an anxiety that has been eased by grace – the gentle grace of acceptance; the grace of responding to that call; the grace of the prayers of our friends in Heaven; the grace of trusting in the judgement of others – a judgement that suggests I have a capability greater than I feel myself to have.
This morning I have travelled from the mouth of the Boyne at Drogheda where she eases herself into the Irish Sea, to the Diocese where that winding ribbon finds its source in the spring at Carbury in County Kildare! Rivers were an essential part of the story of the early Church for life and communications in travel – the Barrow is to Kildare and Leighlin what the Boyne is to Meath. In this Year of Faith the Boyne and the Barrow remind us of the life-giving water of baptism. They also remind us that today so many people are thirsting for the water of new life and hope – those living in negative equity in the commuter belt; those coping with the stress of the daily treadmill; those out of work searching for a deeper appreciation of their self-worth and dignity; farmers coping with the fodder crisis and late spring, how much that life is needed – may each find solace and support in this hour. I am equally conscious this morning of those who have been wounded by the Church and the terrible sins of individuals who should have brought life, but instead inflicted pain and destruction on too many.

Water speaks of life and life is precious and dear to us at all levels and particularly in our times, human life – its giftedness and sacredness. And what a message last Saturday’s National Prayer Vigil offered at Knock: Cherish them Both – Mother and Child. Monsignor Byrne’s statement in the lead up to the Vigil very eloquently reminded us: “a life is a life. Whatever happens, the need to respect that life should never be reduced to a ‘choice’ or an arbitrary timeline”. Mothers deserve nothing less than the best medical and psychiatric care available, especially during pregnancy when the lives of two persons – the life of the unborn and the life of the mother – are at stake. As the Bishops’ preliminary response to the Protection of Life during Pregnancy Bill 2013 last Friday reminded us: “The Gospel of life is at the heart of the message of Jesus: the deliberate decision to deprive an innocent human being of life is always morally wrong”.
I come today to the Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin as a Priest who has been immersed in parish life since Ordination. My first ten years were in the Cathedral Parish in Mullingar. For the past fifteen years I have been Parish Priest of Saint Mary’s Parish, Drogheda. They have been a very rewarding and enriching twenty-five years, during which I have been taught so much about being a Priest among People in the struggles and the joys of ordinary life. From the Church of the Assumption at Saint Mary’s in Drogheda I find myself today at the Cathedral of the Assumption in Carlow.

I am a priest who works earnestly, who loves the priesthood and loves working with priests and people. But I am a priest who needs to learn a great deal about the story of this diocese, its geography, its people, its priests, its traditions and its history – be patient with me as I embark on a journey that will take me to every parish in this Diocese, to listen to the Spirit speaking through the faith and example of committed priests and parishioners. I know there is dedicated involvement of laity at many layers of Church life. I come to support this engagement. I come to listen to the conversation of faith in the Diocese. I come to care for priests, to encourage seminarians and to support the faith growth of the young, who may feel at times isolated or on the fringe. For many priests these are difficult days as they see their number grow perhaps older and fewer and the demands heavier – let us work together to encourage vocations and to develop collaborative ministry.
It only remains for me to thank all of you for being here today, and to invite you to do what Pope Francis did as he made his first appearance on the balcony at Saint Peter’s; to ask you to implore a blessing on me … and together let us pray the Prayer of Saint Francis:
“Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love.
Where there is injury, pardon.
Where there is doubt, faith.
Where there is despair, hope.
Where there is darkness, light.
Where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console;
To be understood as to understand;
To be loved, as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive.
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
And it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life”
Saint Brigid, pray for us …
Saint Conleth, pray for us …
Saint Laserian, pray for us …
Our Lady of the Assumption, pray for us …

New bishop of Kildare and Leighlin appointed - Most Rev. Denis Nulty

Most Rev. Denis Nulty, Bishop-elect of the Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin with a first communicant

Update:  Bishops' Conference Website has just made the announcement at eleven o'clock.  See details here.

Further update:  crowd gathered at St Mary's in Drogheda being treated to tea and buns at the parish centre.  The curate, Fr Joe Campbell, read out a statement from the bishop-elect, read the gospel annunciation story and then they all prayed a decade of the rosary for Fr Denis, with much tears mingled with smiles.

And another update:  Bishop Smith issued the following statement following the appointment of Fr Denis Nulty as Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin:
"I warmly welcome the announcement today that Pope Francis has appointed Fr. Denis Nulty, P.P., V.F. of St. Mary’s Parish Drogheda in the Diocese of Meath as Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin.

Fr. Denis brings many gifts to the task of being chief shepherd of Kildare and Leighlin.

His leaving us leaves a deep void since his contribution to the mission of faith in the Diocese went far beyond his own parish. He has at all times brought to his priestly ministry great dedication, commitment and wisdom both during his ten years in the Cathedral parish, Mullingar and since 1998 as Parish Priest of St. Mary’s. He became Ireland’s youngest parish priest at the time of his appointment to St. Mary’s, a large and expanding parish.
Fr Denis brings to his ministry intelligence and approachability, rooted in a deep faith, that was appreciated by all who crossed his path. I have every confidence that he will fulfil his new ministry with the same dedication and commitment that has characterised his priestly life.

He goes with the prayers and good wishes of all of us, priests and people."

And another:  Kildare and Leighlin wikipedia entry updated already.

And more:  former curate of Bishop-elect Nulty pays tribute.

And again:  Bishop-elect's first public statement.

Original post below:

The parish priest of St Mary's Parish, Drogheda (Diocese of Meath) has been been appointed as bishop-elect of the Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin by the Holy Father.  The word began to leak out yesterday when the faithful were invited to a meeting at St Mary's Church in Drogheda at 10.15am this morning.  It didn't take much of a soothsayer to figure out that someone was getting a pointy hat, the only question being "which diocese?".  There was great hope in Drogheda that Fr Nulty, the extremely popular parish priest for the last fifteen years, might be made co-adjutor for the Diocese of Meath.  But a source in Carlow revealed that morning plans were underway there as well and with no hint of anything in Mullingar it quickly became clear to all that Fr Nulty would be leaving the beauty of St Mary's in Drogheda for the horror which is Carlow Cathedral.

It's a big job for a big priest.

Hat/tip to Whispers in the Loggia for the material below:

What of the style "bishop-elect"? Bishops are elected in the Catholic church -- albeit by an electorate of one. (Except when, in 1985, a liberal cabal of gays, heretics, liturgical dancers and pastoral associates gathered at a secret country ranch in Colorado to elect Roger Mahony as Archbishop of Los Angeles.)

Bishops of the Latin rite, with the rare exceptions of places like Salzburg, where centuries-old concordats which are still in force concede the election of the bishop to the Cathedral Chapter, are chosen -- "elected" -- by the Pope "acting on the opinion of the Congregation for Bishops."  (And where that phrase doesn't appear in the letter of appointment, hide the children and the seminarians, because something crazy went down. This has been known to happen, however sparsely.)

Within four months of election -- known in the law as "canonical provision" -- a nominee who does not yet possess the episcopal character must receive ordination and take possession of his office. The latter is constituted not in the sacramental act, but in the presentation of the papal letter of appointment (which authorizes the ordination to take place "from the hands of any Catholic bishop outside the city of Rome") to the diocesan college of consultors or the chapter of canons. In the case of a new bishop who has already received episcopal ordination, the installation must take place within two months.

The ancient tradition remains that a bishop-elect takes to himself three principal ordaining bishops for his episcopal ordination. The lack of record-keeping in earlier times dictated this practice to ensure that at least one of the prelates had a valid place in the apostolic succession stretching back to the time of the apostles. Even though these difficulties have been cleared up over time, it wasn't until the post-Vatican II period at which all bishops present would participate in the ritual which would transmit the lineage to the newest among them. However, despite the participation of all in the new rite, the presence of two chief co-consecrators is maintained.

In terms of the externals, from the moment their appointments are announced, bishops-elect are entitled to the styles "Excellency" (in Ireland "Lord") and "Most Reverend." They may also immediately assume the amaranth choir cassock, zucchetto, biretta, mozzetta, rochet, the pectoral cross and the simar with appropriate piping and shoulder cape, just in case they've got any of those lying around, because you never know. (The rest -- mitre, crozier, ring -- are, of course, conferred at ordination.)

Star of EWTN condemns draft Irish abortion legislation

Fr John of Jesus, OCDS, popular presenter on EWTN, preached on Sunday on the draft abortion legislation.  Read the whole thing here or most of it below:

During the week the draft legislation for the introduction of abortion was published and despite assurances from the government, in reality this legislation is the first step in the introduction of abortion on demand – as inadvertently revealed by two TDs.   I would urge you all to read the legislation.  But in summary there are many difficulties with this bill not only for unborn children and women in crisis, but also for religious freedom.   First of all we need to bear in mind that many legal figures have told us that there is no need for this legislation – clarification of procedures will help protect women in difficult medical situations.  Despite what pro-abortion groups claim, abortion is never medically necessary to save a woman’s life.  Just a few weeks ago our nation’s doctors confirmed this, and rejected the idea of legislation.  Even more recently one third of our psychiatrists issued a joint statement rejecting the idea that abortion was a solution to a pregnant woman contemplating suicide – objective research and experience show that abortion actually increases the risk of suicide.  Yet the government, for some reason, has chosen to ignore the advice of the experts in this area.  This legislation is not necessary and is not based on legal, medical or psychiatric grounds – it seems to be a purely ideological exercise.

There are other issues.  Under this law abortion will be permitted up to birth. All hospitals which deal with obstetrics will have to perform abortion regardless of ethos – in other words this law will force Catholic hospitals and institutions to carry out abortions.  Doctors, nurses and midwives may avail of a conscience clause but only if they themselves arrange for others to replace them – that amounts to cooperation in abortion.  However administrative and ancillary staff are not covered by the conscience clause, and so they will be forced to cooperate materially with abortion.  These are just a few concerns.

This act, it is obvious by reading it, is the first step to more liberal provisions for abortion, as we see happened in Britain and other places.  It is obvious too that a Catholic cannot support this legislation and remain in good standing in the Church – to vote for this bill constitutes a grave sin and if not repented may well lead to canonical penalties.   In their statement the Bishops have described this bill as “morally unacceptable” and it is.  

As a pastor of souls speaking to my brothers and sisters in the Christian faith I want to remind you that as citizens of this republic you have the right to make your views known to your elected representatives.  As men and women who believe in the cause of life, for mothers and babies, and learning from medical science that one life need not be destroyed to save another, we acknowledge that there is another way.  I would urge you to do what you can for the cause of life so this legislation does not become the law of the land.  Let us listen to the Lord’s word on the sanctity of human life, on the little children.  Like the Hebrews in the desert, Ireland now faces a choice: life or death.  Let us choose life.

Four churches, four holy hours for life, Drogheda, Wednesday 10th April

Salt of the earth

On Sunday morning I heard my wife giving out to my football playing eleven year old who had somehow managed to get muddy water all over the front door which my wife had cleaned during the previous week. [Editor: Really?  Who cleans a front door?  Catholicus Nua: Womem, apparently.]

I thought little of it.  Then that evening decided to go to Mass - it was Easter Sunday and the whole family, for the first time, had gone to the Easter Vigil, but I fancied a Mass on Easter Sunday itself.  I looked at the door, then I noticed the front of the car, similarly marked, the windows of the front room. Not muddy, but more white.  A sort of white passover.  And it dawned on me.  I have a tradition, inherited from my childhood.  Get a bottle of Easter water at the Vigil and as soon as you come home you bless the house, outside and in (and the car). 

All I can is my parish priest must have used a hell of a lot of salt in the Easter water.

Tony Flannery, in the lamplight

What do you do if you're Tony Flannery and you're missing the press adulation you've been craving for months?  Why you lash out, misdirect and create an impossible task for the future Pope.  Still searching for those keys under the streetlight.

Flannery has an article in the Irish Times (don't you just hate the new website?  Try reading the letters page now - impossible) in which he claims the first task facing the new Pope must be to investigate the founder of the Legionaries of Christ, Marcial Maciel Degollado.

Now we all know this guy was a bad piece of work, including stories that he was possessed by the Devil and refused the last rites.  But he's dead.  And before he died we know Ratzinger pretty much decided he was guilty and dispatched him to a monastery to atone in silence.

We also know that Blessed John Paul trusted him and liked him.  So what do you know?  A sleazy liar managed to convince someone he was a man of God.  Isn't that what we know about most abusers?  They are manipulative, they lie, cheat, steal.  They take advantage and Blessed John Paul exercised poor judgment of his character.  Of course for years now we've been listening to them trying to attach this to Ratzinger and it will not stick.

Of course what Flannery is hoping to do is to twist things round so we start thinking it was Blessed John Paul who was the crook.  I doubt if he genuinely believes it but he'd like to hint that Blessed John Paul knew all about Maciel's wickedness and covered it up because Maciel was conservative and a good fundraiser.


Fkannery thinks he is excavating "the dysfunction, disconnection, elitism....the narcissism that dominate the culture of the Vatican to this day.  The rape and torture of children were downplayed or 'managed' to uphold instead, the primacy of the institution, its power, standing and 'reputation'.  Far from listening to evidence of humiliation and betrayal with St Benedict's 'ear of the heart'......the Vatican's reaction was to parse and analyse it with the gimlet eye of a canon lawyer."

Now where have we heard this before?  Oh yes, Herod Kenny - in a speech widely believed to have been inspired, if not written, by Flannery via his brother Frank Flannery, adviser to Kenny.

This is the same Tony Flannery who wrote an article attacking mandatory reporting because of the impact it had on the relationship between bishops and priests.  He had to be rebuked by Blessed Ian Elliott