Fr Robert McNamara, parish priest in Lisdooonvarna/Kilshanny in Co Clare, writes a full page article in The Irish Catholic of July 16; the heading on the piece runs: Reflections on yoga and the notion of the inner journey.
Can this style of writing really have anything to do with Jesus Christ, who died on a cross and rose from the dead?
Indeed, the entire tone of The Irish Catholic must leave one with a sense of despair. Reading through it one is reminded of Neues Deutschland, which was the newspaper of the former German Democratic Republic; page after page spouted out how everything about the ruling SED was perfect, and anyone who disagreed with them and was not part of their circle was to be despised.
That's easily the tone one could get reading The Irish Catholic.
How attractive or inspiring would the average Irish reader find The Irish Catholic?
But there is hope; it's clear Pope Leo is going to continue in the footsteps of Pope Francis.
And there's going to be no going back.
When Archbishop McQuaid retuned from the Vatican Council he told the Irish people there was no need to worry, nothing was going to change.
How wrong he was.
Our hope is in true and real synodality, the trouble is, it's so easy to pay lip service to it.
Are Irish bishops really listening, genuinely and enthusiastically about Pope Leo's vision of synodality?
Number 89 of Pope Leo's encyclical reads: "Living out justice in the Church means purifying ecclesial relationships and structures from distortions that give rise to inequality, lack of transparency and abuse of power. In this regard, listening to the victims of spiritual, economic, institutional, sexual and power-based abuse, as well as abuses of conscience, is an integral part of a journey toward justice, which includes acknowledging the harm done, just reparation and taking steps to prevent it from happening again. Every power is at the service of communion and mission. All authority is at the service of the People of God."
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