Tag Archives: Ireland

Catholic woman bishop on Irish vocations recruitment drive

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Five women who believe they have a vocation to the Catholic priesthood have contacted a US delegation visiting Ireland this month to recruit female priests.

From the US-based Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests (ARCWP), the delegation is being led by Irish-born Bishop Mary Bridget Meehan, who is accompanied by Rev Mary Theresa Streck and Rev Joan Chesterfield.

Speaking of the five women seeking ordination, Bishop Meehan told The Irish Times they “already have theology degrees and diplomas in spirituality”.

A Mass celebrated by Bishop Meehan, in a community centre on Dublin’s South Circular, was attended by “35 to 40” people earlier this month, while the delegation met a similar number more recently in Drogheda.

Source: Irish Times

Irish Synod Approves Outreach Proposal to LGBT People, Others Hurt by Church 

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Today, Catholic LGBT and ally pilgrims from the U.S. are bound for Ireland, sponsored by New Ways Ministry.   Sister Jeannine Gramick, New Ways Ministry’s Co-Founder, will be the spiritual leader of this pilgrimage group traveling to the “land of rainbows and wedding bells.” Once there, we will celebrate Ireland’s successful referendum last year that legalized marriage equality, as well as meeting with two Irish Catholic LGBT groups along the way.

We will arrive to good news out of Limerick, where Catholics just concluded a diocesan synod last night after 18 months of listening and of dialogue. Last weekend, 400 delegates gathered for the synod, which was described by Bishop Brendan Leahy as the “distilling of the wisdom of the listening that has gone on across the 60 parishes of our diocese of Limerick.”

Delegates considered 100 proposals about church teaching and practice that emerged from a listening process, which included meetings with 1,500 people and other input from more than 5,000 people. The Irish Timesreported on one proposal related to LGBT Catholics:

Source:  Bondings 2.0

LGBT people want equality, not Pope’s compassion, says GLEN spokesman 

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The Gay and Lesbian Equality Network said that it is disappointed by the Pope’s document on love and the family, calling it a missed opportunity to tackle homophobia.

Pope Francis published Amoris Laetitia (or ‘The Joy of Love’) this morning, in which he repeated the Catholic Church’s teaching that gay partnerships are not the same as traditional marriage.

Kieran Rose, the co-chair of GLEN, said it was a shame that the pontiff wasn’t more inclusive.

“It was billed as something that was going to be very progressive, but basically the only progressive thing, as far as I can see, in the statement is a call for compassion for LGBT people,” he said.

“To be very honest with you, I think me and every other single LGBT person are far more interested in equality and full human rights than in somebody’s compassion.”

Source: BreakingNews.ie

Referendum on same-sex marriage to be held in 2015

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It’s been a long wait, but we now have confirmation – marriage equality is coming to Catholic Ireland. First, in terms of the constitution there must be a referendum put to voters, which will be in March 2015, but there’s little doubt that the measure will pass. It was proposed earlier this year by the constitutional convention which considered a number of constitutional changes (including a controversial one on abortion), opinion polls already show strong public support (likely to grow still further in the next eighteen months), and the government will  campaign in favour.

Marriage Equality Ireland

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Archbishop Urges More ‘Respectful’ Tone on Gay Marriage

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In one more sign that some Catholic bishops are changing their tone, if not their stance, on marriage equality, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin has stated that the Church will remain opposed to gay marriage, but must learn to do so “in a more respectful way.”

Martin: church needs to be ‘respectful’ in gay marriage debate

The Archbishop of Dublin says the Catholic Church will remain opposed to gay marriage – but must learn to “fight its battles” in a more respectful way.

Archbishop Diarmuid Martin said there is a growing divergence between the Church’s view on marriage and that of wider society.

He said the Church’s position won’t change, but it must remain respectful in the debate.

“The church has taken a very strong line, and I don’t think people would expect the church to not to do that,” he said.

“But it would be done – and this is important – the church has to learn how to fight its battles in a respectful and in a noble way.”

His comments come after the Chairperson of the Constitutional Convention, Tom Arnold, urged the Government to hold a referendum on same-sex marriage.

Over 79% of the Convention favoured legalising marriage between two people of the same sex.

via  BreakingNews.ie.

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Irish bishops and gay marriage

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This month, the Constitutional Assembly of Ireland is to discuss a referendum on legalizing gay marriage. Irish Bishops Conference (IBC) gave a tough warning to the Government against legalizing such unions.

Otherwise, the Catholic Church will refuse to support the state system of registration of marriages.

For Ireland this is a serious protest, because in order to be legally recognized, a marriage must be certified by one of the 5,600 members of the special register. Approximately 4,300 of them are Catholic priests who conduct nearly 70 percent of all wedding ceremonies. In the event that the threat is fulfilled, the system of marriage registration is expected to collapse.

The bishops wrote in their appeal that the legalization of same-sex marriage would lead to the relegation of the institution of marriage to any sexual relationship between two people, which threatens the survival of the family and society, the Irish Examiner quoted. The statement concluded that marriage would no longer be the institution that is the foundation of the family and society.

The Catholic bishops of Ireland also warned that the church would not be able to perform its civic duty in the event that the legal definition of marriage as the union of a man and a woman is changed.

Marriage is not a private shop, but a social institution, developed mainly in the interests of raising children, wrote the bishops. They refer to scientific studies that indicate that the best results in raising children are achieved by two parents – father and mother in a stable marriage.

This is the first organized protest of the Catholic Church, which is surprising for an Irish society that does not share the views of their guides. The survey conducted in late 2012 by the Institute of Millward Brown Lansdowne (MBL) showed that 75 percent of Irish people would say “yes” in a referendum on the legalization of gay and lesbian marriage.

In 2008, this number was 63 percent. Only people over 65 years of age demonstrated denial of this possibility. As for official adoption of children by same-sex couples, 54 percent of respondents believe that it should be allowed.

Politicians do not hear the voice of the Catholic Church of Ireland either. No major politician has expressed support for traditional values. On the contrary, Deputy Prime Minister of Ireland Eamon Gilmore called for the urgent implementation of the referendum. He believes it’s time for gays and lesbians to get access to the institution of marriage.

-continue reading at  Pravda

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Ireland’s deputy PM says ‘time has come’ for gay marriage

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Eamon Gilmore backs same-sex marriage, branding it the ‘civil rights issue of this generation’

02 JULY 2012 | BY MATTHEW JENKIN

Ireland’s deputy prime minister Eamon Gilmore has publicly backed gay marriage, calling it the ‘civil rights issue of this generation’.

The Tánaiste has joined world leaders such as Barack Obama in calling for same-sex marriage to be recognized and said the issue would be discussed by the government during Constitutional Convention talks later this year.

Speaking in Dublin, he also congratulated organizers of the city’s gay pride celebrations, which saw 30,000 take part in the main parade on Saturday (30 June).

‘I don’t believe for example, that it should ever be the role of the state to pass judgement on whom a person falls in love with, or whom they want to spend their life with,’ he said, reported the Irish Examiner.

‘I believe in gay marriage. The right of gay couples to marry is, quite simply, the civil rights issue of this generation, and, in my opinion, its time has come.’

Ireland’s Gay and Lesbian Equality Network (GLEN) has welcomed Gilmore’s support for gay marriage, saying his views are now more in step with public opinion.

‘The huge popular enthusiasm and support for civil partnerships across the country and the polls showing 73% public support, demonstrate that Ireland is ready to move to civil marriage for lesbian and gay couples,’ said Kieran Rose, GLEN chairman.

Rose added that all political parties are now behind LGBT equality.

He added: ‘To move to marriage now and provide full constitutional equality for lesbian and gay people is not a massive legislative leap; it is an incremental step building on the success of our civil partnership legislation.

‘The forthcoming Constitutional Convention provides a further opportunity to tease out any issues and to further build a solid consensus for civil marriage for lesbian and gay couples.’

via Ireland’s deputy PM says ‘time has come’ for gay marriage | Gay Star News.

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