One of the problems with talk about new developments in the life of the Church is that many people remain unaware of the significant changes and permissions that are already in place, writes Kevin McDonald. Perhaps more importantly, people can be unaware of the reasons for change and of the fact that those reasons and their context are developing all the time.
The 1993 Ecumenical Directory, to which Archbishop Longley referred in his interview in The Church of Ireland Gazette, made some significant provisions in the area of “intercommunion”. For example, there is provision for Catholics receiving the sacraments in the Eastern Orthodox Churches in case of spiritual necessity – but always subject to their receiving permission from the Church in question and their respecti
19 October 2013, The Tablet
‘The important thing is the fact that provisions are there already – and are there to be used’
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User Comments (5)
The parish has been the centre of Catholic life. So far we have not developed an improvement on it. It is true that the numbers of priests in dropping sharply and this fall looks likely to continue. But then so is the numbers of practising Catholics dropping. All statistics suggest both are going down at about the same rate .
Therefore we have a need to re-organise , to reduce the number of parishes while still maintaining the concept of the parish as the centre of Catholic life.
This is not the major problem it is sometimes presented as. The reason being that most people have, or have access to, easily available transport.
Where I live I can reach ten churches by car inside half an hour, and probably five could be reached by the average fit person in that time.
Therefore the number of parishes could be reduced by circa 50% while still retaining the classic model of a church with at least one parish priest.
I love the analogy of the Parish with the Family but the parallel only goes so far. Any family facing a future without food would consider itself doomed to starving to death from malnutrition. Every family must have food however the habits of sharing that essential have changed in our time.
The Parish Family faces an immediate future without the spiritual substance of the Eucharist. Most priests in England and Wales are over 60 years which means that in ten years time there is going to a cosmic change for those who wish to gather around the table of the Lord. No food for the journey means eventually, death by slow starvation. That in turn means that our efforts at Evangelisation is a waste of time because we are not going to be able to feed ourselves never mind those people we expect to join us.
The amalgamation of Parishes only serves to prolong the lingering death. Unless the Holy Spirit and Pope Francis have a plan?
W
Regarding Bob Hayes's comment I thought Jesus was responsible for the Christian identity...I am very blessed to have been raised (and continue to live) in the Catholic Church but it is being a Christian which seems to me to be the most important. I live in a very ecumenical village and we all get along splendidly firmly following the teachings of Jesus and Gospels. Love to everyone, Sarah
'Our Catholic identity has been shaped by the parish...' Really? I always thought it was supposed to be shaped by the teachings of Christ Jesus.
Although I generally do not have a high regard for "The Tablet" -- a harsh way to start but so it MUST be -- I found this entry to be quite insightful, a least for the economically developed world. This is one of those rare gems, which I hope to find and which causes me to continue to peruse it on occasion. I hope diocesan evangelization offices, at least in the appropriate countries and cities, incorporate into their thinking so that they actually help keep more Catholics practicing and attract more converts to the one true Church.