Posted on 04/22/2006 9:54:23 AM PDT by Jim Noble
Both the Catholic and Church of Ireland Primates of All-Ireland have expressed concern and are seeking further information on the circumstances in which a concelebrated Mass involving three Catholic priests and a Church of Ireland rector took place last Sunday.
Responding to a report on the event in The Irish Times yesterday, the Catholic Primate and Archbishop of Armagh, Dr Seán Brady, said last night that in holding such a Mass there was "a real danger of causing widespread confusion, raising false hopes and creating situations that are open to misunderstandings and manipulation".
He said: "True ecumenism is best served by initiatives that are respectful of, and sensitive to, the traditions, ethos and discipline of all those involved." He would be seeking further details "about the exact circumstances of the events as reported".
The Church of Ireland Primate and Archbishop of Armagh, Most Rev Robin Eames, said last night: "Such occasions, while well intentioned, can lead to misunderstandings and misinterpretations at a time when relations between our churches have improved so much."
He added: "I share Archbishop Brady's concern over the implications for ecumenical relationships and I will be similarly requesting more information."
Meanwhile, the man who organised the Mass, Fr Iggy O'Donovan, said last night it was "the most meaningful Eucharist I ever celebrated".
The Easter Sunday morning Mass took place at the Augustinian priory in Drogheda, Co Louth, which is in both the Catholic and Church of Ireland dioceses of Armagh. It was held to mark the 90th anniversary of both the 1916 Rising and the Battle of the Somme.
Fr O'Donovan invited Rev Michael Graham, rector at St Peter's Church in Drogheda, to take part in the concelebrated Mass with him, the Augustinian prior Fr Richard Goode and Fr Noel Hession.
Fr O'Donovan said last night he was inspired to arrange the Mass after hearing the Taoiseach call for inclusive ceremonies to mark 1916. He was reinforced in this by what he witnessed in Dublin during the "Love Ulster" riots last February.
The day before the riots he had returned from Rome, where he teaches history and theology for six months of the year, and was shocked by "the sheer visceral sectarian hatred of those young people. I thought that was gone".
As for the theology involved, he said he shared "the Eucharist every day with Roman Catholics whose theology I do not share". Besides, Rev Graham "has a very profound understanding of the Eucharist", he said.
The Mass was not publicised to avoid it appearing as a gimmick, he said, while the reaction of the congregation on the day was "palpably beautiful". The response of those who spoke to him since had been "overwhelmingly positive".
Fr. Iggy [Stardust?]
It's all about MEEEEEEEeeeeeEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeee...
If large numbers of weekly massgoers practice contraception, have had abortions, are sexually active outside of marriage (i.e., as he says, don't share the faith of the Church), why object to communion with Christians who are much more orthodox than the average Catholic?
Dear Jim Noble,
"If large numbers of weekly massgoers practice contraception, have had abortions, are sexually active outside of marriage (i.e., as he says, don't share the faith of the Church), why object to communion with Christians who are much more orthodox than the average Catholic?"
I think that's looking at it through the wrong end of the telescope. Perhaps the priest should be asked why he isn't preaching strongly against contraception, abortion, sex out of marriage, etc., and thus making some effort to bring folks who are formally within the Catholic Church to a much more authentic practice of their Catholicism.
sitetest
But it's MY end of the telescope!
LOL!
I worship every week in an RC church with my Catholic wife, and my kids are in CCD.
Fr. Iggy's point is very real. I'm sure the Reverend Mr. Graham is much closer to the Catholic faith than many (in some places, most) of the weekly communicants.
When you defend the policy of Eucharistic exclusion, what is the basis for deciding who is in and who is out?
A system where Sr. Joan Chittester and other notorious heretics are in, while otherwise orthodox Christians who have not been granted the faith to see the Church as the Church sees herself are out, is incoherent.
Fr.Iggy's gesture, seen in this light, was not so bad.
Dear Jim Noble,
"I'm kidding about the telescope, of course, but I posted the article for a serious discussion."
Yes, I know, I've seen you post about this before.
"A system where Sr. Joan Chittester and other notorious heretics are in, while otherwise orthodox Christians who have not been granted the faith to see the Church as the Church sees herself are out, is incoherent."
What's incoherent is not that we keep non-Catholics from the Eucharist, but that a better job isn't done of proclaiming Catholic Truth to the flock.
The incoherent thing is not that you're prevented from receiving the Blessed Sacrament in a Catholic Church but that Sr. Chittester isn't made to face her false beliefs.
However, that being said, if a priest is doing the right thing by courageously proclaiming Catholic Truth (I've known more than one), then he is also bound to judge that those who are already formally members of the Catholic Church accept Catholic teaching, unless an individual specifically makes clear that he doesn't.
Even then, for formal members of the Catholic Church, one may be a material heretic and yet not a formal heretic, and the benefit of the doubt must be given to that individual that any heretical beliefs he holds are out of ignorance, not out of willfullness and obstinancy.
On the other hand, the non-Catholic who refuses to enter the Catholic Church has in some sense already formally refused what Catholicism believes.
I'm sure that you'll find this explanation inadequate. That's partly because I'm inadequate at making it, but I suspect at least partly because you just don't accept certain critical elements of Catholic teaching. I think it's likely that you especially don't accept the Church's ecclesiology.
I, however, do accept all that the Catholic Church teaches authoritatively, and I can tell you, from the perspective of the believer, it makes perfect sense to exclude non-Catholics from the Eucharist.
sitetest
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