Sir,-
Now that the countdown to the International Eucharistic Congress
(IEC) has begun, a related but worrying countdown must also be taken
into account.
The decline in priestly vocations means ever fewer
celebrations of the Eucharist, and the current drive to cluster parishes
and to rationalise Mass schedules will not serve us for long.
Some
senior citizens already find travel to a more distant parish beyond
their strength.
And if the Congress emerges as a positive event, more
Irish Catholics will want to participate in the Eucharist, and must be
enabled to do so. So what is the Spirit now trying to say to the Irish
Church?
Next June will see an international gathering of bishops for the
Congress, including, perhaps, the pope himself.
As hosts, the Irish
bishops are in a position to initiate a creative dialogue with their
fellow-bishops on appropriate responses to the widespread pastoral need
of providing celebrants.
To Jesus’ request, ‘Do this in memory of me’ we
can hardly convincingly respond, ‘Sorry, Lord; no celebrants!’
Open debate in the Church on this issue is long overdue. Someone,
somewhere, must offer episcopal leadership in addressing it. And if not
us, who? The best outcome to next year’s Congress would be to have
progressed this matter: to do so would help the universal Church. Carpe
diem!
While the issue of women’s ordination requires further study and
discernment, immediate and less conflictual pastoral options merit
attention.
For example: some priests now married would still be glad to
serve the People of God by celebrating Eucharist.
Further, priesthood
for married men can be considered, as witness the married Anglicans who
have joined the ordinariate established by pope Benedict and celebrate
with Catholic communities.
Again, communion services, led by the
non-ordained, could be fostered rather than viewed as an invasion of the
clerical domain.
The over-riding concern in preparing the Congress
must be the future liturgical service of the People of God, leading to a
revitalisation of the Irish Catholic Church, rather than the running of
a once-off event, however successful, next June.
- Yours, etc
Brian Grogan SJ
35 Lr Leeson St
Dublin 2