CHURCH - It's all about Insiders and Outsiders - Apparently!

So - The Pope in a statement released today, for some reason known only to himself sees it necessary to declare those of us "born of the Reformation" as "deprived of a constitutive element of the Church"....and "cannot according to Catholic doctrine, be called Churches in the proper sense". Nothing new in this - Dominus Iesus (2000) has already told us that we are merely "Ecclesial Communities".

Once upon a time I would have got very angry and worked up about this but not any more - I do find it both profoundly sad and pathetic. Sad because it seems to me that one of the chief works of the Church is to build one another up in Love - to recreate community and not to undermine it - to build bridges not walls - to be merciful not arrogant - to be humble not self-righteous.....I could go on - this statement is so anti-Christian it is almost surreal.

It is also pathetic and in saying this I do not want to fall into the trap of triumphalism but I cannot help but observe that in my own 'ecclesial community' (Church of Ireland) which comprises 4% of the population we have more candidates for the priesthood than the Roman Catholic Church! Why is that? Why is it that the same Roman Catholic Church in Ireland will in a generation at most have so few priests that only one in three parishes will have a priest?

But this line of argument is a dead end too - because its not about numbers, its not about who is in or who is out, its not about who is more worthy (as we are reminded in the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican) or even who can claim an unbroken Apostolic succession - No, what it is actually all about is being a follower or disciple of Jesus Christ - that is the true nature of Church and it belongs to no institution but is open to all - available to all as Jesus was. Infact perhaps true Church is most visible where Jesus spent most of his time - on the margins, with the outcasts, with the broken and those who as the Pope so charitably describes "suffer defects"!

I for one am glad to be on the outside of this pure and flawless Church. I only hope and pray that the majority of those within the Roman Catholic Church who do not think along these lines do not let this Pope further damage and pervert the witness of Christianity in our world. It's hard to reach out to broken people from a perfect Church which brings shame and rejection where what is needed is Love, affirmation and healing.

Tony Campolo - Reclaiming God from the Religious Right!

This is a short interview with one of my favourite people - I don't agree with him on every issue but he is one person who gets what Christianity is all about!

Obama: "Faith got hijacked."

Obama said Saturday that the religious right had “hijacked” faith and divided the country by exploiting issues like abortion, same-sex marriage and school prayer.—“But somehow, somewhere along the way, faith stopped being used to bring us together,” Mr. Obama said. “Faith started being used to drive us apart. Faith got hijacked.”

read more | digg story

I think Obama has hit the nail on the head here - Reminds me of what a lot of people have been saying recently about the current hunger for spirituality being a quest for connection and community while institutional religion (not least Christianity) seems more concerned with marking boundaries and raising barriers.

Spread a little Love wherever you go!

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I suppose thats what you call "Walking the Talk"

Marriage and Pre-nuptial agreements

Like most clergy one of the happier parts of my job is conducting marriages. They are very fulfilling to be involved in and I always feel a certain privilege in my role as officiant. However one development which seems likely to become a part of the scene in Ireland is the pre-nuptial agreement which will it seems to me make it difficult for those of us who act on behalf of churches to continue to do so where such agreements are entered into.

Why am I so worried or what is my concern? Well it comes down to this: From a Christian perspective marriage is a covenant not a contract and there is a significant difference. A contract can be voided by mutual agreement and is based on limited liability and on distrust. A covenant cannot be broken in new circumstances and is based on unlimited responsibility and trust between the parties.

But what about divorce - does it not already undermine the covenant of marriage? I am a realist and I do believe that people should get second chances and that most marriages which end in divorce were entered into in good faith. However if on the other hand you enter into a marriage with the conditions for dissilution already discussed it seems you are 'preparing to fail' and that is a fairly hopeless and sad basis for any relationship.

So what would I do if asked to officiate at a wedding where the couple had entered into such an agreement? I think I would have to refuse, for to do otherwise seems to me dishonest and misleading. The Church wedding is not just a fancy backdrop to a civil occasion. It is something different than the civil ceremony and perhaps we need to make that clear to those who are embarking on this path in life.

Double Misconception!

A mother of seven has today been awarded €90,000 in damages after a sterilisation operation failed and she gave birth to two children. However, Mr Justice Peter Kelly refused to award the woman and her now estranged husband damages for the cost of rearing the two children to adulthood. In what was the first claim of its kind, the couple had said they should receive the same costs as would have been incurred if the two children were raised in foster care. They were seeking just over €381,000 in damages for that aspect of the case. (RTE.ie)

Not simple this case - it seems that the doctor knew that the operation had failed and explained the first post-op baby by saying the mother was already expecting when the procedure was done! I imagine he was praying hard that she would subsequently feel called to chastity - but like St Augustine it was a case of 'not yet' and so his failure was rumbled.

I think the judge got it right - not least because of the consequences for the two children whose parents would effectively be compensated for their existence. Whatever the circumstances of the mother concerned it seems unhelpful for all concerned to bring economic compensation into the delicate mix that is parental love and care. I know that they never planned to have more children (obviously) and that they had good reason but would such massive financial compensation really make it alright? I suspect it would make an already difficult situation even more devisive. This was a case where the wisdom of Solomon was called for and in his arguments Mr Justice Peter Kelly did a good job. The judge said that the benefits of having a healthy child outweighed any loss incurred in rearing them. And he said that if he did award damages in such a case it would open the door to a limitless range of claims in respect of every aspect of family life.

Common sense won the day and on this occassion we have been well served by our judiciary.

10 Commandments for the road!

This from the Vatican:

Drivers’ “Ten Commandments”

61. With the request for motorists to exercise virtue, we have drawn up a special “decalogue” for them, in analogy with the Lord’s Ten Commandments. These are stated here below, as indications, considering that they may also be formulated differently.

I.	You shall not kill.
II.	The road shall be for you a means of communion between people and not of mortal harm.
III.	Courtesy, uprightness and prudence will help you deal with unforeseen events.
IV.	Be charitable and help your neighbour in need, especially victims of accidents.
V.	Cars shall not be for you an expression of power and domination, and an occasion of sin.
VI.	Charitably convince the young and not so young not to drive when they are not in a fitting condition to do so.
VII.	Support the families of accident victims.
VIII.	Bring guilty motorists and their victims together, at the appropriate time, so that they can undergo the liberating experience of forgiveness.
IX.	On the road, protect the more vulnerable party.
X.	Feel responsible towards others.

Hmmm - now we await the "Summary of the Law" Any suggestions?