Pastoral Letters and Articles:
Gaza: “Words are not enough!” – Irish Bishops call for solidarity at parish level
Bishops stated the following concerning the humanitarian disaster in Gaza: “In Gaza people are starving and adequate aid is being denied; it seems clear that famine is being used as a weapon of war. Already over 600,000 Palestinians have been displaced. The evidence points to a staged strategy of ethnic cleansing aimed at removing the Palestinian people from their homes and their homeland. It is becoming increasingly clear to people on the ground that these are genocidal actions sanctioned by the Government of Israel.
“What is happening in Gaza – and the West Bank – is the death of tens of thousands of non-combatants, many of them women and children. This is unconscionable and disproportionate. It is immoral for world leaders to stand by inactively in the face of this outrageous tragedy for humanity.
“Words are not enough! There is an urgent need for the international community to intervene, cut off arms supplies and bring the carnage to an end. This will call for courage on the part of leaders. Examples of courage are being given every day by heroic doctors, nurses and aid workers risking their lives in service of the wounded and those who have been displaced.”
As noted already, bishops offered prayers for the people of Gaza and Ukraine as well as other troubled places in the world. In relation to the deteriorating situation in Gaza they noted that as of early June 2025, the humanitarian crisis there has intensified dramatically. To date, almost 55,000 people have been killed in Gaza and the West Bank, since the horrific events of 7 October 2023.
Bishops welcomed the response to their call in their statement of 26 May for a ‘Day of Prayer and Fasting for Peace’ in Gaza on Friday last, 6 June. The entire month of June, the month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, should be a time of special prayer for peace. All parishes are asked to give expression to their solidarity with the suffering people of Gaza during June.
Bishops continued, “People in parishes across the country are horrified by what they are witnessing. They may feel helpless. But they can show their solidarity in different ways by lobbying their political representatives, by supporting humanitarian aid and, above all, by continuing to pray for an end to the conflict now and the resumption of peace, including the return of all hostages and prisoners.”
Bishops listened again to the recent words of Pope Leo XIV and resonated with them: “In the Gaza Strip, the cry of mothers, of fathers who clutch the lifeless bodies of children and who are continually forced to move in search of a little food and safer shelter from bombing, rises ever more intensely to the sky. I renew my appeal to the leaders: cease-fire, release all hostages, fully respect humanitarian law. Mary Queen of Peace, pray for us.’ (General Audience, 28 May 2025)
Message from Bishop Kevin Doran to the Faithful of the Diocese of Achonry
Dear Friends,
Today, Laetare Sunday, I will be installed as Bishop of Achonry. This also marks the moment when our two dioceses of Achonry and Elphin are united “in persona episcopi” which is a Latin term meaning “in the person of the Bishop”. This term is used by the Catholic Church to designate the union of two or more dioceses, under one bishop. This has also happened in recent years in the dioceses of Galway and Clonfert. The dioceses of Tuam and Killala are on a similar path.
While the Ceremony of Installation focuses on the Bishop and his role, it is also about all of you who make up the people of God in the Diocese. I look forward to welcoming lay representatives who have been invited from all across the Diocese. It would have been good to have gathered you all in the Cathedral today but, of course, space is limited. You will all be in my prayers.
The Parable of the Prodigal Son that we heard in the Gospel, begins with the words: “A man had two sons….” The parable is really more about the Father than about the Sons. In telling this story, Jesus wants us to notice the love that the Father has for each of his sons. He loves them both, he loves them equally, but he loves each of them in a unique way. I think the image of the Father, who stands on the doorstep waiting for one son, and goes out into the field to be close to the other, challenges each one of us, as sons and daughters, to grow into the image of the Father. As St. Paul says: “For anyone who is in Christ, there is a new creation; the old creation has gone, and now the new one is here”.
As you will appreciate, the image of the Father who “has two sons”, has a particular resonance for a Bishop who has two Dioceses. The mission of a Bishop, in the traditional language of the Church is to “teach”, to “sanctify” and to “govern”. I understand that, in order to do those three things, I must be open to “learning”; I must become more “holy” and “prayerful” and I must be “obedient”, particularly to the Holy Spirit, to the Word of God and to the essential faith of the Church. As bishop, I am called to be a sign and a means of unity. Like the Father with the two Sons, it will be my responsibility to gather together the people of God. Each diocese still retains its own unique identity, but gradually over the coming years, while respecting the culture and the history and the unique gifts of each, our two dioceses of Achonry and Elphin will become one diocese.
I would like to share with you a short message I received on behalf of Pope Francis last week which was not just for me but for all of us:
“His Holiness wishes to assure you of his prayers as you take up your episcopal ministry in the dioceses of Achonry and Elphin, united in persona episcopi, and cordially imparts his Apostolic Blessing to you and to the faithful of the dioceses of Achonry and Elphin”.
As I renew my commitment today to serve you, the people of our two Dioceses, I ask your prayers and your practical support in being the Bishop I am called to be.
Finally, on this Mother’s Day, I would like to send my prayerful good wishes to all mothers across our two dioceses.
May God bless you all.
+Kevin
Jubilee Year 2025 – ‘A call to action!’
The celebration of Jubilee 2025 has now begun throughout the universal Catholic Church on the theme: ‘Pilgrims of Hope’. Everyone is invited to participate in this special year of faith. Specifically, Pope Francis is encouraging each of us to be messengers of hope in our very troubled world during this holy year. In our Christian tradition, the Jubilee has a strong focus on reconciliation and renewal, including reaching out to people on the margins. It is normally celebrated every 25 years, so that more people can experience it at least once in a lifetime. In dioceses and parishes around Ireland people are celebrating specific jubilee occasions both locally and in Rome. Reflecting the Jubilee Year in the Universal Church, the Irish Synodal Pathway will also focus on hope ahead of the national pre-synodal assembly in Kilkenny on 18 October next. For further information on Jubilee 2025 Year of Hope, see the dedicated page on CatholicBishops.ie for all Jubilee-related updates, including a live calendar featuring events happening across the island. To keep the Jubilee page vibrant, we invite you to contribute by sharing videos and photos from events in your diocese to the Catholic Communications Office in Maynooth on info@catholicbishops.ie. Your contributions will help showcase and amplify the Jubilee celebrations across Ireland. Scan QR code here (see attached) to see the dedicated Jubilee 2025 page. Thank you!
Hashtags to use on social media: #Jubilee2025 #PilgrimsofHope @Iubilaeum_25
Statement of Bishop Kevin Doran following the publication of the Report of the Scoping Inquiry into Historical Sexual Abuse in Day and Boarding Schools Run by Religious Orders
I have been reading through the Report of the Scoping Inquiry into Historical Sexual Abuse in Day and Boarding Schools Run by Religious Orders. It is not easy reading by any means, but I am conscious that, behind every paragraph is the experience of real people who, as children, suffered abuse and violence in a place where they should have been safe. They have the right to tell their story. The tragedy of the report is not simply that there are so many of them, but that so many of them had to carry their experience alone for so many years, before they felt sufficiently free to tell someone else.
While the report relates specifically to Religious-run schools, it would be naive in the extreme to suggest that child abuse was not also a reality in other schools, whether Catholic or of any other tradition. Sadly, sexual abuse, has been endemic in our society. Both the Dioceses of Achonry and Elphin supported the work of the Scoping Inquiry, and we will certainly respond to any further enquiry that is deemed appropriate.
Survivors of abuse in schools are living in all our parishes. They are our brothers and sisters. As a bishop, I want to offer my sincere apology to all those who have been affected by abuse in the context of Church. I know from past experience that these words, however well intended, may sound hollow to survivors and their families. I appreciate that actions speak louder than words. Together with the safeguarding teams in both dioceses, I am committed to ensuring that the policies and procedures which have been put in place for the safeguarding of children will continue to be fully implemented. The Report serves only to renew that commitment. I encourage all our clergy and parishioners to be alert to anything which might put children at risk of harm and I encourage anyone who has a concern, a suspicion or knowledge of abuse to speak to the trained safeguarding personnel in our schools and dioceses, or to report them directly to An Garda Síochána or to Tusla.
CONTACTS:
Designated Liaison Persons
Diocese of Elphin:
• Mary Nicholson, St. Mary’s, Temple Street, Sligo. Tel: 086 3750277
• Helen Diskin, c/o St. Mary’s, Temple Street, Sligo. Tel: 087 0516888
Diocese of Achonry:
• Anne Leonard, Bishop’s House, Convent Road, Ballaghaderreen, Co Roscommon.
Tel: 087 6474136
TUSLA (Child and Family Agency) – Duty Social Work Contact Details
Sligo 071-9155133
Leitrim 071-9650324
Roscommon 090-6637528
Galway 091-546366
Athlone 090-6483106
Mayo 094-9042283
Garda Confidential Service 1800 555 222
Freedom to Live Fully, Until Death Comes:
“Every human person possesses an infinite dignity, inalienably grounded in his or her very being, which prevails in and beyond every circumstance, state, or situation the person may ever encounter.” With that in mind, the Bishops of Ireland wish to invite people to consider once again some of the essential elements of the Church’s teaching on care at the end of life.
Palliative and pastoral care focus on the needs of the whole person
As pastors, we are well aware of the impact that critical or terminal illness has, not only on the person who is ill, but also on his or her family and friends. In his Letter to the Romans, Saint Paul writes: “The life and death of each of us has its influence on others; if we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord, so that alive or dead we belong to the Lord” (Rom. 14:7). We believe that every person who is seriously ill, together with all those who are concerned with his or her care, however difficult the circumstances, is held in the unconditional love of God.
“Despite our best efforts, it is hard to recognise the profound value of human life when we see it in its weakness and fragility.”It is our experience however that, in the final weeks of terminal illness, many people can be helped to experience human and spiritual growth. Faced with the reality of their own mortality, they can and do come to understand themselves better, and to experience the love of family members and friends. This can be a time when old hurts are healed and people find inner peace. This process is supported through palliative and pastoral care, which places the focus on the needs of the whole person.
“Assisted suicide” would undermine confidence of terminally ill:
It is argued by some that the provision of “assisted suicide” is simply about respecting the autonomy of the individual over his or her own life. Once life is taken away, however, autonomy is also taken away. The Church does not and never has insisted on the use of extraordinary means to prolong life. Nor is there any moral obligation on a sick person to accept treatment which they feel is unduly burdensome. A decision to end life prematurely, however, cuts off any prospect of growth or healing and represents a failure of hope. It is surely far better when a person’s freedom to live is affirmed and supported by a compassionate community of care. Even leaving aside the vision of faith, individual autonomy is not absolute, and consideration must be given to the impact of legislation on the common good, as well as on the individual. By legislating for assisted suicide or euthanasia, the State would contribute to undermining the confidence of people who are terminally ill, who want to be cared for and want to live life as fully as possible until death naturally comes.
People who are dying are entitled to be accompanied in a holistic way. We believe that palliative care services need to be more widely available, in hospitals and hospices and in the community. Pope Francis says: “We must accompany people towards death, but not provoke death or facilitate any form of suicide”. “Care for life is therefore the first responsibility that guides the physician in the encounter with the sick” and the duty of care applies “not only when the restoration to health is a realistic outcome, but even when a cure is unlikely or impossible.” It is often very difficult to accompany those who are suffering near the end of life. All the more reason, then, for Society to make sufficient resources available for the integral care of the dying, so that no one is made to feel that either suffering, or caring, is unbearable.
We reject legislation that would facilitate assisted suicide or euthanasia
We have read the “Final Report of the Joint Committee on Assisted Dying”.[6] The first recommendation of that report is “that the government introduces legislation allowing for assisted dying, in certain restricted circumstances as set out in the recommendations of the report”. We totally reject that recommendation because, whatever the circumstances, the deliberate taking of human life, especially by those whose vocation is to care for it, undermines a fundamental principle of civilised society, namely that no person can lawfully take the life of another.
People with intellectual disabilities would be particularly vulnerable
We are aware, of course, that the “Final Report” proposes various “restrictions” regarding who might have access to assisted suicide and under what circumstances. We have little confidence that those proposed restrictions would offer any real protection. Taking into account what has happened in many other jurisdictions, and indeed, what is already happening in Ireland with regard to the law on abortion, we believe that it would be only a matter of time before proposals would be on the table again to extend the availability of assisted suicide to those in our society who are most vulnerable, including people with intellectual disabilites.
Acting in Freedom and Truth
Assisted suicide requires the active participation of healthcare professionals in taking the lives of the sick. We specifically reject the Recommendation in the Final Report which requires that, “if assisted dying is legislated for, a doctor or nurse practitioner be present” and “must account to the responsible authority.” Similarly, the Final Report proposes that, when a healthcare professional refuses to participate in ending the life of a patient, he or she would then be required to refer that same patient on to a “participating healthcare professional”. Requirements such as these would radically undermine the ethos of healthcare.
Conscience is our “inner sanctuary” that sacred place where we come face to face with the truth and that includes the truth about the inherent dignity of the human person. Doctors and nurses are obliged, like everyone else, to seek the truth and to be faithful to it in the way they care for their patients. The Good Samaritan does not ‘pass by on the other side’ as if he didn’t see (Lk.10:31). Whenever we place healthcare professionals under pressure to participate, either directly or by referral, in an act that they themselves believe to be fundamentally immoral, we treat them as mindless functionaries. This does untold damage to the integrity of
healthcare in Ireland and removes the human person as its primary focus. In our culture, we rightly hold doctors and nurses in high esteem because they are presumed always to be at the service of life, for as long as their patient lives. We call on Catholics to stand firmly in support of nurses and doctors who stand for life. One day it may be your life.
ENDS
This pastoral letter Freedom to Live Fully, Until Death Comes has been published by the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference to inform people of faith and goodwill who wish to protect and support human life with dignity and compassion, especially in the last weeks of terminal illnes
State must provide school choice reflecting the education parents want for their children:
Catholic schools are playing their part in serving the need of a more diverse community
Alan Hynes - Irish Times - 23rd January 2024
Across the island of Ireland, from Sunday, January 21st to Saturday, January 27th, the annual celebration of Catholic Schools Week will be marked in Catholic schools, which will pray on, and explore, the 2024 theme of Catholic schools as “communities of service”.
Late in November 2023, Pope Francis, who was recovering from bronchitis, met with Glasgow’s Celtic Football Club team in the Vatican. The club had been founded in Scotland in 1887 by the Irish Marist Brother Walfrid as a means to raise money in the area for the alleviation of poverty among the Irish immigrant community.
In prepared remarks, Pope Francis asked that players set a good example on and off the field of play, embodying “the virtues of courage, perseverance, generosity and respect for the God-given dignity of others”.
I reflected on these words of Pope Francis and the theme of Catholic Schools Week 2024 in the aftermath of the Dublin riots, which occurred just a few days before the pope’s meeting with Celtic. Ireland is struggling with our newfound plurality of peoples and values, and Catholic schools have a vital role to play in reflecting on how they as communities may serve that pluralism within and without the schools.
The topic of pluralism and diversity was addressed in a recent opinion piece by Fintan O’Toole ( ‘In Ireland we barely talk about immigration. It’s easy to see why’) in which he correctly recognises the huge achievement of Irish society in “the settling of such a large influx of people”. He rightfully places the greater part of the credit for this, albeit not wholly successful achievement, not with any top-down initiative, but in the low-level work carried out “in communities and workplaces, in schools and churches, in sports clubs and voluntary organisations”.
Catholic schools, alongside other schools, have played their part. They do so as part of a vast global family. The Catholic Church is the only truly global body involved in education, working to provide education to more than 60 million children across the globe. The church speaks in many scores of languages and has interacted with hundreds of cultures. By doing so, Catholicism has gained a rich understanding of humanity. This is an aspect of Catholicism that Catholic education should lean into and emphasise. Our schools are grounded in the local while being part of the global.
Catholic schools across the world serve diverse communities, with some of our schools in Central Africa and India having majority enrolments from pupils of other faith backgrounds and philosophical beliefs. Our schools in our nearest neighbours, the United Kingdom and France, have proven to be popular with immigrant families, including those from other faiths. Across Europe, denominational schools in receipt of public funding are playing their part in responding to the increased diversity of the societies they serve.
In Ireland, there are those who would have us respond to the increased diversity of our society by creating a uniform education system. O’Toole appeals to Irish society to discuss immigration, identifying, in particular, the bringing about of a secular uniform education system along the lines of public schools in the United States. He argues that this was a crucial way in which the US responded to the influx of diverse people. However, it is increasingly difficult to hold the United States up as a model of a society comfortable with its diversity.
Our response to diversity is to start from a firm sense of who we are, and to respond to difference with dialogue and encounter, rooted in respect
Many of those in favour of educational uniformity as response to diversity claim that it will be “neutral”. However, there is no such thing as a value-neutral, ethos-free education. Those arguing for change along these lines rarely explicitly identify what ethical perspective they want for Irish schools.
Catholic education has been developing in its sense of mission over the last few decades, and under several popes. Our response to diversity is to start from a firm sense of who we are, and to respond to difference with dialogue and encounter, rooted in respect. We believe that the response to pluralism is not an imposed sameness, but rather a pluralism of approaches, grounded in respectful dialogue with other points of view, beliefs, and faiths.
The State has a duty to provide for a plurality in choice of schools reflective of type of education parents and guardians desire for their children. The church has indicated its willingness, out of a concern for the common good, to assist the State in meeting that duty, and has positively engaged in a process to achieve reconfiguration of patronage at primary level. This process is not an easy one. However, all parties are determined to effect change and to identify a positive way forward.
Catholic education seeks to respond to current challenges with the values outlined by the pope in his comments to Celtic FC: “Courage, perseverance, generosity and respect for the God-given dignity of others”. Central to the Catholic understanding of the human person is that each of us is made in the image and likeness of God, thereby sharing in a common dignity, interdependent on one another, and being bound by a duty of solidarity with all men and women.
For Catholics, and in particular for those involved in education, encounter is not a noun, but a verb. It is an action informed by love, building bridges across differences, reaching out to those on the margins of our society, and seeking the development and common good of all peoples. This occurs every day in schools with a Catholic ethos in Ireland, and throughout the world.
Alan Hynes is chief executive of the Catholic Education Partnership
Letter from Bishop Paul Dempsey on Safeguarding Sunday:
Dear Friends,
Today is an opportunity for us to reflect upon the very important ministry of Safeguarding in our Diocese. Safe Guarding is a ministry dedicated to the safety and welfare of children and vulnerable adults who participate in the life of the Church. The second review of child safeguarding practice in our Diocese was undertaken by the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church (National Board) in 2022. The full review is available on our diocesan website, www.achonrydiocese.org
The review was carried out over three days by independent reviewers on behalf of the National Board in November 2022. It assessed our compliance with the Safeguarding Children Policy and Standards for the Catholic Church in Ireland 2016 and involved visits to parishes, meetiings with young people, such as Altar Servers and Choir members. Meetings were held with personnel with responsibility for youth activities in the parishes. Further meetings were held with Local Safeguarding Representatives and our safeguarding committee, priests, Diocesan Liaison Persons as well as a review of our safeguarding, procedures and files. I am glad to report that the reviewers acknowledged and commended the great commitment to Saeguarding in the Diocese. Like with any review there were also learnings that are helpful for us to reflect upon into the future..
I take this opportunity to thank all those involved in the Ministry of Safeguarding throughout the Diocese. The generosity of so many people giving of their of their time and effort in this very important aspect of Diocesan life is truly inspiring. I also wish to thank the Diocesan Safeguarding Committee who work tirelessly to ensure that the best standards are in place in all our parishes. Our Director of Safeguarding, Helen Diskin, has brought very valuable experience and professionalism to this role and I appreciate the huge strides she has made since the setting up of the Safeguarding Office in the Diocese. The Diocesan Liaison Person, Anne Leonard and Deputy Liaison Person Sr Pat Casey have given outstanding service to this ministry, for which I am truly grateful.
As with so many areas of life, we can never become complacent. Having completed the review, I am confident that the Diocese of Achonry is in a very good place in relation to Safeguarding and I will continue to work very hard to ensure that our commitment to the highest standards of Safeguarding will continue.
If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact Helen Diskin at our Safeguarding Office:
Bishop’s House, Convent Road, Ballaghaderreen, Co Roscommon. F45H004. Email: safeguarding@achonrydiocese.org. Phone 0949860034
Every Blessing
Paul Dempsey, Bishop of Achonry.
Achonry Diocese Safeguarding Committee:
Darina Ryan Pilkinton (Chair), Kathryn Collins, Bishop Paul Dempsey. Mary Smith, Sr Pat Casey (Deputy Liaison Person), Helen Diskin (Director of Safeguarding, Anne Leonard (Diocesan Liaison Person)
Useful Contacts: If you have any concerns regarding the safety and well being of your child while he/she is involved in Church activities, please contact one of the following:
Achonry Diocese Designated Liaison Persons: Anne Leonard 087 6474136 or Sr Pat Casey 0867303076.
Tusla Child and Family Agency: Sligo 0719155133. Roscommon:090 6637528. Mayo : 094 9042283
Garda Confidential Line: 1 800 555222
Achonry Diocesan Website: www.achonrydiocese.org
Bishop Paul Dempsey’s Pastoral Letter:
Dear friends,
Greetings as we set out on our Lenten journey! A question often posed at this time is “What are you giving up for Lent?” While this may be a good question, over the years I have come to see Lent as a time of opportunity to reflect upon the deeper things in life. The days of Lent are modelled on Jesus’ time spent in the “wilderness” struggling with temptation and preparing for his mission. The experience of the “Wilderness” has formed part of the story of the People of God from the earliest of times. The Israelites having escaped slavery in Egypt, faced the experience of the wilderness for forty years. They wandered aimlessly in the desert experiencing hunger and confusion. At one point despair set in and they desired to return to slavery in Egypt where they had some sense of security. However, they persevered, and God provided for them in their struggle (Ex. 16:2-15). The motivation of entering the Promised Land, which God had promised, encouraged them in the darkest moments.
The image of “wilderness” is a helpful one on our personal journey and on our journey as a community of disciples. One might describe the present moment in the Church as an experience of the “wilderness.” In this context, Pope Francis has invited us to embark upon a “Synodal Journey” to discern where the Holy Spirit is calling us as a Church at this point in our story. For some this is an exciting time of possibility, for others it is a time of concern, fearing where this might take us. In any case, it calls on us to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-17) that the Holy Spirit will enlighten our hearts and guide us along the path the Lord wishes us to follow.
This journey is also reflected in our own Diocese at this time. We face many challenges that need our time and attention. The recent feedback from our synodal gatherings around the Diocese named many of these challenges such as: participation in the leadership of the Church, Adult Faith Formation, the role of women in the Church, Young people and their relationship with faith, and those who find themselves marginalised.
Another area mentioned was Vocations. For many years we have spoken about the impending crisis around vocations to the priesthood and religious life. It is important that we continue to pray for vocations and encourage people to consider a life serving Christ in others. With very few following this path today, the crisis has become very real. The last ordination to the Priesthood in the Diocese was 2013. We currently have no student studying for the Priesthood. The age profile of priests is increasing. Up to 2022, we had a resident priest in every parish, however, this has now changed, and sadly we will no longer be able to provide a resident priest in each parish. This will escalate in the near future as the statistics show, at best, there will be twelve priests serving in the twenty-three parishes of our diocese in ten years’ time. It is important that we are fully aware of this reality and its implications. We have never been here before.
As with so many experiences in life, there are different perspectives to this new reality. Pope Francis invites us to have the “courage and humility to admit that a time of crisis is a time of the Spirit” (Address to the Roman Curia, 21 st December 2020). The challenge for us is to be open to the Spirit and be generous in our response. This means having to let go of some of the familiar ways we have experienced parish life in the past. Pope Francis reminds us that “by dying to a certain mentality we will be able to make room for the newness that the Spirit constantly awakens in the heart of the Church.” (ibid)
To help us awaken to this “newness,” in consultation with the Diocesan Pastoral Leadership Team, I asked each parish to form or renew their Parish Pastoral Council by Sunday, 5th of February 2023. I thank the priests and all who have responded so generously to serving on their Parish Pastoral Council. Over the coming months the Diocese will hold formation sessions for members of the Councils throughout the Diocese.
The Parish Pastoral Council has a crucial role in the life of the parish and the diocese. Pope St. John Paul II stated that “The call is addressed to everyone: lay people as well are personally called by the Lord, from whom they receive a mission on behalf of the Church and the world” (Christifideles Laici, 1989).
This is echoed by Pope Benedict in 2009 when he reminded us that “The lay faithful must no longer be viewed as collaborators of the clergy but as ‘co-responsible’ for the Church’s being and action” (6th Assembly of the International Catholic Action Forum August 2012). Pope Francis, the Bishop of the Diocese of Rome, as recently as January 2023, has himself asked that each parish in his Diocese form a Parish Pastoral Council as an organ of “ecclesial communion, community discernment and co-responsibility to which the bishop must listen.” These insights are very important in understanding the purpose and role of Parish Pastoral Councils. They are groups co-responsible for the life of the Church, invited to discern through prayer and reflection where God is calling. This is done in a spirit of unity and collaboration between the bishop, priests, and people.
The ultimate question facing us as the Church in Achonry is how the life-giving Gospel of Jesus Christ is to be proclaimed and shared with our children, grandchildren and the generations coming after them? Pope Francis is very much aware of this critical question. In Evangelii Gaudium he issues an invitation in response to it, he says: “I invite everyone to be bold and creative in this task of rethinking the goals, structures, style and methods of evangelization in their respective communities.” (Evangelii Gaudium 33).
It is my hope over the coming months that we will be “bold and creative” as we begin a process of discernment and dialogue with members of the Parish Pastoral Councils, deacons, religious, and priests. This will be an opportunity to listen to one another. I have no doubt it will be a challenging process for us all and we may be tempted, like the Israelites, to return to that which we perceive as safe and familiar. However, this will not serve the mission to which we are all called to as disciples. The Lord remained with the Israelites in the “wilderness.” Through faith and trust they persevered and the Lord, in time, revealed the direction to go.
As we embark upon this journey together may we have the same faith and trust, knowing that the Lord is with us, and he will show us the direction to go. May he give us the grace to respond to his call with courage.
+Paul Dempsey,
Bishop of Achonry,
Lent 2023.