Bishops condemn Belfast City Hall violence; Mothers Union new World Wide President ; MU Irish President; Media review
Belfast City Hall – violence nothing to give to community
Statement by the Bishops of Down & Dromore and Connor –
How sad it was to see the violence which took place in different parts of Belfast last night during and after the meeting of Belfast City Council. Whether we agree with the decision to fly the Union Flag on designated days or not, no one has a right to react in ways which abuse or harm other human beings. The awfulness of the situation was heightened by the beauty of the Christmas lights and market on the other side of the City Hall.
The vast majority in Northern Ireland want this province to be the kind of place where all people and traditions are respected, and where there is a good future for our children. Violence like this does nothing to build that kind of community, and has nothing to offer our society. The strongly-held views of people are properly heard through the political process.
Our prayer is that the peace of the Christ-child would speak more powerfully than anything else into our lives and communities at this time, and that healing would come into all the fear, bitterness and uncertainty which lies only just below the surface in our society.
Mothers Union new World Wide President
Lynne Tembey, from Carlisle Diocese in the UK, was formally commissioned by Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams in a service in St Matthew’s Church, Westminster, yesterday.
MU Irish President
Phyllis Grothier Commissioning Service as All Ireland President will be held in
St. Canice’s Cathedral, Kilkenny at 3.30 p.m. on Sunday March 3.
MEDIA REVIEW
Clergy abuse accusers ‘should be identified’
Belfast Telegraph – Priests accused of sexual abuse want their accusers identified and allegations against them in writing, a group representing liberal Irish Catholic clergymen has said.
The Association of Catholic Priests (ACP), which now represents over 1,000 priests in the Republic and Northern Ireland, has outlined a series of changes it is seeking to the guidelines on the standing aside from ministry for priests accused of abuse.
The ACP believes accused priests need to know the name of their accusers and to see the accusations in writing. They are also seeking changes in the way the news of an allegation is conveyed.
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/clergy-abuse-accusers-should-be-identified-16245863.html
The Church should not be ashamed of its missionary past
Catholic Herald Online – I have been reading Everybody Matters, a memoir by Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland (1990-1997) and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (1997-2002)…
The culture in Ireland has now changed completely and the author has played her part in this. The Catholic Church, from being an institution wielding too much temporal power at the expense of real charity or proper evangelisation, has been purged and …
http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/commentandblogs/2012/12/03/the-church-should-not-be-ashamed-of-its-missionary-past/
Photo ban in secondary schools
Secondary schools in Ireland have banned the taking of photos by students due to the use which has been made of them in cyber-bullying which has caused a number of youth suicides.
http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/education/stop-cyber-bullying/schools-ban-photos-to-stamp-out-cyber-bullies-3315621.html