Friday Fish 2012

 A few catches from "the net" today................

The Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams announces his resignation and is to return to academia as master of Magdalene college, Cambridge from December of this year.

BBC News and comment from here

Related articles here
and various reactions to the resignation here.

Pope Benedict Blesses the 50th International Eucharistic Congress Bell which is being held in Ireland this year. More from here and Sacred Space 102fm here. 




I also recommend this straight talking article from Garry O'Sullivan , Managing Editor of The Irish Catholic where he says :

At last week’s bishops’ press conference in Maynooth, we were told by an unusually upbeat Archbishop Martin that the Church in Ireland is beginning, albeit tentatively, to turn a corner.  

However, when he was asked by this paper about the Visitation Report, which has been in the hands of the bishops for some time now, the archbishop became his more familiar prickly self.

 

It is hardly a well kept secret that many of the bishops are very unhappy with the Visitation Report, which is still under debate between them and Rome. 

So let’s indeed be tentative about any corners being turned – indeed let’s be very careful about the language that is being employed. 

For instance the archbishop went on to say that Croke Park probably would not be big enough for the crowds coming to the Eucharistic Congress, but I reminded him, numbers were never a difficulty for the Irish Church.

In fact, it was by playing the numbers game the Irish Church fooled itself into thinking itself healthy and prosperous until the seminaries emptied and mass attendance plummeted...... 

and he also says :

"Linguistically some profound changes are needed if the Church is ever going to make good on the new evangelisation it keeps talking about."

The official IEC 2012 website is here and tomorrow on St Patrick's Day
Ring for Renewal invites people of all faiths to pause for a moment in their day, to ring a bell and reflect on how they can be renewed as individuals and members of the Church as they prepare for the 50th International Eucharistic Congress.

Bells are associated both with celebration and with a readiness to respond and take action.  The Congress Bell, like St Patrick’s Bell, conveys God’s call for people to gather for the Eucharist. In a particular way, at this time, the invitation is to participate actively in the 50th International Eucharistic Congress, as part of a process of renewal.

To mark the last 100 days of preparation for the Congress, cathedrals and churches across Ireland and internationally are asked to ring their bells for two minutes at 12 noon and 6pm, as a symbol of renewal and a call to gather in preparation for IEC2012.


Promotional video for the Congress which begins on 10th June and lasts for a week.