ACI Statement on ‘Finding Grace in Loving Relationships’

May 17, 2021 | 0 comments

‘I have striven to raise ye in a pride for the noble people before ye who fell in love with human nature an’ through human nature fell in love with God.’
Bryan McMahon, Children of the Rainbow

When two people find each other, fall in love and care for each other through the ups and downs of life, they are truly blessed. Who, having known this blessing, could not wish for it for all, especially for cherished relatives and friends ?

The Association of Catholics in Ireland (ACI) embraces the dignity, diversity, authenticity and grace of all loving and committed relationships. (Please see our 2018 statement “Future Families”).

We are therefore deeply saddened that so many of our LGBT relatives, neighbours, friends and their families, in order to protect their mental health and dignity, have walked away from our Church, as it persists in making harsh pronouncements on their identity and relationships.

Our parish communities are diminished by this injustice and by the absence of our LGBT friends, their family members and many allies who are exiled from the Catholic Church.

We are all compromised by our membership of a church, whose ecclesiastical power structure insists on repeatedly stigmatising, oppressing, marginalising and effectively excluding people because of their identity as LGBT.

Solidarity?

In their launch of a ‘synodal pathway’ for the Irish Church on March 10th 2021,our bishops have told us that Pope Francis is “calling us in particular to solidarity with the poor, the excluded and those on the peripheries”.  If our bishops are truly intent on solidarity with the excluded, we suggest that they join us in identifying, acknowledging and actively dismantling the barriers which have made the Catholic church a hostile and unwelcome place for LGBT Catholics.

We urge our bishops for example, to reflect on their recent “Flourish” programme which strives to appear inclusive and accepting of young LGBT people and families; yet reinforces the most hurtful barrier which precludes young people and/or their parents from ever being seen by their church to be part of a legitimate, loving and committed relationship as part of God’s plan for them.

Let us all strive to make our church a welcoming and accepting place; that reflects the unconditional love of God that is found in our hearts; celebrated in all committed and loving relationships but difficult to find in “theoretical condemnations…legalism or clerical moralism” decried by Pope Francis in his Holy Saturday address on April 3rd 2021.

As accountable lay members of the Church, we therefore ask lay Catholics in parishes around Ireland, to lead from the ground up and join, in heartfelt apology to the LGBT community, for our historical complicity in their oppression, especially by our silence.

Let us step up to our role as equal members of the church, by using our voice to calmly and respectfully insist on speaking our truth; that we as lay Catholics bless and welcome the beauty, dignity and grace expressed in all loving and committed human relationships.

Beannacht Dé Orainn go Léir.

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ACI’s Campaign for Lumen Gentium 37

The Promise of Synodality

What we have experienced of synodality so far gives ACI real hope that a longstanding structural injustice in the church may at last be acknowledged and overcome.

As all Irish bishops well know, the 'co-responsibility' they urge lay people to share - as numbers and energies of clergy decline - has been sabotaged time and again by canonical rules that deny representational authority and continuity to parish pastoral councils.  ACI's 2019 call for the immediate honouring of Lumen Gentium Article 37 becomes more urgent by the day and is supported by the following documents - also presented to the ICBC in October 2019.

The Common Priesthood of the People of God and the Renewal of the Church
It was Catholic parents and victims of clerical abuse who taught Catholic Bishops to prioritise the safeguarding of children in the church

Jesus as Model for the Common Priesthood of the People of God
It was for challenging religious hypocrisy and injustice that Jesus was accused and crucified. He is therefore a model for the common priesthood of the laity and for the challenging of injustice - in society and within the church.

A Suggested Strategy for the Recovery of the Irish and Western Catholic Church
Recovery of the church depends upon acknowledgment of the indispensable role of the common priesthood of the lay people of God and the explicit abandonment by bishops and clergy of paternalism and clericalism - the expectation of deference from lay people rather than honesty and integrity.

For the full story of ACI's campaign for the honouring of Article 37 of Lumen Gentium, click here.

Prayer

"Come Holy Spirit, Renew Your wonders in this our day, as by a new Pentecost. Grant to Your Church that, being of one mind and steadfast in prayer with Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and following the lead of blessed Peter, it may advance the reign of our Divine Saviour, the reign of truth and justice, the reign of love and peace. Amen."

Saint Pope John XXIII, 1962 - In preparation for Vatican Council II, 1962-65.

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