‘Homelessness is Unacceptable’: Irish Bishops on Election 2024

Nov 21, 2024 | 0 comments

‘Homelessness is unacceptable. The inability to acquire a home affects social cohesion and is a scandal.’

So declares the Irish Conference of Catholic Bishops on Thursday Nov 20th, in a statement related to the upcoming general election in Ireland on November 29th, 2024. It is intended to prompt ‘questions for candidates’.

The statement lists seven priorities:

  • All eligible to vote should exercise their right to maximise the common good
  • Homelessness is unacceptable. The inability to acquire a home affects social cohesion and is a scandal
  • Politicians should lead by welcoming all immigrants who come with a willingness to contribute to our society to contribute to our society
  • The deliberate taking of human life undermines civilised society
  • Political parties must urgently address pollution, climate change and loss of biodiversity
  • The war in Gaza and the Middle East must stop now. Enough is Enough!
  • Church-State structured dialogue is not functioning and in need of review

To read the complete statement click here.

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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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