Ireland’s bishops may move decisively to boost adult faith formation right away – because that move does not need to be approved by next year’s Universal Synod on ‘Synodality’ and is clearly called for by almost all of the diocesan synthesis reports published in June 2022.
This is reported by the Irish Catholic of June 23rd, 2022 – in the wake of an all-Ireland get-together of synodal personnel in Athlone on June 18th.
Other ‘hot-button’ issues that need the oversight of the papacy and the approval of the universal church – such as the ordination of married men and of women, and greater inclusiveness towards the LGBTI+ community – will be referenced by the Irish national synodal synthesis report now in preparation, for transmission to Rome.
Auxiliary Bishop Michael Router of Armagh
“Adult faith formation in particular in this country is essential because it emerged for so many people when trying to respond to the synodal questions and questionnaires and the whole process of consultation that people found it hard to grasp some of the concepts and the language that we use as Church,” Bishop Michael Router of Armagh told Jason Osborne of the Irish Catholic. Faith formation was “something that the Church in Ireland has failed at over the years” – leaving many people with only a primary school understanding of their faith.
Bishop Fintan Monaghan of Killaloe
Bishop Router has particular experience of adult faith formation, but he is far from being the only Irish bishop to favour this emphasis.
“The whole reason we exist is to spread the Gospel and be a missionary Church,” according to Bishop Fintan Monaghan of Killaloe, speaking in the wake of the Athlone gathering of bishops and other synodality personnel. “We have to free ourselves up to do that. This point was strongly made by one participant and there was a general level agreement.”
To read the entire Irish Catholic news item, click here.
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