B
barnestormer
Guest
From the “letters to the editor” section of the Seattle Archdiocese’s newspaper, for the week of 7-28-05.
seattlearch.org/FormationAndEducation/Progress/Letters+to+Editor+7-28-05.htm
Editor:
The synod working document on the Eucharist, discussed in the July 14 article, underscores the Eucharist as our source of unity and strength for mission.
At the synod, the bishops will rightly reaffirm how central the celebration of Eucharist is to our identity as Roman Catholic Christians.
Apparently, however, the document skirts the growing phenomenon in the northern churches of the decreasing number of priests and the increasing number of Catholics –a development that even now results in many churches having no Eucharistic celebration.
Absent that, the unity of these communities is weakened, as is also their call to mission.
Was this pastoral phenomenon not mentioned by any of the 113 bishops’ conferences, 11 synods of Eastern Catholic Churches, 25 Vatican congregations and councils, and the Union of Superiors General, in their (name removed by moderator)ut to the working document?
The phenomenon is an acute one. It raises this question: how can the synod participants not discuss the eventual possibility of the ordination of married men and of women, so that our tradition of Eucharistic celebration will be sustained in all ecclesial communities.
One hopes for brave voices at the synod to keep raising this urgent question. For, where there is no Eucharist, there is no Church.
Father Roger G. O’Brien
Seattle
seattlearch.org/FormationAndEducation/Progress/Letters+to+Editor+7-28-05.htm
Editor:
The synod working document on the Eucharist, discussed in the July 14 article, underscores the Eucharist as our source of unity and strength for mission.
At the synod, the bishops will rightly reaffirm how central the celebration of Eucharist is to our identity as Roman Catholic Christians.
Apparently, however, the document skirts the growing phenomenon in the northern churches of the decreasing number of priests and the increasing number of Catholics –a development that even now results in many churches having no Eucharistic celebration.
Absent that, the unity of these communities is weakened, as is also their call to mission.
Was this pastoral phenomenon not mentioned by any of the 113 bishops’ conferences, 11 synods of Eastern Catholic Churches, 25 Vatican congregations and councils, and the Union of Superiors General, in their (name removed by moderator)ut to the working document?
The phenomenon is an acute one. It raises this question: how can the synod participants not discuss the eventual possibility of the ordination of married men and of women, so that our tradition of Eucharistic celebration will be sustained in all ecclesial communities.
One hopes for brave voices at the synod to keep raising this urgent question. For, where there is no Eucharist, there is no Church.
Father Roger G. O’Brien
Seattle