IRISH CATHOLIC priests have revolted against a decision by the bishops to introduce a new Roman missal later this year, yesterday unanimously supporting a recommendation “priests and people avoid using the sexist language that pervades the new missal”.
A meeting of the Association of Catholic Priests requested “time and space for priests who have conscientious or pastoral objections to the use of some of the new texts”. They expressed themselves “baffled” that, “while generous provision has been made for the Latin Mass, no provision is being made to accommodate the far greater number of people who will have difficulty for different reasons with the new missal”.
The meeting in Portlaoise was attended by an estimated 100 people, including about 60 priests and lay members of Pobal and We Are Church. All the Catholic bishops were invited to attend. The Bishop of Clonfert John Kirby did so in a personal capacity.
In a statement, the priests said “the purpose of the meeting was to seek further direction from our members, who in January had requested us to meet with the bishops with a view to having the implementation of the new missal postponed for five years. We reported that while the meeting with the bishops had taken place, we were disappointed with the level of their engagement with us.”
It said: “There was unanimity about the inadequacy of the texts” in the new missal, “and about the way they have been developed and imposed.”
The new missal is to be introduced in some Irish dioceses from September, and will be introduced in Catholic churches throughout Ireland and the English-speaking world from November 27th next.
