Catholics for a Changing Church

Martin has asked us to give a last minute reminder of this

We are grateful to Fr Richard S Vosco for allowing us to reproduce his homily here.

30 Ordinary Time A – 26 October 2014 – The Priesthood We Share

Exodus 22:20-26; Psalm 18:2-3.3-4.47.51; 1 Thessalonians 1:5-10; Matthew 22:34-40

Today in the United States we are encouraged to speak about the priesthood and the calling that priests have. Some would say the shortage of priests in our Diocese and elsewhere is bad news and it is. There are many reasons for the lack of vocations and why the ministerial priesthood is not open to more members of the church. The good news, however, is that there are about 330,000 Catholics in our Diocese who are also members of the priesthood of Christ.

I would like to focus our attention on the priesthood of the faithful, how the ministerial priest, usually referred to as the ordained priest, fits into the larger family of God and how our renovated place of worship is designed to be a celebration of the priesthood we all share.

There is only one priest, Jesus Christ. This priesthood is to be transmitted to the entire church, the people of the new covenant, you and me. All who are baptized and anointed in the spirit are members of this priesthood. Although there are diverse ministries and talents in the priesthood we share there “exists a true equality among all the faithful in building up the Body of Christ.”  [1]

We are grateful to Catholica for this article.  Do Google the people mentioned if you are not sure who they are.

I am a Cafeteria Catholic, everyone is a Cafeteria Catholic. If that is so then isn't a history of Cafeteria Catholicism, just a history of Catholicism. Ooh, if it were that simple.

At the present time, and in reality since the beginning of the pontificate of John Paul II, many Catholics who are trying to live an adult faith life have been accused of being "Cafeteria Catholics". That label is about as dirty as calling someone in American politics a Liberal or someone from Liverpool a Man. United supporter.

What is a Cafeteria Catholic?

Many thanks to Phil for alerting us to this opportunity:

Thursday 30 October 2014 at 18.30

Southwark Anglican Cathedral

London Bridge
London
SE1 9DA

Map

Professor Tina Beattie and Rabbi Deborah Young-Somers talk about the highs and lows of being a feminist woman within their faith tradition.

Tina Beattie is Professor of Catholic Studies and Director of the Digby Stuart Research Centre for Religion, Society and Human Flourishing at the University of Roehampton, Debbie Young-Somers is a Community Educator at the Movement for Reform Judaism, and previously served as one of the Rabbis at the West London Synagogue of British Jews.

All Welcome, men and women.