TAKE COMMUNION OUT OF SCHOOLS
Priests’ group says: Prepare your children for sacraments at home
CATHOLIC priests have said the preparation of children for Communions and Confirmations should be removed from schools. The stark recommendation came in the middle of a simmering row between the Church and the Government about public health guidelines delaying the sacraments due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
In a statement yesterday, the Association of Catholic Priests (ACP) also strongly criticised recent statements by bishops announcing the restarting of Confirmations and Communions in their dioceses, despite breaching the guidelines.
The ACP has long been in conflict with the Church hierarchy on many social issues, and has now said that preparing children for the sacraments should be done at home
as opposed to in the classroom. ‘The ACP believes that the current model, whereby the bulk of sacramental preparation takes place in school, in a partnership involving school, parents and parish, is no longer fit for purpose,’ the group said in a statement.
‘This way of doing things has to change. It is the role of the family and parish to nurture faith and introduce children to the sacraments.’
The ACP said it was concerned that so many children receive their first Communion and Confirmation but do not attend Mass.
‘Children are presented for both sacraments even though many of them rarely, if ever, attend any celebrations of the Eucharist, either before or after the big day,’ it added.
It also took a swipe at bishops who had complained that they were being marginalised by the Government’s Covid plans. They said, by feeling marginalised,
‘New Church must be humble’
bishops can now understand what it is like to be a Catholic who is gay, female or in a second relationship.
‘Some bishops have expressed disappointment that they were not consulted by the politicians,’ they said.
‘This could prove useful in providing the bishops with the experience of powerlessness and, from it, they may gain a better understanding of what it is like for certain groups within a Church that teaches that we are all equal by virtue of our Baptism.
‘Women, gay people and those in second relationships, could tell bishops a lot about being powerless when it comes to Church teaching and practice.’
In its statement yesterday, the ACP said its leadership ‘believes that the recent disagreement between the Government and some members of the Catholic Bishops offers an opportunity to reflect on a number of issues that are pertinent to both Church and State’. They added: ‘There is some truth in the cliché that a good crisis must not be wasted.’
The group also criticised bishops for going ahead with Confirmations and Communions, against the wishes of the Government. ‘The ACP is not aware of any discussion taking place with priests or pastoral councils by those bishops who stated that they were allowing parish celebrations of the sacraments in contradiction of the stated position of both medical and civil authorities,’ it said.
‘Such lack of consultation is a far cry from the approach to decisionmaking envisioned in the Synodal Church promoted by Pope Francis, and being launched here in Ireland this year,’ it said.
It added that a new Church in Ireland must be humble.
‘We may all learn that the Catholic Church has no greater access to special privilege in today’s Ireland than any other group. The result may be a humbler, poorer, simpler church, a Church that dialogues with its people,’ it said. Meanwhile, the Archbishop of Dublin has said parishes should postpone First Holy Communions and Confirmations until September.
His comments followed the news that the Government hopes to lift restrictions on these sacraments next month.
In a homily at a Mass in Saint Mary’s Pro-Cathedral yesterday evening, Archbishop Dermot Farrell said: ‘In the light of the Government’s statement yesterday, I have renewed my advice to parishes to postpone the celebration of the sacraments until September. I can understand, however, the frustration and the resentment of those who feel that the public guidelines are unfair and discriminatory.’
This comes just days after the Archbishop of Dublin rebelled against the Government’s lockdown restrictions on Confirmations and Communions, and hit out at what he called ‘discriminatory’ guidelines.
It came amid a wider uprising against restrictions that Church
‘Outdated and hostile restrictions’
leaders have said are outdated and hostile, given the lifting of restrictions on bars, restaurants and sports events.
Last week, bishops in Waterford and Cavan/Monaghan both said that they were breaking away from the Government’s prohibition on Confirmations and first Communions.
However, the Government said on Friday that Communions and Confirmations may be able to take place from September.
The announcement followed a meeting of the Cabinet Covid-19 committee, with a Government spokesman revealing afterwards that it hopes to see restrictions on Communions and Confirmations lifted next month.
However, the decision will be made ‘subject to the public health situation at that time’.
The spokesman added that the Government has ‘noted the concerns expressed by Church leaders about the public health guidance relating to religious ceremonies, and especially Communions and Confirmations’.