cormacburke.me.ke - English, Pastoral

Holy communion in the hand (Sinag-Tala, 1977; Position Papers, no. 45, 1977)

webmaster — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 05:57:11 +0000

What are the serious arguments in favor of holy communion in the hand? I say 'serious', because at times one hears arguments which can scarcely be termed serious; for example, the argument that this way of communicating is more in accordance with the adult Christianity which is supposed to characterize our having 'come-of-age'. Adult Christianity? Christians come of age?...: these may be useful catch-phrases. But I have yet to come across any theology-based explanation of what they are supposed to mean. In particular I have yet to see anyone successfully attempt the task of squaring them with our Lord's insistence on his followers becoming like children.

General absolution: Some pastoral considerations (Homiletic and Pastoral Review, May 1984, 24-31)

webmaster — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 05:56:31 +0000

[A conference given at Tigoni Study Centre, Limuru, Kenya, in 1983.]

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A perplexing pastoral problem, for many priests throughout the world, is that of general absolutions.

Is Penance on the decline? (Homiletic and Pastoral Review, April 1984, 53-57)

webmaster — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 05:55:58 +0000

[A priest in the confessional is like a continuous call from God to sinners. His presence there preaches the availability of God's mercy.]

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Is Penance on the decline? Well, it seems undeniable that the frequentation of the Sacrament of Penance is on the decline almost everywhere. The facts speak for themselves: deserted confessionals, reduced hours for hearing confessions, priests saying people do not come for Confession, people saying that priests are not available for Confessions...

The pastoral character of Church law (Homiletic and Pastoral Review, March, 1988, pp. 26-32)

webmaster — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 05:55:23 +0000

The Second Vatican Council, to quote the opening words of its first document, "set out to impart an ever-increasing vigour to the Christian life of the faithful" (SC 1). The renewal envisaged by the Council was to be pastoral; in other words, it was to be a renewal of the Church's role in caring for souls, as it carries on the work of Christ the Eternal Pastor (cf. CD 1). A pastorally renewed Church, according to the mind of the Council, should therefore be a Church where souls are cared for better, where the care they receive is more according to the fullness of Christ's design.

The pastoral role of the priest today (Homiletic and Pastoral Review, May 1994, pp. 29-51)

webmaster — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 05:54:29 +0000

Three major themes characterizing the thinking of the Second Vatican Council offer a key to the renewal it envisaged: an ecclesiology of "communio" and of the "People of God"; a philosophy of "Christian personalism" which emphasizes the personal dignity, rights and duties of each member of Christ's faithful; a spirit of "diakonia" or service as distinguishing the call to follow Christ, and especially the vocation of his ordained ministers. It is important to see the harmony and interaction between these three concepts: communion, personalism, service.