IRELAND
Irish Examiner
by TP O’ Mahony
The Synod of Bishops must embrace reform. There is something skewed about asking male celibates to review the Church’s teaching on family life, according to TP O’Mahony
POPE Francis faces the first real test of his papacy following the opening of the Extraordinary Synod of Bishops — dealing with marriage, sexuality, and the family — in Rome yesterday .
Expectations of reform are high, though some senior churchmen have warned that these expectations may not be met.
The Extraordinary Synod, which will last for two weeks, has already been criticised on the grounds that it is anomalous to have a group of male celibates deliberating on matters such as sexual ethics and family planning.
Our former president, Mary McAleese, used much blunter language and said the whole notion was “completely bonkers”. She said there was “something profoundly wrong and skewed” about asking male celibates to review the Church’s teaching on family life.
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