Tony Flannery

Michael Morwood.

The need for theological reform

December 27, 2023

In the mid-1980s when I was at Boston College, a Jesuit university, one of the lecturers commented that the Catholic Church hierarchy was fearful of a schism in the church. Too late, he remarked, it is already here, informally. He pointed out that the majority of students at that Catholic university no longer believed the traditional story of a heavenly deity who locked people out of heaven because of the first humans’ disobedience.

A recent talk by a Canon Lawyer on the subject of the rights of priests in their relationship with Church authorities, whether vested in bishops, religious superiors or the members of the CDF evoked deep emotions in me, feelings which I thought I had resolved.   These emotions are rooted in my dealings with Redemptorist and Vatican authorities fourteen years ago.  I thought that I was getting on with my life and, to an extent, that is true.

Recently Pope Leo, in speaking on the occasion of the sixtieth anniversary of the Vatican II document, Nostra Aetate, said a few things that I consider very positive in showing us the possible way in which he will lead the Church over the coming years. It shows a breadth of understanding, and an openness that is encouraging.

I also love the way he uses the expression ‘the Divine’ on some occasions when he is referring to God, and that ‘mystery’ is never far from his speech — both words that mean a lot to me in my efforts to make sense of the realities of life and death.