catholic - Liturgy

May 30 2016

Giving Holy Communion to Infants

Recent discussion about confirmation (and here and check the search box for more) has highlighted that many people are not aware of the majority historical practice of a united Christian initiation: baptism-christmation/confirmation-communion. Receiving communion, then, is clearly the repeatable part of Christian initiation. Current practices separating baptism; confirmation; communion – or – baptism; communion; confirmation

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May 19 2016

Yet Another Prayer in Common

By Bosco Peters / Leave a Comment

I have discovered yet another prayer that is shared across denominations. This coming Sunday, Trinity Sunday, replaces the 8th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Next week is the 8th Week in Ordinary Time. For that week Roman Catholics, Anglicans, and others use an ancient prayer which I have rendered as: Let us pray (in silence) [that

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May 13 2016

Pope Considers Ordaining Women

By Bosco Peters / 10 Comments

Earlier this year I wrote about the Pope washing the feet of women possibly signalling an openness to rethinking ordination of males-only in Roman Catholicism: Pope Takes One Small Step Towards Women Priests? Now: Pope Francis has announced he will create a commission to study the possibility of allowing women to serve as deacons in

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Mar 30 2016

Pope Francis Illustrates Who Are God’s People

By Bosco Peters / 3 Comments

Pope Francis has managed to do it again! Upset people by declaring by word and action that all are God’s people – God’s children. Remember, after the criticism of Pope Francis washing the feet of women he changed the rules. After careful consideration…To manifest the full meaning of the rite to those who participate in

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Mar 18 2016

Believed Everywhere, Always, and by All?

By Bosco Peters / 2 Comments

The “Canon of St Vincent” is often quoted (especially the part I have put in bold italics): in the Catholic Church itself, all possible care must be taken, that we hold that faith which has been believed everywhere, always, by all (Quod ubique, quod semper, quod ab omnibus creditum est). For that is truly and

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Jan 13 2016

Wedding at Cana

By Bosco Peters / Leave a Comment

Let us pray (in silence) [that God direct our lives in the way of peace] Pause Almighty and everliving God, [or God of revelation] you govern all things in heaven and earth; mercifully hear the prayers of your people, and guide the course of our days in your peace, through Jesus Christ, our Saviour who

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Oct 16 2015

Provisional

By Bosco Peters / Leave a Comment

I’ve been playing with the word ‘provisional’. Provisional means temporary, useful or valid for a while – until something better comes along; anticipating that the better will come. Taizé (image above) often stresses the provisional. Having laboured long to produced a complex (famous) monastic Office Book, the monks of Taizé abandoned it as too perplexing

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Oct 6 2015

Divorce, the Pope, and Kim Davis

By Bosco Peters / 9 Comments

It was an interesting day on which to start the three-week-long General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops on the Family – the Feast of St Francis (yes I know the Sunday takes precedence); and did you notice the Sunday readings?! On Sunday I was in the congregation of a church I worship in very

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