Advent Group - Supporting Priests & Religious since 1969

Aims of Advent

+ To be a support group for men and women and their partners who have left the active ministry, or religious life.

+ To offer a safe haven for men and women who are considering change.

+ To be a support for others closely involved with the priest's or religious' decision.

+ To work for change in the Church and its ministry

Hidden children of the church

: Written by: Alex Walker; Created: 15 June 2021

Many congratulations to Vincent Doyle, founder of Coping International, who features regularly in The Tablet. A BBC radio documentary on the thousands of children fathered by catholic priests has won this year’s journalism prize at the Sandford St Martin Trust awards.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000gtnw

Pope Francis ordains new priests — Pope Francis at the ordination Mass for nine new priests in Rome yesterday, Vocations Sunday. CNS photo/Donatella Giagnori

Why so many Catholics might not pray for vocations any more

: Written by: Fr Rob Esdaile; Created: 30 April 2021

There are two types of Catholic, I think: the select few who enthusiastically pray for Vocations – with a capital V – and everyone else, who at best pay lip-service to the intention. I’m not talking about individuals who have lost their faith but about something that is arguably more disturbing.

Of course, there are those in the Church who have become disillusioned, not least among the overstretched clergy; and it’s clear why some might feel defeated by the demands of their role, as the age profile of the clerical workforce creeps up, their numbers fall and yet the demands increase, simply in order to keep the system going – however unsustainable it may be.

But alongside the question of clergy morale there is this. I would wager that there’s scarcely a Catholic parent in the country who would take the initiative to encourage their son to become a priest, any more than they would encourage their daughter to join a religious order, even if in time they might become supportive of their child’s choice.

Congregation of Bishops announces symposium on vocations

: Written by: The Tablet; Created: 13 April 2021

Two weeks ahead of Vocations Sunday, which takes place on the Fourth Sunday of Easter, the Congregation of Bishops has released a statement announcing a conference on the theme.

The symposium, entitled “Towards a Fundamental Theology of the Priesthood”, is to take place in the Vatican City between 17 and 22 February next year and will discuss issues such as the role of women, the priesthood and multiculturalism.

A married priesthood not the real revolution in ‘ordained elders’ proposal

: Written by: Alex Walker; Created: 26 June 2020

Link to La Croix article>>>

It is amazing what a synod can do for a person.

German Bishop Fritz Lobinger, a 90-year-old retired missionary bishop in South Africa, has suddenly become the talk of Rome.

Lobinger’s idea of ordaining “elders” to the priesthood to provide local communities regular access to the sacraments has been the root of discussions about “married priests” that have dominated headlines about the Synod on the Amazon, the three-week summit of bishops which began this week at the Vatican.