Church Reform
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Lay ministers take on baptisms in German dioceses
These new developments are more than temporary measures. They reflect a deeper rethinking of sacramental ministry that considers today’s pastoral challenges. While the long-term future of lay-led baptisms in Germany remains uncertain, they are already firmly part of parish and diocesan life.
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Liturgical antiquarianism by stealth?
The Second Vatican Council’s Sacrosanctum Concilium urged renewal of the liturgy for active, conscious participation. It insisted that symbols be clear, direct, and meaningful. Yet in practice today, many rituals risk reversing that vision, introducing complexity where simplicity was intended, and creating distance rather than engagement.
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When Catholic mission moved at a crawl
In the 16th century, it could take years for messages between Rome and Asia to arrive — if they arrived at all. Local missionaries made critical decisions without central guidance. Faster communications give rise to centralised authority.
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Francis was the jewel, Leo must be the jeweller
The jeweller’s challenge: cut too much, and brilliance is lost; cut too little, and promise remains unfulfilled. For Leo XIV, the coming months will reveal his willingness to take those risks.
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On mission—listening comes first
When Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich SJ returned to Luxembourg after 15 years in Japn, he faced a new challenge. He found that proclaiming the Gospel at home now required just as much adaptation as it did abroad.
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Church reform begins at the Baptismal font
Pope Francis’s Evangelii Gaudium called the Church to be a community of disciples, rooted in mercy and solidarity. This vision places co-working and mutual support at the heart of the Church’s mission today.
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The possibility of lay ministry in anointing of the sick
Bold but careful: allowing lay ministers to celebrate the Sacrament of the Sick would demand training, safeguards and oversight, yet could profoundly bless the Church’s ministry to the sick.
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