Papers by Louise O Rourke
This short essay was submitted as part of an undergraduate degree. It does claim to treat the top... more This short essay was submitted as part of an undergraduate degree. It does claim to treat the topic at hand extensively but look briefly at some of the main Catholic perspectives towards organ donation and transplantation.
As religious demographics shift, the reality of clergy life focuses the spotlight on particular r... more As religious demographics shift, the reality of clergy life focuses the spotlight on particular realities of the local Church at a pastoral, liturgical and canonical level. One such pertinent issue is that as priests age and become infirm, we must look at how they celebrate the Eucharist. This led me to pose the question based on canon 930 : what canonical and liturgical provisions are made for the celebration of the Eucharist by priests who are blind, elderly and infirm according to their various necessities?
One of the most pertinent issues in the Church today, be in defence of or against, is that of the... more One of the most pertinent issues in the Church today, be in defence of or against, is that of the rights and the protection of priests.My focus in this brief paper is on the rights of these “dysfunctional priests and deacons”, i.e., priests and deacons on leave of absence or do not wish to apply for dispensation from clerical obligations. Within this category there is also the category of priests and deacons who cannot function in a parish setting for various reasons which may include: a) untreated addictions, b) no public skills, c) those who suffer from a breakdown or other psychological illness, d) those whose conduct is detrimental to the good of the parish because of irregular relationships with men and/or women. Another sub-category is composed of priests who were dispensed and now wish to return to active ministry or priests who were found “not guilty” . The last group is made of priests who are subject to an irregularity or priests against whom allegations have been made, but are without substance.
This small word obsequium has assumed increasing importance especially since Vatican II. It is o... more This small word obsequium has assumed increasing importance especially since Vatican II. It is often at the vortex of controversial storms because it prescribes the responses of Catholics to both the infallible and the noninfallible teachings of the Church. One of the main challenges in understanding this canon lies in the understanding and the translation of the word obsequium. This paper is a response to this task and explores the concept of obsequium as the required response to magisterium.
Among the new groups that have arisen in the Catholic Church, the Neo-Catechumenate Way (NCW) is... more Among the new groups that have arisen in the Catholic Church, the Neo-Catechumenate Way (NCW) is the one that goes the furthest in introducing innovations to the celebration of the Mass. This paper will look at some of the variations which have been permitted by the Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments.
The following work is a theological attempt to enter into discussion with some of these interesti... more The following work is a theological attempt to enter into discussion with some of these interesting connections which exist between liturgy, art and beauty. It endeavours to espouse lived liturgy and lived theology and answer the proposed question: Is something truly more beautiful because it is inclined toward the divine?
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Papers by Louise O Rourke