Yesterday, a newish name came up on the blog – Father Eamon Conway.
Professor Conway is a priest of the archdiocese of Tuam who is currently based in Ireland as the Head of Theology and Religious Studies at Mary Immaculate College.
As well as authoring and editing several books, Fr Conway has served on a number of Irish government advisory bodies. These include the Information Society Commission, for which he chaired the Working Group on Ethics & Values in a Digital Age. He also served on the Advisory Panel of the Irish National Economic and Social Development Learning Office.
In 2012 Pope Benedict appointed him as an expert advisor to the XIII World Synod of Bishops on the New Evangelisation. Since 2011, Prof Conway has been Chair of the Peter Hünermann Foundation for the Advancement of Catholic Theology in Europe.
In 2014 he was appointed to the expert panel of the Holy See’s Agency for promoting quality assurance in pontifical universities and ecclesiastical faculties for a five-year period, and in 2015 he was appointed to the Theology Committee of the Irish Bishops’ Conference.
FULL TALK
PAT SAYS
I have never met Eamon Conway but not having met people never stops me talking about them on this blog.
I listened to the YouTube talk above and was impressed by his knowledge and his presentation skills.
I also learned from the talk.
I liked his stressing of the fact that lay people do not get their priesthood from the hierarchy but from God through their baptism.
In other words, they are not called by bishops and priests but by God.
Therefore, their calling to ministry should not depend on the nod or wink of the bishop or PP because they are favourites of these men.
He also made me rethink a term I often use – “extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist,” without giving the term much thought.
Really, I had never thought of a lay person as an ordinary minister of the Euchharist.
He also raises interesting points about mandatory celibacy and the permanent diaconate.
I found his material thought provoking and I found him easy to list to and in no way off-putting.
EAMON CONWAY – THE MAN?
People have said that he is very ambitious and anxious for promotion to the episcopate?
Others have said that he has been passed over because “he backed the wrong horse, whatever that means.
People might tell us what that means.
He has plenty to say but has been careful not to fall foul of the hierarchy.
Apparently, in the past, enquiries were made among his friends about his suitability for a mitre?
It is said that Eamon himself supplied the names and contact details of friends that those in authority might quizz?
I think many lay people in the Church don’t realise the politicking that goes on between bishops and clergy.
I don’t know if Eamon has a well placed “sponsor” to help him with his advancement?
Well placed sponsors do help, apparently.
The Cavan Mafia always had Sean Brady to rely on.
Brady must be losing influence now?
Even Brady could not help Paul Prior in the end.
BISHOP PAT BUCKLEY 