/2015/08/28/nz-bishops-looked-at-rite-iii-reconciliation/ The New Zealand National Catholic Newspaper Thu, 22 Feb 2018 21:20:41 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.4 /2015/08/28/nz-bishops-looked-at-rite-iii-reconciliation/#comment-6964 Fri, 28 Aug 2015 02:10:48 +0000 /?p=11326#comment-6964 It might be thought that wider application of the Third Rite would be in accord with the professed emphasis of Pope Francis on mercy.
However, mercy is a principle subsidiary to justice, and God does not forgive without confession and contrition.
Regrettably, the multitude of concessions already made by our bishops to relax the practice of the Faith (e.g., moving Ascension Thursday to a Sunday) has served neither to retain nor attract practitioners. No pain, no gain – people perceive that if it’s easy it’s not achieving much, so why bother ?
There are many illustrations of where the practice of the Faith is flourishing when a rigorous practice is expected.

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