I was quite perplexed to read in Sarah McDonald's report in the Tablet (Archbishop Outlines Benefit of Humbler Church) that the Archbishop of Dublin, Dermot Farrell, had put quotation marks around the word chaplain in his Chrism Mass homily, as in:
"The 'chaplain' who is a mother can minister in a way that complements the ministry of the priest."
Is the Archbishop telling us that she is not really a chaplain?
Is that because:
(1) Canon law defines a chaplain as "a priest to whom is entrusted in a stable manner the pastoral care, at least in part, of some community or special group of Christ's faithful, to be exercised in accordance with universal and particular law" (Canon 564).
(2) The 1997 Instruction from the Vatican:
It is unlawful for the non-ordained faithful to assume titles such as "pastor", "chaplain", "coordinator", " moderator" or other such similar titles which can confuse their role and that of the Pastor, who is always a Bishop or Priest.(58) https://www.vatican.va/.../rc_con_interdic_doc_15081997...
Soline Humbert