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Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor  The visit of Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor to Australia, with his gentle message of encouragement for those who wish to build communities outside official church structures, may facilitate a new confidence in those who are tempted to despair over the future of worship in this country. His favorite Pope is John XXIII who was able to steer the Church between the rocks of despair and hope and usher in a new, creative atmosphere with The Second Vatican Council. Like his hero, the cardinal from Westminister does not suffer from over-weening pride or egotisical belief he has all of the answers. Instead he looks to small groups of people who can come together in their homes to discuss a reading from the Gospel and relate to the challenges they face in their lives. Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor's faith in ordinary people to begin a 'people's revolution according to the Teaching Jesus is in stark contrast to those who hold primitive, perhaps one could say ruthless or negative views and would impose greater rigidity both in dogma and liturgy as solutions. It is this concept of a people's Church that is so needed in a society where materialism has failed to create happiness, where work is not sufficiently rewarding or life-sustaining, and where so many marriages and other relationships end in heartbreak. The cardinal's ability to relate to ordinary people despite the pressures of his office and his ability to listen to people from all walks of life should make him a good role model for all who aspire to church leadership. He believes that the role of the bishop is changing in the light of new challenges to the church and he is only too aware of the plunging church attendances, and the shortages of priests. His friendly low-key approach may have caused a resurgence of seminary entries in Westminister, and it is to be hoped that this will be matched by lay enthusiasm. Certainly the day of congregations being 'audiences' to be preached at is over, no longer appropriate, if it ever was. At Catholica Australia, where an attempt is being made for better conversations between people as they tell their story, their personal pilgrimage and are listened to with respect, we can only applaud the cardinal's message of hope rather than gloom. Jesus is the very centre of our faith and we should never be afraid to
come together and discuss him. He asks, Who do you say I am? And he wants
to hear our response. Cliff LINK: Compass Program website, ABC Television
Cliff Baxter can be contacted at: ©2006 Clifford Baxter |
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