017 :
28 Feb 2010

The question or problem of Authority... Today's "Sunday Forum" is an attempt to extend the now lengthy discussion originally begun by Vynette and Ian Elmer [LINK] on a series of questions about how we interpret scripture, how we differentiate the historical Jesus from the real, authentic or risen Jesus and questions to do with authority — how we know if we have the right interpretations about these matters. It has been written by myself and is the promised third part in my exploration of the question of authority. For a change I've decided to include the full discussion starter here in the daily email. Click the banner above, or HERE, or the links at the bottom of this page if you'd prefer to read this in the string on the forum. [more]

007 :
27 Feb 2010

George Ripon's letters to the leader of the Australian Catholic Bishops George Ripon, in his possum-stirring way, has been trying to get a response out of the leader of the Australian Catholic Bishops, Archbishop Philip Wilson, regarding the new Mess translations. So far he has not had a reply so he'd like to make the call a little more loudly by publishing his letters to Archbishop Philip more publicly. Here they are... [more]

139 :
26 Feb 2010

Why was Circumcision the Sign of the Covenant? (Gen 17:11) Now here is a commentary from Dr Ian Elmer with a sting in the tail. The body of the commentary is an examination of the fascinating history of how circumcision came to be so tied up with religion and religious identity. How did these rituals emerge? What did they mean? Are they God-given or man-made? What do they mean today? Are there lessons we can learn today from the changing meaning? This is a very thought-provoking commentary. [more]

138 :
25 Feb 2010

Why Catholic thinking does not rely on Scripture alone In lieu of the normal commentary by Dr Elmer today we draw your attention to a discussion he is endeavouring to foster in the forum on the foundations of Catholic thought and belief. It's a discussion about the basis on which Catholicism has formed its theological and social insights a blending of inspired Scripture and human reflection on Scripture and the other insights we receive into the nature of Creation and Being from other sources, including the actions of the Divine in the world. We encourage your contributions to the discussion. [more]

108 :
24 Feb 2010

The Four Great Freedoms... It was the editor, not Tom McMahon who got mixed up and mislaid a commentary last week. Here is the mislaid Part II of Tom's exploration of the lessons we draw out of the Renaissance. He argues one the greatest developments were the initiatives to respect the freedom of the individual. [more]

1297 :
23 Feb 2010

Meeting Jesus on the mountain top and in the smelly parts of life... Teacher still, albeit at around 80 years, and man of much wisdom, PeterR, is writing the lead response this week to the chosen scripture readings we are following lectio divina style with the Australian Bishops for Lent. Peter is going to be expanding his reflection a little each day. We have already published his introduction and prayer for Day 1. [more]

087 :
22 Feb 2010

27.1: The first schism between East and West... In so many ways the politics that was played out in the establishment of the Roman Empire, and its collapse, or in the establishment of Christianity, makes the politics of today look like a children's game. Tom Lee's exploration of the first 500 years of Christianity today illustrates the point. He's exploring today the first big schism that opened up between Rome and Constantinople. It lasted for about 35 years starting in about 483. [more]

016 :
21 Feb 2010

A meditation with John Henry Newman... Frankly, folks I feel a bit exhausted this Sunday morn. It has been a fabulous week on Catholica though with very strong growth in our readership and some fabulous discussions on all sorts of topics. I need a bit of a breather as editor so could I just leave you today with a meditation from John Henry Newman which I have long cherished and derived much inspiration from. I still have a couple of queries where I wonder what he really meant — Newman is one guy who I wish was still alive today to interview and gain his perspectives on where the world, and the church, is heading today. ...Editor [more]

029 :
20 Feb 2010

There can be no excuse for these crimes; and no excuse for their cover up! On the 26th of November, 2009, a statement was issued by the Irish Government with regard the findings of the Commission of Investigation Report into the Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin. The long-awaited Statement informed the Irish public that: "a systemic, calculated perversion of power and trust was visited on helpless and innocent children in the Archdiocese over a 30 year period ... The report leaves us in no doubt that clerical child sexual abuse was tolerated and covered up by the Archdiocese of Dublin and other Church authorities. The focus of those authorities was on the avoidance of scandal for the Church and the preservation of the good name, status and assets of the institution, rather than on the welfare of children. The findings are shocking and raise the most fundamental questions for the Church authorities." Dr Andrew Kania has prepared this commentary which we publish as an editorial reflective of the collective view of the wider Catholica community on this issue of acute embarrassment to almost all baptised Catholics. ...Editor [more]

107 :
19 Feb 2010

Finding Jesus outside the wafer host... I think there must have been some communication breakdown between San Jose and Sydney during the week. I was expecting to publish part II of Tom McMahon's look at the Renaissance today but the only commentary I could find was this one. It's a quieter, more pensive commentary from Tom a "Dear Diary?" reflection finding Jesus outside the wafer host the Supreme Power who plays peek-a-boo some thoughts on the connection between militarism and religion. How many in the 86% would identify with this? ...Editor [more]

137 :
18 Feb 2010

Were We Too Quick to Deify Jesus? At first sight the headline of today's commentary from Dr Ian Elmer might suggest that we are in for a very radical essay questioning the Divinity of Jesus. And in some ways it is but right towards the end you'll discover Ian's reason for the provocation. As he admitted in his covering email to the editor, it is really a very conservative essay but he wants to take us to some important questions for reflection that lay beyond the question of the Divinity of Jesus. This is a very thought-provoking commentary. [more]

1291 :
17 Feb 2010

Beginning the Lenten journey... To encourage participation in the series of Lenten Reflections being presented by the Australian Bishops the Editor of Catholica, Brian Coyne, has prepared a responding reflection which includes video clips that appealed to him from the bishops' reflections. We welcome your active participation in this lectio divina spiritual exercise over the coming seven weeks as a way of also building up your sense of solidarity with others in our online community. Your contributions help others and are not merely for your own spiritual growth. Please share your thoughts (and temptationsLOL) with us! [more]

141 :
16 Feb 2010

The power, and limitations, of language... Yesterday morning I received an email from a priest friend having a go at (Don't call me Fr) Peter Kennedy of South Brisbane fame. He was complaining about Peter's media comment in recent days "We have made God in our own image. I can't believe in a God that grants some people miracles but punishes others, but I do think there is something more, but what it is, I have no idea." Later in the day the priest friend sent me a further email from another former priest friend of his who effectively said: "hang on a minute, Peter Kennedy is actually saying something theologically correct here". My friend had changed his mind: who can describe God? Could Augustine describe God? Or Thomas Aquinas? Could Jesus himself accurately describe his 'father in heaven'?" By coincidence, today's commentary from Andrew Thomas Kania explores this theological problem we have as human beings of trying to use language to describe things such as 'love', "commitment', 'virtue', or the hardest of them all 'the Mystery of God'. This is rich territory for meditation. ...Editor [more]

086 :
15 Feb 2010

26.2: The end of the Western Roman Empire... We are now rapidly approaching the end of Tom Lee's exploration of the first 500 years of Christianity. Today's extract from his manuscript looks at the period leading up to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire. As we continue to witness today in the collapse of any political structure we witness corruption, backstabbing and much instability before the end actually comes. For the Church it ushered in a period of relative frugal stability in Italy. [more]

015 :
14 Feb 2010

Sharing a well-kept secret with the world... Lent starts this Wednesday and this year we invite you to join with us in an initiative developed by the more pastoral of the Australian bishops. It's a Lectio Divina sequence of reflections in the Scriptures leading through Lent and into Easter. In our Sunday Forum today we introduce and outline how the series will be presented and invite your active participation over the next six weeks. [more]

025 :
13 Feb 2010

Cardinal Mahony Chapter 24 "Baltimore" Robert Blair Kaiser's summary of last week's chapter: In the Chapter 23, Cardinal Mahony and Cardinal Grandeur met in Phoenix at the solemn high requiem mass of Bishop Thomas Olmsted. In the procession, they have a meeting of minds. Mahony says he will destroy the incriminating photos of Hawkslaw and Grandeur together as long as Grandeur will fight fair at the Fourth Council of Baltimore. Grandeur agreed, but he will battle against a people's Church, insisting the pope will never approve of an autochthonous Church in the United States. Mahony asks Grandeur if he saw Ian Fisher's story in the New York Times that morning about the pope's encouraging an autochthonous Church in China? From that story, Mahony has a notion that the pope may want to see American Catholics rebuilding their Church, American-style." Grandeur demurs. "I'll believe the pope will approve an autochthonous Church in America when I read it in an encyclical. He will never give you permission for that!" Mahony says that if the Fourth Council of Baltimore wants the American Church to go autochthonous, it won't need permission. And the pope will then be faced with a choice, to accept a people's Church in America, or say we're all in schism. "Cardinal Ratzinger might have been capable of doing that. As the pope, I don't think he'd do that. Seventy-five million Catholics? You think he wants to lose them? Seventy-five million affluent American Catholics who provide almost half of the Vatican's annual support?" Now here's the Final Chapter... [more]

029 :
12 Feb 2010

The problems faced by parish musicians, composers, publishers and copyright agencies... The Editor of Catholica, Brian Coyne, attended a forum for Catholic musicians and composers yesterday in Sydney. The forum was attended by parish musicians and composers as well as publishers and representatives of one of the major copyright agencies in Australia. The forum hadtwo principal objectives: the first was to continue the work begun about two years ago of forming a national association for those involved in the production of Church music. The second was to address a number of particular issues that have been facing those involved in the different aspects composing, publishing, copyright issues, and performance and reporting issues at the local parish level. Today's report includes a short video interview with Paul Mason, one of the convenors of the new Australian Pastoral Musicians' Network. [more]

136 :
11 Feb 2010

Why is God always judging people in the Old Testament? No doubt flowing out of the recent extended discussion in the Catholica forum about the meaning of 'salvation' and 'salvation history' Dr Ian Elmer brings us a gem of a commentary today. It explores both the differences and similarities in the picture of God presented in the Old and New Testaments and it also seeks to explain the evolution in the human, Christian understanding of this Mystery we try to condense into the term "God". Perhaps our Jewish forebears got one thing right in their use of the term "YWYH" the name that could not be pronounced or said as a sign of this Being beyond being and totally other, and Mystery? This commentary is to be thoroughly recommended to all seriously interested in exploring the meaning in terms like 'salvation', 'salvation history', 'the kingdom' and 'judgment'. [more]

106 :
10 Feb 2010

Renaissance Part I of III Tom McMahon today begins a three-part introduction to the Renaissance. He frames these questions as his introduction: As we move away from the Middle Ages we ask ... What values are with us today? What are we still using in the age of technology that had its roots in the 1200's? What are the clues from the 12th century that were the seeds of evolutionary and revolutionary homo sapiens on the move? [more]

1283 :
09 Feb 2010

Interview with Prof Hans Küng The editor is taking a break today from preparing a lead commentary so he can complete the programming of the Amazon pages on the Catholica Spiritual Marketplace. As an alternative you may wish to listen to, or read, the conversation between Rachael Kohn and Hans Küng broadcast on Radio National on Sunday night. [Küng Interview] | [Today's e-Bulletin]

085 :
08 Feb 2010

26.1: The confrontation between Attila and Leo over Rome... We return today to take up Tom Lee's exploration of the origins of Christianity in its first 500 years. Many today reach a point of disenchantment with what the institution has been telling us. Tom's response was to go off and explore for himself the origins of his faith. In today's extract from his manuscript he examines the confrontation between Leo the Great and Attila the Hun over Rome. [more]

014 :
07 Feb 2010

Building sustainable communities... So often in our journey through life we see examples of communities, families or even whole societies breaking down. It might be argued that in Western society the Church is breaking down as less and less people are attracted to regular participation in a Church community. Each of us need a sense of community though as desperately as we need food and shelter for our survival. Our Sunday Forum today seeks to start an extended conversation on how we build better and more sustainable communities. We invite readers to share their experiences both the positive ones, and the 'lessons learned' ones that help us build better communities. [more]

024 :
06 Feb 2010

Cardinal Mahony Chapter 23 "Music" Robert Blair Kaiser's summary of last week's chapter: Last week, Rackham and Phoebe pulled off a bit of industrial espionage, aided by some clever technology. In Msgr. Hawkslaw's Wilshire Boulevard high-rise on a Saturday night when Hawkslaw is out to dinner, they download the entire contents of Hawkslaw's personal computer and discover records that reveal kickbacks that Hawkslaw has been getting from a number of major textbook publishers, plus a file labeled Pretty Young Men and another marked FOG. They make a narrow, harrowing escape. Then he and Phoebe decide to go directly to the beach house at Malibu where Mahony and the A-team have been spending the weekend—to face the music. Now here's Chapter Twenty Three... [more]

006 :
05 Feb 2010

The Parish of Tomorrow... George Ripon, in his delightful way, has been getting his knickers in a knot again about the sad state of the Church. Partly what got him fired up was a news item back in September last year where it was reported that Pope Benedict said that "when dioceses are faced with a lack of priests they should not resort to 'a more active and abundant participation of the laity' since it would detract from the lay calling" (See the original report on CathNews HERE.) In this "from the heart and from the pews" commentary, George puts forward some thoughts about how we ought to deal with the looming (and present) crisis in participation and the institutional slide into societal irrelevance. He presents a plan for re-juvenating the Church from the 'bottom-up'. [more]

135 :
04 Feb 2010

Did Jesus consider himself a Eunuch? Remember when they employed castrati in the Vatican choir? Most of us are too young to remember but there would be some still alive today when the last Castrati died. Eunuchs have been a feature of many civilisations. Dr Ian Elmer's commentary today delves back to explore what Jesus and Paul had to say on the subjects of eunuchs, castrati, celibacy and marriage. What is the meaning of all this today? Civilised societies do not expect men today to castrate themselves to serve the Emperor or the Church. Do we stop at the physical, or should we consider others non-physical forms of castration? [more]

105 :
03 Feb 2010

Reaching out to the Lapsi... There are now a lot of ex-Catholics and lapsi in the worldat least 30 million of them in the United States alone. Tom McMahon would like to begin the year by saying hello to all of them. Obviously the cost of doing that would be prohibitively expensive but we're making our small effort here through Catholica. We need a sense of hope though. Tom suggests that ultimately we find that hope in Jesus. We're a pilgrim people searching for a new understanding of Jesus no longer being provided by the institution an understanding that better fits with all the other things we are learning about ourselves and our world. [more]

043 :
02 Feb 2010

Celibacy a problem for priests AND laity! Richard Sipe, the well-known campaigner against sexual abuse, has kindly sent us this update report on the problems with clerical celibacy. He points out that priest leaders have themselves been writing about the problem for decades even back to the late 1920s/early 1930s. The lack of resolution of the problem has led to problems for lay people as well many simply do not listen to the clergy anymore on a whole range of issues so much has clerical credibility been damaged by the lack of an effective response to the challenges posed by celibacy... [more]

061 :
01 Feb 2010

Communication in a digital age... To kick off our new publishing year, Catholica editor, Brian Coyne, has some good news with which to start the year. There's a whole heap of questions too. We call ourselves 'a pilgrim people' — pilgrims on our way to discovering truth and love as it is understood by our Creator-God. How do you find truth, or love, in a digital and three-sentence attention span age? On Twitter you're not even given that luxury. You have to find it in 140 letters or less! [more]

1274 :
31 Jan 2010

Perspectives on Spirituality and Religion written by young people Pt III – Armen Gakavian Dr Armen Gakavian summarises his spiritual journey in this way: "I have had an Armenian Apostolic (Orthodox) upbringing, Catholic religious education at school, encounter with Jesus through a fundamentalist Baptist Church, involvement with various campus Christian groups, and encounters with radical Christian communities. At the 'end' (there is really no end) of this process, I am now what I would call 'evangelical'." His essay is illuminating not only of his own personal journey but seeks to provide commentary on why so many of his contemporaries are today distanced from the Church. [Editor's introduction][Ben's perspective][Phoebe's perspective][Armen's perspective]

1274 :
31 Jan 2010

Greed: it's good (with reservations) Ian Elmer argues that there has been an enormous shift in the official thinking of the Church as to how we approach moral law. He argues: "This new take on sin and greed is the result of both the insights of modern biblical scholarship and other significant philosophical shifts within the Church and wider society. Vatican II embraced anew the biblical themes of covenant, heart and conversion, and not law, as the primary moral concepts. Notions of responsibility and justice have displaced older concepts like obligation and law as the primary characteristics of the moral life." [more]

1274 :
31 Jan 2010

Heaven, Hell, Purgatory and all that "stuff"! Long time lover of authentic "Catholic" thinking, Tom McMahon, has been busting for ages to have a go at what he sees as the "outmoded views" of the editor of Catholica, Brian Coyne, on "Heaven, Hell, Purgatory and all that 'stuff'". Well, we've given him a page to "let rip" and we're also pleased to see Tom joining the pages of Catholica on a more regular basis as a commentator. (The editor reserves the right to come back in this ongoing debate about all this eschatological "stuff" and the ultimate meaning, purpose and objective of all this religion and faith business. Stay tuned for a vigorous, on-going discussion and we'd welcome your views on why we bother with all this belief in God and going to Church business.) [more]

023 :
30 Jan 2010

Cardinal Mahony Chapter 22 "Caper" Robert Blair Kaiser's summary of last week's chapter: In the last chapter, we see that Cardinal Grandeur's dirty tricks department has come up with proof that Cardinal Mahony's campaign for a people's Church is being financed out of a numbered $75 million account in Zurich held by Pike and the Obregón woman, money raised from the TV networks by Para los Otros. Grandeur tells Hawkslaw, "This damn movement is being financed with blood money, pulled together by one of the boldest kidnapping plots of all time." Grandeur has Hawkslaw give Mahony an ultimatum. Grandeur's information will be given to a federal grand jury (which could mean long prison sentences for Pike and Juana Margarita Obregón) or Mahony can just stop his campaign. Mahony, who feels he has been betrayed by his own A-team, has a tearful showdown with Juana Margarita Obregón, learns the total truth behind his kidnapping and its aftermath, and forgives her because he loves her. He cannot accept either of the ultimatums that Grandeur has given him. Instead, he asks the A-team for ideas: how can they stop Grandeur? After a long and fruitless brainstorming session, Rackham says they have to focus not on Grandeur, but on Hawkslaw, Grandeur's spy in Los Angeles. He recruits Phoebe to help him break into Hawkslaw's Wilshire Boulevard apartment and hack his computer. Now here's Chapter Twenty Two... [more]

1273 :
30 Jan 2010

Looking at a new question in a very old light… Today's commentary from Dr Ian Elmer builds on his series from recent weeks looking at the Mythology in the Gospel of Mark. He now turns his attention to looking at the origins of the earliest Church in Rome. His examination casts a useful light on a contemporary challenge: the present division in the Church between those who want a "strong" version of their faith and those not attracted to "strong". Poor yourself a strong coffee and sit back and enjoy this scholarly analysis that will leave you seriously asking yourself whether Benedict made the right choice or otherwise in re-introducing the Latin Mass in the way he has done. [more]

1272 :
29 Jan 2010

Religion and Art Part II… In this commentary Peregrinus examines some of the tensions down through the ages between religion and art. He suggests this is a necessary preliminary to what he'll be discussing next week regarding the continuing tension in our own times between art and religion. [more]

1271 :
28 Jan 2010

Entering the Kingdom within… This is stuff some of the bishops and cardinals who are going to be held accountable for the present parlous state the Church is in ought be reading. Of course they won't be reading it but that's no reason why you mightn't get great benefit out of it. You'll probably get labelled as a dissenter, heretic, liberal and a whole lot of other choice labels for reading it but that's part of the price one pays these days for trying to find out where one finds the key to the door where one can begin "the journey within". Is this stuff Ian Elmer is discussing heretical or is it the sort of language our ecclesial leaders need to be getting their heads around if they are to return to "bringing the 'Good News' to all" and not just to "the self-anointed few"? [more]

1270 :
27 Jan 2010

Issues regarding the Education of Eastern Catholics in Latin Catholic Schools… Catholica is in receipt of an important news story that has been forwarded to us with the authority of the Eastern Catholic Bishops resident in Australia. Last Friday, 13 March, the Bishops and leaders representing the Eastern Rite Catholic Churches in Australia held a joint meeting in Sydney. They have endorsed a paper they had commissioned and have voiced a very strong complaint to the other Latin Church Australian Bishops and, through them, to the National Catholic Education Commission and the Catholic Education Offices and Catholic teachers of Australia concerning the religious education and treatment of Eastern Rite Catholic children in Australian Catholic schools. Catholica has been informed that Bishop Peter Stasiuk on behalf of the Eastern Catholic Bishops has been in touch with Archbishop Philip Wilson, President of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, who, according to Bishop Peter, has accepted there is solid foundation to the complaint and undertaken to have the matter placed on the agenda of the full meeting of the ACBC in May and Archbishop Philip has also undertaken to have the matter forwarded to the National Catholic Education Commission. This is a news story loaded with significant political implications not only for the Catholic Church in Australia but at the international level and, we submit, in realms entirely removed from the issues being addressed that are the focus of immediate complaint. We publish in full the background paper here which has been passed to Archbishop Philip Wilson. It makes for very, very interesting reading in light of some of the recent conversations we have been having on Catholica. [more]

1269 :
26 Jan 2010

Reflections on the nature of priesthood #7… Tom takes a rather critical look at the system of "ranks and orders" Jesus set up to manage and govern his Church until the Second Coming! [more]

1268 :
25 Jan 2010

A picture is worth a thousand words... Please forgive our headline photo. In recent days a newspaper photographer caught Pope Benedict having a quiet drag. I've already drawn attention to that story in our forum last night suggesting that Benedict might yet become the patron saint of we addicts to nicotine (See: "Smokers get a patron saint" Post 13241.) It is a picture that I have a strong feeling will get everyone's attention for the topic at hand in this lead commentary today. (NOTE: Subsequent to this article being published it was demonstrated elsewhere on the net that this photo had been doctored and was published on the net as a spoof. The smoke in the background is the smoke of incense.) Vince Exley sent it in to us. He's been reading Gerald G May's book "Addiction and Grace" and Vince has given us this edited extract. While we do not receive any benefit from Harper Collins, the publishers of Gerald May's book, we hope the stretching of the laws of copyright, if that is indeed what we are doing, might induce a few people to go purchase Gerald May's book, or borrow it from their local library both actions which would provide some compensation for Dr May. …Editor [more]

1267 :
24 Jan 2010

Castles in the Air! Taking as a starting point some themes in the film Citizen Kane, Dr Kania takes a look at that passage from St Luke's Gospel where Jesus provides some advice on the sort of foundation we ought build our lives upon. [more]

022 :
23 Jan 2010

Cardinal Mahony Chapter 21 "Blackmail" Robert Blair Kaiser's summary of last week's chapter: Last week, Mahony's fears about the opposition of his brother bishops diminished when he learned, to his surprise, that half of the U.S. bishops had decided to bring elected delegates to the Council. Pike suspected their decision had been dictated by a strong shift in public opinion. Michael Moore's documentary had triggered a swell of popular support for a people's Church, an idea whose time had come, for the people, and for the more-pastorally-minded bishops, whose sense of crisis over the shaky state of American Catholicism compelled them to start "thinking outside the box." It was a cliché that worked for them. A number of these bishops met at an exclusive site in cyberspace called "OUTSIDE THE BOX." This angered Cardinal Grandeur, who fired off an e-mail note to colleagues who were still on his side. "Everyone knows the Church is not a democracy. Everyone except Mahony and his crowd. If they get their way, they will bring to the Council of Baltimore everything that's wrong with American politics: deceptive sloganeering, lobbyists, maybe even television ads full of blatant deception, wild claims, and outright lies. And dirty tricks." Grandeur's reaction was a classic case of paranoia—his forefinger pointing at another, his other three fingers pointing back at him. He had already launched his own plan to derail Mahony's movement for a people's Church with his own department of dirty tricks, including right wing Catholics working for the FBI and the CIA. Now here's Chapter Twenty One... [more]

1266 :
23 Jan 2010

Religion and Art Part III… Do your remember the recent controversy over the Blake Prize for Religious Art where Queensland artist, Priscilla Bracks, submitted an image of Jesus that morphed into Osama bin Laden? Or do you remember the even bigger controversy in 1997 when Andres Sorano's provocative work Piss Christ was exhibited at the National Gallery of Victoria and George Pell unsuccessfully applied for a Court injunction to try and prevent it being exhibited? We won't give Peregrinus's arguments away but urge you, whatever side you might have been on in these controversies to read the very different perspective that he brings to the consideration of these matters. No one is going to be disappointed with this Catholica commentary. [more]

1265 :
22 Jan 2010

What can we learn from the disputes in the early Church? This week Ian Elmer is again looking at the differences in understanding between the different factions in the early Church with a view to helping us understand later disputes, such as the fracture with Martin Luther, and contemporary differences. [more]

1264 :
21 Jan 2010

Catholica Editorial followed by an analysis of the Vatican Questionnaire used for the selection of Australian Bishops... A leaked secret Vatican Questionnaire used in the process of selection of new Bishops raises deeply disturbing questions about the future of Catholicism. In an editorial written by the editor of Catholica and a separate analysis of the Vatican Document by Dr Paul Collins we examine what this document reveals. [more]

1263 :
20 Jan 2010

Analysing the spiritual journey via Star Trek… Closely related to last week's commentary, Dr Elmer, today looks at the inner spiritual and life journey through comparison with the popular television series Star Trek. Imagine what the Church would be like if more of our ordained spiritual guides could explain it all in this kind of language. Congratulations also to Ian Elmer, we can now officially call him "Doctor". [more]

1262 :
19 Jan 2010

Bishop Robinson's impression following his US Tour: "The American church has massive problems before it!" Bishop Geoffrey Robinson in his first comprehensive report since his return from a month-long lecture tour of the United States reflects on the tour, on the attempt by Cardinal Re in the Vatican to try and stop the tour, on the state of the Church in America following the abuse scandals, and on the statement put out under the name of the Australian Bishops... [more]

1261 :
18 Jan 2010

Holy Heads & Empty Hearts! This is perhaps Dr Andrew Kania's finest commentary. The man is firing on about 24 cylinders in what he writes today. He seeks to address what is perhaps the chief disjunction in Catholicism today. It's a very old problem but Andrew addresses it with a fresh slant. It's all about this unbridgeable divide that seems to have opened up in the Church between the legalists/literalists/fundamentalists and the rest. Dr Kania presents a view of what our faith and spirituality ought to be all about that most readers of Catholica will readily assent to. It might even inspire you. Enjoy! [more]

1260 :
17 Jan 2010

Searching for an authentic understanding of Jesus' vision... Following on from Rosemary's Take last Thursday, further discussion on the discussion forum in the days following, and today's Scriptural readings, Tom Scott seeks to explore what the authentic Catholic vision is by constrasting it to a number of alternatives. These include the "abundance theology" of Evangelical Christianity, the message thrust in things like the film The Secret, and abominations within Catholic belief itself. [more]

021 :
16 Jan 2010

Cardinal Mahony Chapter 20 "Tsunami" Robert Blair Kaiser's summary of last week's chapter: In the last chapter, we saw that Michael Moore, Hollywood's most exciting documentary film maker, invaded the bishops' retreat at the Phoenician and come back with a series of delicious interviews that have them coming off as a bunch of arrogant lords. But, since Moore cannot sell his idea, either to Hollywood, or to the TV networks, he is amenable to joining forces with Pike and Rackham and company to produce a documentary called The Bishops and Me and market it as a DVD. They plan to sell a million copies (splitting the proceeds with Moore, 50-50) and start a tidal wave of public opinion to send some independent-minded Catholics to Baltimoreas delegates with a voice and a vote, not just observers."The Fourth Council of Baltimore," says Pike, "ought to be a meeting of the people's Church. Instead, it's shaping up like a meeting of the clerical Church." Moore okays the deal, if the campaign for a people's Church can come up with the $1 million he needs to produce a musical score. Says Moore: "I'd like Bob Dylan and maybe Sting to do a few songs for us." Juana Margarita Obregón okays the $1 million. Now here's Chapter Twenty... [more]

1259 :
16 Jan 2010

DEATH: it's meaning! Andrew Kania explores the meaning of death: "Existential questions are at the heart of all religious faith; yet without these being personally asked and answered, an individual's spirituality cannot progress beyond that of mere religious membership … the existential question clearly requires that we place our lives within the sad context of our own physical mortality in order to complete our soul's joyful journey to immortality." [more]

1258 :
15 Jan 2010

Perspectives on Spirituality and Religion written by young people Pt I – Benedict Coyne We begin today a special series on the perspectives of young people on religion and spirituality. Today we bring you the introduction to the series and the first perspective written by Benedict Coyne, the 28 year old, eldest son of the Editor. The Editor's introduction includes a copy of the briefing note that was sent to the young people. Ben is an arts graduate from Murdoch University, has this year successfully completed a post-graduate course in counselling in Perth, and has been accepted to study law at Southern Cross University in NSW. He has been a leader in many activist endeavours in the realm of human rights, social justice, sustainability and ecology in all the States of Australia. He has also travelled extensively overseas and all his travels and studies have largely been self-financed through part-time work and by himself living in a very sustainable and economical way that gives very practical voice to his beliefs. His extensive commentary gives an excellent overview of his spiritual outlook and his attitudes towards institutionalised religion and religiosity. [Editor's introduction][Ben's perspective]

1257 :
14 Jan 2010

1.1: Setting the scene... Over the next three Mondays we serialise Part I of Tom Lee's manuscript. In Part I Tom explores the background politics, religious beliefs and outlook and the social conditions that existed in the parts of the world that would play a later part in the development of Christianity. [more]

1256 :
13 Jan 2010

The Moving Hand… Dr Kania explores the ever-fascinating story of the sinking of the Titanic in search of answers to some questions that perhaps lie deeper than where the Titanic ended up. What is the role of Providence in our lives? What are the ultimately important standards by which we measure the value of our lives? [more]

1255 :
12 Jan 2010

Three "very naughty boys"! As part of our on-going series looking at Catholic Education and the responsibilities we as a community have towards our young people we present an extended interview with three young men of approximately 25 years of age, all educated in Catholic primary and secondary schools who no longer have any significant connection with the Church. [more]

1254 :
11 Jan 2010

Abortion and The Law ~ Part II... Peregrinus concludes his elegantly argued exploration of the difficult territory that Catholics need to negotiate when coming to an understanding of how moral law interacts with the formulation of civil law. [more]

1253 :
10 Jan 2010

31.2: The challenges to religion... Tom Lee explores some of the challenges the established churches face in our contemporary world science, nature, fundamentalism, questions that were unknown to previous generations. [more]

020 :
09 Jan 2010

Cardinal Mahony Chapter 19 "Moore" Robert Blair Kaiser's summary of last week's chapter: During a retreat at the Phoenician, Arizona's poshest resort, the U.S. bishops voted down Cardinal Mahony's proposal that each bishop bring one elected delegate to the Fourth Council of Baltimore. Instead, each bishop will bring one appointed delegate, to observe but not to vote. Back in LA, the news sends Rackham and Pike into a state of gloom. Pike says, "We've got a national campaign headquarters here. And no real campaign." He nodded toward the screen of his laptop. "And, to make things worse, Roger says they tabled his proposal to allow the press into the Baltimore meetings." The press will be on the outside looking in. That will make our job ten times harder." Rackham is more confident than Pike. He says, "The Holy Spirit will think of something." Pike observes that Rackham, a Jew, doesn't even believe in the Holy Spirit. Rackham replies, "If She comes to the rescue here, I could believe in Her." Now here's Chapter Nineteen... [more]

1252 :
09 Jan 2010

How important is the question of who wrote the Gospels? The authorship of the Gospel's has been a long-disputed question. In this commentary Ian Elmer seeks to examine the evidence and explains his personal motivations as a biblical scholar why he thinks examining the question is important. [more]

1251 :
08 Jan 2010

Getting used to the idea that God created gays and they're not some kind of freaks or an aberration! Today the youngest of our commentators, Daniel Gullotta, chances his life stepping in against the fundamentalist lions. He seeks to open-up an intelligent discussion on the vexed question of where homosexuality fits into God's plan of Creation. Daniel argues we need to start learning that it is part of God's plan and not some aberration... [more]

1250 :
07 Jan 2010

Where Is Your Brother? This week both Eastern Catholics and the Eastern Orthodox celebrate Holy Week. It is an appropriate time in which we might re-visit what is perhaps still the greatest scandal in Christendom of all time the split which occurred between the East and the West in 1054. Dr Andrew Kania's commentary today takes us back to examine the causes of the split and argues that greater effort needs to be made on both sides to heal the split. [more]

019 :
02 Jan 2010

Cardinal Mahony Chapter 18 "Standoff" Robert Blair Kaiser's summary of last week's chapter: In the last chapter, we saw Cardinal Mahony face off against Cardinal McCarrick on a nationally televised panel discussion, led by America's most thoughtful host, Bill Moyers, about the upcoming national synod. The discussion heats up when Mahony says the convention must get gavel-to-gavel coverage on television. To McCarrick's challenge, Mahony says, 'TV will make it possible for the people to be there. If the people are there, and if the people like what they see happening, they will say, "Yes, this is my Church." They will want to own it. When they do, many of those folks who left it in disgust will come back, and, I hope, attract a great many new people, too, who will want to be a part of a people's Church in America, fully American, and fully Catholic, too. A people's Church.' Two panelists on the right challenge Mahony on that. One says, 'This sounds like the communist people's Republic of China.' Moyers is puzzled. He says to Mahony, 'You want an American Catholic Church that is also loyal to the pope?' Mahony says, 'Bill, I don't think you understand autochthony.' Now here's Chapter Eighteen... [more]