003 :
29 Apr 2011

Bleak House Part 1... In this first part of a four-part series Dr Anthony Lowes examines the bleak state the institutional church is in today with massive disaffection in the pews, lack of priests and a huge drop in morale. It's a familiar theme to readers of Catholica but this perspective from Dr Lowes provides much food for productive thought as to what we ought to do about the crisis. [more]

179 :
28 Apr 2011

Dr Elmer's most read commentaries during 2010: Number 1 Coming in at Number 1 with 32,984 reads is Ian's commentary from 4th Oct 2006 in our series "The Seven Deadlies…". It has consistently drawn a huge number of visits in the years since we first published it although it is evident now that it is starting to fade as there has been a steady decline in the number of reads each month since midway through last year. The popularity of the commentary has undoubtely been buoyed by the references to a number of films and television programs and a couple of other high-rating search terms that Ian included more by serendipity than careful research. As to content, perhaps Ian's argument is best summed up by the end quote we used at the end of the page: "With Gordeon Gekko, a Catholic can affirm that 'greed is good'. However, unlike Gordon Gekko, the Catholic moralist must frown up those who would seek personal pain by unjust means." [Ian's Oct 2006 commentary]

173 :
27 Apr 2011

Are any bishops courageous enough to listen to the disenchanted? Tom McMahon has been watching a bit of television over the Easter break — as well as doing a bit of volunteer work around his community. This commentary is essentially about communication and communication gaps. How do we communicate across generational gaps — and between bishops and people? He wonders if there might be any Australian bishops who might be courageous enough to set up a genuine dialogue with those who have stopped listening to what bishops and the institution have to say? [more]

091 :
26 Apr 2011

Dream catching... I'm not sure today's commentary is going to work too well. In it I'm conveying a humungous amount of information that might take hours, if not years, to fully appreciate. It is a story partly about massive changes occurring in our scientific knowledge that have the potential to impact in enormous ways on our Creation stories and understanding of our universe. At another level it is personal to the writer in watching the incredible personal challenge a former student colleague has taken on at the frontiers of scientific research raising sums of money that boggle the mind. In a sense it is like the seeming futility of pursuing an exercise like Catholica. What hope do any of us have to changing an institution as immobile and incapable of change as the Holy Roman Catholic Church? Why do we even try? This is like trying to build a Dream Catcher! ...Brian Coyne, Editor [more]

1723 :
25 Apr 2011

How much do our creation myths and theologies have to conform to scientific constraints? In Episode 2 of the BBC television series The Wonders of the Universe the presenter, Professor Brian Cox, suggests near the beginning he is presenting an alternative "Creation Story" to the great "Creation Stories" that underpin most religions. The question we propose for contemplation and discussion today is a fairly simple one: Does anything in the science presented by Brian Cox in this episode of his series conflict with the great Creation stories of Christianity? [more]

178 :
21 Apr 2011

Dr Elmer's most read commentaries during 2010: Number 2 Coming in at Number 2 with 8,468 reads is Ian's commentary from 17th Oct 2007: "Entering the Kingdom 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"? That's the question we asked when the commentary was originally presented. It has evidently been attracting many readers including the highest number of printed copies of any of Ian's commentaries. [Ian's Oct 2007 commentary]

172 :
20 Apr 2011

From Rome – the same ole, same ole! The essential question Tom McMahon examines in his commentary today is why those who control the institutional agenda constantly want to revert to medieval culture and thinking from around the era of the Council of Trent and want to stuff Vatican II back in some box as some kind of historical aberration? It's a mystery almost more confounding and perplexing than the Mystery of the Trinity! What do they find so attractive from that period of human history? [more]

1710 :
19 Apr 2011

The Whole Story (cf John 14:26) Dr Andrew Thomas Kania commentary today looks at the provocative issue of how we define our faith. It's a question that many readers of Catholica confront in their life and faith journey — particularly for those who are finding themselves increasingly distanced, alienated or disenchanted from the institution they have supported for so long. Dr Kania draws largely on some definitions provided by the Jesuit writer and theologian, William O'Malley. Do you agree with this set of "non-negotiables" or would you nuance it slightly differently? Andrew's original title for this essay is "The Whole Story (cf. John 14:26)". [more]

034 :
18 Apr 2011

Is it time to rewire the brains of our hierarchs? Fr Dan Donovan has been off doing a bit of research in the secular world of business management and neurology. He offers us today this commentary which is both serious and entertaining suggesting it might be time for a bit of neurological "re-wiring" in the brains of our hierarchical leaders. Here at Catholica we are skeptical ... the Holy Spirit seems to have been trying to re-wire a few brains for about half a century but the message doesn't seem to have penerated much as yet. Perhaps it's because there's about as much plasticity in the neurons of conservative or insecure hierarchs as there is in a slab of granite? [more]

037 :
17 Apr 2011

Time, Timelessness and Thoughtlessness More serendipity today: when I awoke this morning I must have mulling on "the problem of Christ" and wrote on the forum: "Christ has been called 'the great iconoclast' — the smasher of symbols. In a sense I think his ultimate iconoclastic act was in breaking open this prison of time we are all imprisoned within. That's what the resurrection is all about. That's also what the theological concept of 'incarnation' is all about." [LINK: The "problem" with Christ] An hour later when I came to choose a commentary from John Chuchman for today the first one I came across was all about the meaning of time, timelessness ... and thoughtlessness. This all adds up for much to reflect on this Palm Sunday. ...ed [more]

067 :
16 Apr 2011

What are the ideal qualifications for a priest in today's world? Today's lead commentary is a section of The Wilkinson Report that the author, Peter J Wilkinson, ended up leaving out of the formal report. Peter sent it for our consideration as a valuable discussion starter on what are the qualifications needed to be a priest today. [more]

066 :
15 Apr 2011

Fundamentalism offers women, the Church, God or anyone nothing... Our lead commentary today is a review of a valuable new academic study entitled "Women and Fundamentalism in Islam and Catholicism" by Sr Trish Madigan OP who, in her 'day job' is Coordinator of Ecumenism and Interfaith initiatives in the Broken Bay Diocese here in New South Wales. Her PhD thesis has been published recently by the academic publishers, Peter Lang Publishers. The reviewer is Newtown Parish Priest Fr Peter Maher. This is gutsy work — both the study this woman has undertaken and the daring of this priest to take on the review. Fundamentalism offers nothing to women and nothing to God or the Church — indeed to anyone much except the remnant who place such a premium on emotional certitude at the expense of actual truth and the discerning of where the Spirit is leading humanity. [more]

177 :
14 Apr 2011

Dr Elmer's most read commentaries during 2010: Number 3 Coming in at Number 3 with 4,916 reads is Ian's commentary from 17th Nov 2007: "Was Rome really the See of Peter?" Part III of this mini-series has already featured in this countdown as the 8th most read commentary in 2010, and as the present conversation triggered by Vynette Holliday's series demonstrates this continues to be a hot topic. Today's commentary is Part II of the mini-series. [Ian's Nov 2007 commentary]

171 :
13 Apr 2011

Human Sexuality: A discussion • VII • The views of Dr Patricia Brennan... Tom McMahon today reflects on the perspectives on human sexuality put foward in a recent re-broadcast of the views of the late Dr Patricia Brennan. He concludes "Dr Brennan surely ranks among the wise for her stand on Women's Rights and the value of women in restoring worldwide peace". [more]

170 :
12 Apr 2011

Hodgens and the VII priests -vs- Pell, JPII, BXVI and the JPII priests... There have been some important developments down here in The Great South Land of the Holy Spirit that I'm sure many readers of Catholica will appreciate my bringing to your attention with some urgency. The latest issue of the National Council of Priests in Australia journal, The Swag, has just appeared online. It contains perhaps one of the strongest contests yet from within the leadership ranks of the Church on the policy direction of Catholicism. Cardinal George Pell of Sydney has written a counter response to the provocative article of Fr Eric Hodgens that appeared in the last edition of The Swag and which drew much interest all around the world. George Pell's response is equally provocative but Eric Hodgens also has a new article in the latest edition. Between the two of them they probably present a line of demarkation as to where all priests and bishops are eventually going to have to line up in their loyalties — and in their assessment of the analysis that the Almighty might be making of their stewardship of the Church in recent decades. Also today you might like to read the extensive review James from our forum community has written on a new book on the late and former priest, Roger Pryke. Fr Ed Campion has said of the book that "[f]or anyone wishing to pursue the Vatican II story in Australia this will be a necessary book." (Tom McMahon's commentary for today has been delayed a few hours because of these developments and will appear online later today.) [more]

170 :
12 Apr 2011

Come Back to Me (cf Ezekiel 33:11) Catholicism is paradoxical — a contradiction. It insists on Christ being the truth but it is gentle, rather than insistent in forcing belief in the truth of Christ on any person. The way some fundamentalist Catholics carry on one could be forgiven for not believing that. In the lead-up to Easter Dr Andrew Thomas Kania's examines this paradox through the Gospel story of the Woman at the Well and through some observations of Desiderius Erasmus on how to respond to Martin Luther and the Protestant reformers. Andrew's title for the essay is "Come Back To Me" (cf Ezekiel 33:11) This essay fits so well with the style we encourage here at Catholica. It is an essay arguing against Catholic fundamentalism — and essay seeking to rediscover the essential teaching style of Jesus. [more]

065 :
08 Apr 2011

Time for a Catholic Revolution? Joe Rigert today questions if it is time for a Catholic Revolution along the lines of the revolts opening up in the Middle East against tyranical rulers and governments. Mary Gail Frawley-O'Dea posed a similar question recently in NCR. Our position here at Catholica, argued in today's email, is that while reformation is desirable a revolution is a waste of energy — and highly unlikely to garner popular support. Is it not better to let the whole mess collapse into a heap, or a remnant, and build something afresh from the ashes? [more] | [Catholica's counter proposition]

176 :
07 Apr 2011

Dr Elmer's most read commentaries during 2010: Number 4 Coming in at Number 4 with 4,371 reads is Ian's commentary from 20th Oct 2007: "Analysing the spiritual journey via Star Trek" This was not only one of the most popular of his commentaries but almost marked a milestone in Ian's life as it was the one when we announced publicly that he had obtained his doctorate. In our original introduction we wrote: 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. [Ian's Oct 2007 commentary]

170 :
06 Apr 2011

Human Sexuality: A discussion • VI • Changing the diapers of bishops... Here's another wonderful commentary from Tom McMahon pushing out all sorts of wonderful thoughts as his mind meanders through this rich conversation topic about our sexuality. It's hard to find one single headline or quote that summarizes it all in one go today. He does accuse the editor of having an "Alz moment" though but the Editor fires the same complaint back at Tom as a post script. [more]

037 :
05 Apr 2011

Australia: a light to the world? A significant episcopal appointment has been announced last night: the Apostolic Nuncio to Australia has announced that Fr William (Bill) Wright is to be the replacement for Bishop Michael Malone in the New South Wales Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle. Keen observers of the pattern of episcopal appointments are cautiously interpreting it as a significant change in direction to the pattern of recent appointments. Today's editorial examines the potential significance of the development. [more]

169 :
05 Apr 2011

Lip Service (cf Matthew 25:31-46) Dr Andrew Thomas Kania's commentary today is a reflection poignant to this Lenten time of the year and with a certain poignancy to today's editorial on Catholica [LINK]. It draws together insights from one of Australia's great writers, Henry Lawson, and marries them in with insights from one of the ancient seers of the Eastern Church, John Chrysostom. It's a reflection on our constant struggle as human beings with hypocrisy — paying lip service to what we really believe. In fact, Dr Kania titled the essay "Lip Service" and presents it as a reflection on these verses in Matthew's Gospel: Chapter 25 vs 31-46 [LINK]. [more]

015 :
04 Apr 2011

Questioning the understanding of Papal Primacy Part 6... Luckily this is "independent Catholic media" and we're not subject to any Nihil Obstats and Imprimaturs because today's commentary from Vynette Holliday challenges some very sacred Catholic cows. Buckle up, put on your crash helmet, and stand by for the reactions. Wouldn't it be just wonderful — and a sign of a vibrant Church again — if an article like this could bring learned scholars defending the institutional position on a controversial issue into the public square to have a real conversation about these matters — to establish "the real truth" about foundational premises like the ones Vynette puts up for consideration. [more]

036 :
03 Apr 2011

Some thoughts on Sexual Morality, Part 8: What John Chuchman writes today in this final reflection in his mini-series on Sexual Morality gels in so well with the ideas the late Dr Patricia Brennan was outlining in her rebroadcast conversation with Stephen Crittenden on the ABC's Radio National [LINK]. Sexual morality is not so much determined by what people do with the erogenous zones and genital parts, it is far more determined by what is going on in the minds and emotions of the participants. When considerations of power over another, or using another for one's own gratification without giving anything in return, enter the equation instead of mutual self-giving that's when serious considerations of immorality enter the equation. [more]

003 :
02 Apr 2011

Rethinking our relationship with God, our neighbours and our world: Creation Spirituality... Emmy Silvius sent this commentary to me earlier last week before the controversy surrounding American sister and theologian, Elizabeth A. Johnson hit the news with John L Allen's piece in NCR [SEE: "U.S. bishops blast book by feminist theologian"]. It's more serendipity or God-incidence as the spirituality and theology of Sr Elizabeth features heavily in this commentary from Emmy. People are no longer listening to the bishops and the old patriarchal line anymore. Emmy Silvius explores some of the emerging concerns driving the search for a new way of understanding our relationship with God, with our fellow human beings and with our environment and cosmos. [more]

064 :
01 Apr 2011

The dangerous world of dogmatism! Today's commentary has come about in an unusual way. Some months ago the editor came across a book by Judy J Johnson while adding new products to the Catholica Spiritual Marketplace. Titled "What's so Wrong with being Absolutely Right: the Dangerous Nature of Dogmatic Belief" the editor simply added it because the title might be of interest in some of the discussions we've been having on Catholica. It was the author herself, Judy Johnson, who saw it listed on Catholica and offered to provide a short commentary providing an introduction to this intriguing area of study. Dr Johnson is Associate Professor of Psychology at Mount Royal University, Calgary, Alberta in Canada. There's enough material in this commentary to keep you thinking for a month of Fridays! [more]

175 :
31 Mar 2011

Dr Elmer's most read commentaries during 2010: Number 5 Coming in at Number 5 with 3,681 reads is Ian's commentary from 5th May 2007: "The controversy surrounding Arius — what can we learn?" Here's the original introduction in which Ian argues: "This reflection serves to remind us that God simply doesn't provide us with all the answers in some definitive way. We have debate and discussion, even argument, to refine and define our shared faith – what else might we expect from a God who chooses to enter into conversation with his creatures?" [Ian's May 2007 commentary]

169 :
30 Mar 2011

Catching up with a few seminary colleagues... It's another catch-up commentary from Tom McMahon today before he returns next week to his series on Human Sexuality. As he discloses today he has been inspired by the conversation recently rebroadcast on ABC Radio National between broadcaster Stephen Crittenden and the late Dr Patricia Brennan. He's mulling himself on what Patricia had to say about Human Sexuality in that conversation and will return next week with his own thoughts. Meanwhile the bulk of his commentary is a reflection on his St Patrick's Day get together with a few mates from his seminary days. He shares a few jokes also in the additional story that we've included as a pop-out. [more]

168 :
29 Mar 2011

The meaning of the Hypostatic union to us... Today's commentary by Dr Andrew Kania is one you might want to spend a little time with. At one level he's looking at this age-old puzzle of the two natures of Christ — the Divine and the human. At a second level it is all about us. In fact his original title for the essay is "God with Us (cf Jeremiah 1:5)". Why did Jesus choose uneducated fisherman as the leaders of his movement? Does that tell us something of the nature/natures of God and Jesus? What does it tell us about us and our mission in life? [more]

036 :
28 Mar 2011

The moral credibility and authority of all Australian bishops is now on the line... Last night on ABC Radio National across this wide, brown land of Australia we were treated to an interview with Chrissie and Anthony Foster the parents of three daughters two of whom were raped as little girls by a Holy Roman Catholic Priest. One of the daughters eventually took her own life in despair after a long period of self harm and the second daughter raped, after a similarly long period of self harm, walked in front of a speeding car while intoxicated and today requires round the clock nursing care that will last for her entire lifetime. The program the interview was broadcast within is called The Spirit of Things hosted by the respected Australian religious affairs' broadcaster, Rachael Kohn. It is an interview that puts the moral credibility and moral authority of all the bishops of Australia on the line! [more]

1692 :
25 Mar 2011

Has the "intellectual heart" of Catholicism died? There is a view one often hears expressed that all the intellectual apostolates in the Church have died in Australia and in some respects that is true. The efforts of Cardinal George Pell to revive or create new intellectual lay apostolate like, for example, the Theology on Tap initiative reflect this sense of "where have all the intellectual gone?" I argue in the commentary today that the intellectuals have not been killed or disappeared, they have merely "moved home". The intellectual heart of the Church is still beating and in a sense more vibrantly that it ever has if not a heck of a lot more silently and fearful of speaking up in public. That's the argument of Catholica editor, Brian Coyne, in this commentary. [more]

174 :
24 Mar 2011

Dr Elmer's most read commentaries during 2010: Number 6 Coming in at Number 6 with 3,521 reads is Ian's commentary from 5th Dec 2010: "What can we learn today from the disputes in the early Church?" Here's the original introduction: "The question Ian seeks to address this week may seem a departure from the present series looking at the earliest post-resurrection origins of the Jesus Movement. However, the story behind the first written text that was to be preserved in the New Testament is a sequel to those events described in last week's commentary. The text in question is Paul's letter to the Galatians, written around 50 CE, probably within a matter of months after Paul's bitter split with Peter, Barnabas and the James party at Antioch (Gal 2:11-14). The reason why Paul wrote to the Galatians is one of the most intriguing questions in biblical scholarship, and demonstrates afresh how significant for New Testament interpretation is the understanding that early Christianity was a diverse phenomenon." This commentary has another significance as it helps prove the success of the founding vision of Catholica. For more about that read today's email... [today's email (240311)] | [Ian's Dec 2006 commentary]

168 :
23 Mar 2011

Catching up on a few topics... This is very much a catch-up commentary from Tom McMahon today. It's delayed from last week and Tom covers a big gamut of topics from further comment on The Wilkinson Report, his own series of Human Sexuality, response to questions the editor posed in the forum on the future of Catholicism, to comment on the forthcoming American Catholic Council in Detroit. Much to reflect on here... [more]

167 :
22 Mar 2011

To make Catholicism strong: let all the lights shine! Today's lead commentary from Dr Andrew Kania is with little doubt the single most powerful and incisive commentary we have yet published on Catholica. It is written with an eye to events on an international canvas. In fact it is not new. It was published in 2008 in the print edition of The Tablet and was under an embargo not to be published anywhere else for 12 months. It is now online in The Tablet HERE. The timing in publishing the article here on Catholica today is probably even more poignant. Catholicism, if it is to become a vibrant force again in the world needs to re-discover the strength that comes from its diversity in rites, cultures, liturgical expression, prayer forms, and its thinking. As Andrew says in ending the article, in the prelude to a quote from Friedrich von Hügel "Christ is too large for any single culture fully to comprehend!" We need diversity to get our head around Christ ... and the Divine. ...Brian Coyne, Editor [more]

063 :
21 Mar 2011

Should John Paul II be made a saint? Minneapolis-based investigative journalist Joe Rigert today questions not only if there is too much haste involved in the canonisation of the late Pope John Paul II but if he ought be considered for canonisation at all given his dismal record in cleaning up the scandal of childhood sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. Mr Rigert has previously co-authored a commentary on Catholica with Richard Sipe calling for the resignation of Pope Benedict on similar grounds [LINK]. [more]

035 :
20 Mar 2011

Some thoughts on Sexual Morality, Part 7: Marriage ... what a difficult business it is for most – how to manage and nurture a relationship through an entire lifetime? John Chuchman offers a few new ideas today. They're actually pretty ancient ideas — and drawn from our own tradition. What he's presenting are ideas about how to successfully choose the right partner and start off on the right foot. Some of the principles he's discussing also have application in thinking about our entire approach to our relationship even when we've been trying to live it for years or even decades. Are these ideas you would feel comfortable sharing with your children — or are you more inclined to try and enrol them in "True Love Waits"? [more]

062 :
19 Mar 2011

The problem with foreign priests... Long time member of Catholica and contributor to our forum in non-public ways, Nick Agocs, has a long and enviable record of involvement both in the Church and in dealing with migrant issues. In 2006 his work was given recognition by the Western Australian government's Office of Multicultural Interests with a "Multicultural Community Service Award". The citation to that reads "Nick Agocs has been instrumental in initiating and providing high-level input to multicultural policies and programs at government, community and national levels, which has improved service delivery to all migrant groups over a substantial period of 30 years.". Nick is also President of the Benedictine Oblates associated with the Benedictine Monastery at New Norcia. A first generation migrant himself, Nick is upset at a number of people who in the public debate about the crisis in the priestly vocations in this country have attempted to use the racist tag against those who are critical of the present policy to import foreign priests to meet the pastoral needs of the Australian people. In particular in this commentary he directs his criticism at Fr Maurizio Pettena CS who recently expressed his view on a CathNews blog. [more]

003 :
18 Mar 2011

The politics of choosing bishops... In the coming while the Catholic Church in Australia is in for the most substantial and perhaps interesting shake-up in its distribution of episcopal power that most of us will have seen in our lifetimes. The shake-up is largely triggered by the fact that a larger than normal number of bishops will be retiring over the next few years on account of reaching the age limit and more particularly there should be some very interesting shifts in that smaller group called metropolitans or archbishops who essentially "control all the money" simply because they're in the places where there tends to be a higher concentration of "silly little old ladies and silly little old men who leave their multi-million dollar estates to the Church for perpetual rosary crusades". Each million dollar bequest the Church receives is probably worth about a thousand ordinary pew-sitters financially. Don't be deceived, as the example of Marcial Maciel Degolado brought into focus there are still a heck of a lot of "silly little old ladies and men" leaving their estates to Holy Mother Church for the recitation of perpetual rosary cycles. The oldest dioceses, unless someone has squandered all the money along the way somewhere, tend to have these largest bequest portfolios. In today's commentary Fr Eric Hodgens is principally discussing the interesting speculation that is emerging in the Diocese of Sandhurst centred on the city of Bendigo in rural Victoria following the unexpected early death of Bishop Joe Grech early in January. There's much other gossip circulating around the nation though of the other appointments coming up some of which I and others have shared on Catholica in recent weeks. There are also articles in the mainstream media such as Barney Zwartz's recent article in The Age on the controversy over the selection process [LINK]. Fr Hodgens' commentary today might be read as a reflection on the wider process of selection — and how it has become once again corrupted, and politicised, in recent times as much as it is a reflection on the particular games being played out in one rural diocese in Victoria. [more]

173 :
17 Mar 2011

Dr Elmer's most read commentaries during 2010: Number 7 Coming in at Number 7 with 2,783 reads is Ian's commentary from 3rd Sep 2009: How Does God Speak to Us? It's part of his Puzzling Passages Series but is less about a particular "puzzling passage" and more to do with what is perhaps the most puzzling thing about faith and belief — how does the Author of Life speak to us? What's the Biblical record have to say? What do theologians and popes have to say? Ian ends with a series of questions that provide great fodder for reflection — and discussion. And obviously from its continuing to generate so many page reads without any publicity on our part in 2010 it IS generating plenty of reflection. [more]

002 :
16 Mar 2011

Radical new initiative to save Catholicism in Australia & Re-evangelize the West! After a year's absence Fr Donal Hartigan returns today to the pages of Catholica with the breaking news that the Cecil B de Pell Production Company is calling for investments in a lavish remake of the Star Wars movie to be called "The Vatican Strikes Back". Secret auditions have been underway in Sydney in the last week for key players for the proposed production. Be the first to know in your street. Read all about it right here on Catholica! Will create much employment for the shrinking remnant sectors of Catholicism who are at a loose end with the dwindling congregations. The production likely to attract massive government investment as well following the precedent of WYD08. Something here for the really savvy investor who wants to be part of the Re-evangelisation of the West! [more]

035 :
15 Mar 2011

People power needed now to change the Catholic Church! With permission of the author, Terry Fewtrell, a Catholic layperson and retired former senior civil servant based in Canberra, we present this article he had published in The Canberra Times on 8th March 2011 as a Catholica editorial. In light of the recently released Wilkinson Report [LINK] and the review of a timely new book "Our Fathers: what Australian Catholic priests really think about their lives and their church" by Chris McGillion and John O'Carroll which we publish today [LINK], we believe Mr Fewtrell's article speaks for many of the mainstream baptised today who are extremely fed up at the way in which we have been let down by our current and recent bishops and by those who control the institutional agenda in Rome. Thanks to the foresight of previous generations of bishops, priests, religious women and men, as well as lay people the Church in Australia today is not in crisis in terms of the size, qualifications or the remuneration paid to its front-line workforce. Its physical infrastructure is in superb condition and the Church is financially strong and stable thanks to the massive flow of funds that ultimately come from tax paying lay Catholics and the recognition of the broader Australian population of the value of the Catholic Church as a provider of educational, health care, aged care and social welfare services to this nation. The only "crisis" today is a crisis of leadership in Rome and at the way in which the Australian episcopal leadership has been stacked by Rome by men who today are only interested in serving a tiny remnant minority totally unrepresentative of the broader Body of Christ. As Mr Fewtrell argues in this editorial it is an injustice that is today being inflicted on our ageing priests who have given a lifetime of service to the people of this nation by an episcopal leadership that has lost touch with reality and lost touch with the Holy Spirit after whom this Great South Land of the Holy Spirit was originally named. What Terry Fewtrell has to say deserves to have wide circulation in the Australian Catholic community and we urge readers of Catholica to print it out, or email the pdf version of this page which you will find HERE, and circulate it as widely as possible in your local communities. [more]

033 :
15 Mar 2011

Review of the new book "Our Fathers"... Chris McGillion and John O'Carroll's forthcoming new book "Our Fathers" is probably the most comprehensive study ever undertaken in the Australian Church of the broad outlook of priests towards their work, their vocations and their Church. Fr Daniel Donovan has been given access to a pre-release copy of the text of the book and today provides this overview of the book for the benefit of readers of Catholica. As editor of Catholica I also read the book before passing it on to Fr Donovan and made the comment that there is not so much a disappointment in the book but in the poor response from the priests themselves. They missed out on a valuable opportunity to do themselves a favour, the bishops of this country a favour and the entire church in this country a favour by giving us even better insight into the challenges they are facing. We owe a great debt to the 31.6% of priests who did respond to the survey. Fr Donovan broadly agrees with that assessment also but does see this study as a valuable first step in an ongoing process to help overcome the current crisis the priesthood is facing in this country with dwindling numbers and increasing workloads. ...Brian Coyne [Editor] [more]

014 :
14 Mar 2011

Questioning the understanding of Papal Primacy Part 5... In the fifth part of her detective novel style investigation of the whereabouts of St Peter, Vynette Holliday turns her focus today to his whereabouts from the time of the Jerusalem Council (around 50CE) up until 62CE. [more]

034 :
13 Mar 2011

Some thoughts on Sexual Morality, Part 6: John Chuchman in today's commentary begins to cut into the difficult territory of making moral judgments about sexual acts and relationships. Many mature adults today have difficulties with the moral teaching that associated with morality with acts rather than had a focus on the attitudes of mind behind the acts. John attempts here to take the discussion back to where the morality ought be focused. It is perhaps an opening to a much wider conversation rather than a commentary that might be read as definitive in its own right. [more]

061 :
12 Mar 2011

The frustrating pathway seeking peace and reconciliation... Today's lead commentary comes from a woman in the Lismore Diocese of Northern New South Wales who has been described by one solicitor as a "Right Old Lismore Girl" and another barrister as "The Grandmother from Woop-Woop". What we publish is her story told in a letter to one of the journalists at the Telegraph newspaper in Sydney who in early January did a feature story on the Cardinal Archbishop of Sydney, George Pell. Her letter would have been judged as too long to publish in the Telegraph but we don't have space restrictions here and Marlene (Del) Burgess's story will "touch the hearts" of many readers of Catholica. By way of introducing herself to me, Del, wrote: "Brian, I thought you might like to read this. I am an uneducated woman but my letters keep going out to whomever I feel should be told what is going on and I am trying to have my say and overcome the abuse that was done to me. My letters have been to the Catholic Bishops Conference of Australia, the Pope, George Pell and of course the Bishop of my own Diocese, Geoffrey Jarrett". Marlene's letter today is being published as she wrote it albeit that we have corrected a few typographical errors and shortened (mainly split) some sentences to make them more readable and grammatically correct. Links are provided in the article to the two articles in The Sunday Telegraph that stirred Del up to write to the journalist who put together the first and long feature article on George Pell. [more]

060 :
11 Mar 2011

'Racist' – a Catholic paradox The Wilkinson Report on the crisis facing the church and the priesthood in Australia has drawn a lot of interest. It also drew the usual responses from the elements in the Church who seem to fail to understand that the Holy Spirit and Our Lady Help of Christians have been answering the call for vocations for decades. There were some particularly vicious taunts of racism directed at people, including Dr Paul Collins one of the people responsible for helping organise the study, who questioned the wisdom of importing priests foreign to the Australian culture to fill the gaps. Dr Jane Anderson has been upset enough by these bloggers to pen this response... [more]

172 :
10 Mar 2011

Dr Elmer's most read commentaries during 2010: Number 8 Coming in at Number 8 with 2,245 reads is Ian's commentary from 1st Dec 2007 which was the conclusion to a series asking who were the founders of the Church in Rome? It is interesting that this commentary is so popular given that Vynette Holliday is leading a new conversation on Catholica at the moment examining similar territory. Ian Elmer's exploration of the material from Paul's letter to Rome suggests that neither Peter nor Paul could claim the title that they were the founders of the Church in Rome — although the later Roman apologists would make that claim for them. In this final commentary of the series Ian looked at further scholarly speculation about who the true founders of the Roman church may have been and when Christianity first came to Rome. [more]

167 :
09 Mar 2011

An American response to The Wilkinson Report The emerging reaction in comment across the web is that things are effectively terminal for institutional Catholicism. The recently released report by Peter Wilkinson on the disaster facing the Church in providing priests in Australia is not going to be addressed by those presently leading the institution. Tom McMahon in California has read the report and offers comments on various parts of it today. Perhaps not surprisingly he shares much of the pessimism most readers of Catholica express that anything is about to change at the institutional level. What can be done? [more]

090 :
08 Mar 2011

Temptations... The Australian Catholic Bishops began their series of online reflections for Lent 2011 yesterday. Catholica editor, Brian Coyne, spent a bit of time last night reflecting on the reflection, and on how we deliver the Gospel message, and why his daughter is unlikely to be listening to bishops but more likely to be 'tuning into' someone like John Croft. Do you have thoughts on any of these things? [more]

033 :
06 Mar 2011

Some thoughts on Sexual Morality, Part 5: It is purely co-incidence or God-incidence that the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras was celebrated in Sydney last night and this weekend we have had two lead commentaries dealing with homosexuality. Today's offering from John Chuchman is the fifth in his series and was not especialy taken out of order to fit with yesterday's commentary or the events in Sydney last night. John makes the point, and powerfully, that all sexual acts and behaviours take place within a moral context. Sexual acts are neither right nor wrong within themselves. The moral context is given by the intent and the nature of the relationship in which the acts take place. [more]

013 :
05 Mar 2011

"Gay Marriage – yeah or neah?" In his delightfully sensitive, "view from the pews" way George Ripon offers us today a thought-provoking commentary exploring the difficult issue of gay relationships and the call for gay unions to be legalised under the Marriage Act in Australia. The issues have been causing much discussion in the media and in Australia's parliaments. George seeks to explore these divisive issues within a contemporary catholic spiritual context. Have you reached a view on these issues yet? Hopefully George's commentary, and the discussions he cites we've already been having on the Catholica Forum may assist you in navigating through this challenging moral territory. [more]

059 :
04 Mar 2011

"Is Our Institutional Church Unjust?" What a way to end this week. On Tuesday we blew all of our previous readership figures right out of the water with a close to 300% increase in unique visitors. There's a God-incidence in all this I tell ya — I honestly didn't plan any of this. I just sit here and deal with whatever comes in my door or via my email inbox. This commentary today by Emmy Silvius is really powerful. I notice from a Google scan that Emmy has been around for a while — for example she's written previously for Online Opinion. I think today though, after you've read this commentary which, perhaps somewhat timidly at least compared to the content she entitled "Is Our Institutional Church Unjust?" I think we might be introducing to you a powerful new voice for women. Congratulations, Emmy. This is powerful stuff and I anticipate it will find a massive and very receptive readership. ...Editor [more]

171 :
03 Mar 2011

Dr Elmer's most read commentaries during 2010: Number 9 Coming in at Number 9 with 2,010 reads is Ian's commentary from 27th June 2007 examining the question of who actually wrote the Gospels. The four Gospels originally circulated anonymously; none of them bear the name of their authors. The names that are presently attached to our canonical Gospels are the product of second-century speculation, and they are intended to stress the apostolic credentials of the Gospels. Most of us assume that the Gospels are the direct products of either Jesus' apostles (John and Matthew) or their loyal lieutenants (Mark and Luke); however, this is not the overwhelming view of the majority of biblical scholars. [more]

166 :
02 Mar 2011

Human Sexuality: A discussion • IV • The beauty of the naked female form... Today's commentary from Tom McMahon includes a stunning piece of music by Brian Doerksen cut to images taken from Sir David Attenborough's BBC series, Planet Earth. Tom uses it to drive home his central point that the beauty of God, the beauty of the Divine, is found in all of Creation and somehow finds some kind of mysterious zenith in the naked female form. The form that has intrigued artists and sculptures since humankind climbed out of the first womb. This is a beautiful commentary. [more]

034 :
01 Mar 2011

Evaluating The Wilkinson Report... It is our pleasure today to bring you a report, The Wilkinson Report, that is also simultaneously being released in the mainstream media examining the serious crisis the Catholic Church is facing in Australia in providing the sacraments and pastoral care to its core constituency of baptised Catholics. We present both the report, a couple of brief summaries of the full report, as well as our own editorial comment on the report's conclusions. [more]