1059 :
30 Jun 2009

National E-Conference on St Paul... A quick email to remind you of the National Online Conference being conducted by the Broken Bay Institute today. I've been following the sessions and think they are superb — both as to their content (at least for a mature audience — not sure that this is enough to distract from all the infatuation and distraction that the death of Michael Jackson is causing in the world at the moment amongst young people though) and also as an innovative way to get "the Word" out there. [more]

060 :
29 Jun 2009

18.2: Consolidation of Church and State! The history of Christianity is so fascinating — a struggle between the ambitions of humans and what we believe to be the guidance of the Divine. In this second and final part of Tom Lee's Chapter 18 we look further into the legacy of Constantine. It recounts the final severing of our links with our Jewish spiritual ancestors and Jerusalem. From now on the Jews would be excoriated in Christianity and we're still sorting that out in our own day. [more]

013 :
28 Jun 2009

What's it all about, Alfie? (Mk 1057) A paragraph from a book by a married priest, a commentary from a Christian Brother, and a letter from a Marist Brother have provided the triggers for this Sunday Forum. In slightly different ways all three sources are reflections on this big question of "what's IT all about?" The 'IT' meaning 'my life' or 'our lives'. [more]

056 :
27 Jun 2009

A Good News Commentary... Catholica editor, Brian Coyne, today provides an introduction to two exciting adult faith learning experiences being promoted by the Archdiocese of Canberra-Goulburn and the Diocese of Broken Bay. One of the initiatives — a National On-Line Conference for the Year of St Paul — takes place this coming Tuesday, and he proposes we follow this conference and conduct our own online forum in parallel with the many meetings in physical space that will be conducted around the nation at the same time. [more]

1055 :
26 Jun 2009

Absolute Truth... In lieu of a lead commentary today, we draw attention to a review of the television series, Absolute Truth, which PeterR dug up from The Tablet and published in the forum. [more]

110 :
25 Jun 2009

The Death and Preservation of Paul… Here's how Dr Elmer introduces his commentary today: "We have no direct information concerning the circumstances of Paul's final sojourn and death at Rome. Acts ends with a brief account of Paul's two-year house arrest in the imperial capital (28:14b-31) where, according to Luke's report, Paul continued as an active missionary for "two full years" (28:31). What happened after that time is a matter of some conjecture; and the issue is bound up with the equally contentious issue of the authorship of the later Pauline epistles, Ephesians, Colossians, 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus." [more]

082 :
24 Jun 2009

Reporting on his Aussie Pigrimage #4 Tom McMahon continues his impressions of Australia and the people he met on his journey. Today he shares some of his observations of similarities and differences between the United States and Australia. [more]

127 :
23 Jun 2009

Healing the division between East & West... Last week, you will recall, Dr Andrew Kania provided us with a gutsy commentary examining the disunity in Christianity between the Catholics and the Protestants. Today he provides what is possibly a more powerful essay examining the root causes of the division between the Eastern and Western lungs within Catholicism. Many Latin Church readers will perhaps not have seen arguments like this presented from the Eastern perspective. [more]

059 :
22 Jun 2009

18.1: Consolidation of Church and State! Tom Lee's series of commentaries gets more gripping with each instalment. Today's excerpt is particularly packed with interesting history from that early phase under Constantine when the bishops began to learn the value of patronage in a big way. [more]

012 :
21 Jun 2009

A follow up to the Melbourne conversation... Today's Sunday Forum is a follow-up to a discussion paper circulated during the week to participants in the conversation held in Melbourne Satuday week ago convened by Catholics for Ministry. There is a hunger in society for forms of spirituality more responsive to people's real needs. The institution seems incapable of delivering it. What's the alternative? [more]

006 :
20 Jun 2009

Will the changes in liturgy "bring 'em back"? Or is it "more of the same which has been drivin' 'em away"? In the final of this first series of short Saturday commentaries from Pewter today he looks at the current changes in th liturgy that the faithful have been asked to get enthusiastic about. Do you think the changes will "bring 'em back"? Or help encourage a more mature theological understanding on the part of the faithful at large? [more]

006 :
19 Jun 2009

Vision and Mission... Fr Kevin J Murphy sent this piece in as a reflection on the importance for any community having a clear vision and mission statement. One of the larger problems the institution as a whole seems to be facing is a confusion about what our mission is these days. Is the mission of Catholicism, or Christianity, to be creating a community of socially conformist, pious individuals — or is the prime mission we are charged with to encourage individuals to develop their talents to the full and "to become like God"? [more]

109 :
18 Jun 2009

The Final, Fateful Journey… In a sense this story Dr Elmer has been peeling apart for us is profoundly depressing. It's a story of failure. Paul failed to convince the religious establishment of the Church at the time that his way of interpreting the Good News offered by Jesus was legitimate. At another level though it might be a hope-filling story — and particularly hope-filling given the contemporary decline in relevance being experienced by Catholicism today: in the final analysis Paul was the big winner. The policy directions he had established were the ones that eventually prevailed and saw Christianity evolve into a movement with a mission to the whole world, not just the self-elect puritans and legalistic conservatives. As Dr Elmer himself suggests in today's commentary, our study of St Paul has much relevance to situations that we continue to face today in 21st Century Catholicism and Christianity. [more]

081 :
17 Jun 2009

Reporting on his Aussie Pigrimage #3 Today Tom McMahon's commentary is more about sharing some of his impressions of Australia, and the people he met — all synthesised, of course, through the spiritual lens that largely underpinned his pilgrimage to the Great South Land of the Holy Spirit. Talk about not being able to take the spirit out of a priest — this is one man who didn't give up his vocation when his priestly faculties were removed. [more]

126 :
16 Jun 2009

Eclipsing Truth Today we have a gutsy commentary from Dr Andrew Kania. This is adult spirituality at it's very best. Not only is it a cleverly crafted and entertaining piece of writing it has the capacity to bounce your mind around like a basketball in the hands of a pro. He's asking confronting questions: questions which ought be confronting for us Catholics as much as they ought be confronting for those in the other estimated 33,000 denominations and sects that make up Christianity today. In a sense it's a reflection on the meaning in the end words of Matthew's Gospel — the bit about making disciples of all people and having faith in Jesus being with us to the end of time — Matthew 28: 18-20. Andrew entitled it "Eclipsing the Truth". It's an essay about so many things: ecumenism and the (dis)unity of Christianity; what it means to be 'catholic', 'Catholic', 'Christian' or a 'follower of Christ'; what are we endeavouring to pass on to our children; where do we find 'truth'; can any of us 'live a lie'? [more]

058 :
15 Jun 2009

17.2: The conversion and endorsement of Constantine… Today we reach one of the defining moments of Christian history in Tom Lee's manuscript — the conversion and endorsement of Emperor Constantine. The Church becomes an alley of the State with mutual benefits to both but with Christianity being the eventual winner as it outlived the Roman Empire. In our present phase of history are we seeing the final demise of Christianity as it is led to remnant status — or will there be a revival when it recaptures the original Spirit of what the founder, Jesus, was on about? [more]

011 :
14 Jun 2009

How will our generation be remembered? Today's Sunday Forum is partly triggered by what emerged from a meeting Brian and Amanda attended in Melbourne yesterday and partly by an essay from Charles Handy that Stephen (Oh Yet We Trust) posted on our forum: "What will be on your 'white stone' at the end of your days?". [more]

005 :
13 Jun 2009

Pray-up or Pay-up! Here's a perceptive little piece from Pewter written last February but very relevant to the situation the Church faces today. Given the massive exit out of the pews — which translates to a massive reduction in the Sunday collection plate — it is a wonder the Church is still in business. That it is might be attributable either to 'miracle' or to the massive input of funds today, in this country at least, through Catholic Education and Catholic Health and Welfare agencies from the taxpayer, and the bequests that have been invested over the centuries. This ought to open up a big discussion — but it probably won't. Church finances to most people are more mysterious than the mysteries of the Blessed Trinity. And that's just the way those who control the finances of the Church would like it all to stay! [more]

035 :
12 Jun 2009

Imagio Dei! In this essay Daniel Gullotta takes a look back seeking to understand the Hebrew understanding of the human person and the origins of this idea that we human beings are made in the image and likeness of God. How did we come to this understanding? This commentary was originally submitted as an essay in his theology studies at ACU. [more]

108 :
11 Jun 2009

Paul's Last Will and Testament! Dr Elmer provides his own introduction today: Romans was the last of Paul's letters; in effect, his last will and testament. It remains, however, a bit of mystery — we do not know precisely why Paul wrote it in the first place; especially since it seems clear enough that Paul was not the founder of the Roman church. Paul speaks of having "desired for many years" to visit the Christians in Rome (15:23; cf. 1:11-13), whose reputation for faith has spread "throughout the whole world" (1:8). Accordingly, the letter seems to have functioned as a letter of introduction; but Paul had reasons other than this evangelistic purpose. [more]

080 :
10 Jun 2009

Reporting on his Aussie Odyssey #2 Today Tom McMahon is pondering the d and m's of what sparked his desire to undertake an Aussie Odyssey. He claims he came fishing. We're a skeptical mob down here though when people start banging on about the deep and meaningfuls. One thing shine through though: while they might have taken the title of priest away from Tom they weren't able to knock the vocation of priestly service out of him. [more]

125 :
09 Jun 2009

Ambassadors — of the Faith Andrew Kania entitled today's essay "Ambassadors – of the Faith (cf. John 17: 20-21)" and that perhaps gives a clue to where he wishes to place his emphasis. It's a commentary about an important subject: the responsibility incumbent upon us all to restore unity to the Christian Church. In today's email [LINK] Catholica editor, Brian Coyne, poses some further questions to open up this discussion even further. [more]

057 :
08 Jun 2009

17.1: Official status as a state religion… How Christianity emerged as such a worldly force is an intriguing tale given all the persecution the early Christians were subjected to. Our excerpt today from Tom Lee's exploration of the origins of Christianity looks, in part, at the place where the Church first began to get official recognition as the religion of a state. No it wasn't from Rome but from Armenia. [more]

010 :
07 Jun 2009

Thomas Merton on Priesthood... Priesthood is in the news again. Pope Benedict has called for the year beginning on 19th June to be dedicated as a Year for Priesthood. We have our own on-going discussion on Catholica on the changing nature of priesthood today. Today it is our pleasure to present a thoughtful reflection put together by Dr Patrick Collins which looks at the maturation of views Thomas Merton had towards the nature of priesthood before he died. This reflection will be of great interest to priests who are reflecting on their roles today as it will be to lay people who are questioning what sort of priests we need today — or even if priesthood as we've known it for millennia is as relevant in our lives as it was in the past. [more]

004 :
06 Jun 2009

The appeasement of the crypto-Lefebvrists! It would have been fascinating to have been a fly on the wall in Rome yesterday when Archbishop Phil Wilson and Bishop Bill Morris had a meeting with Benny. Were Phil and Bill being carpeted — or were they giving Benny an earful of the sort of advice that Pewter wouldn't mind give His Holiness? There is much speculation in the informed sectors of the Church. Word is that some of the Aussie bishops have begun to find their voices again and are beginning to tell Rome that there is a significant crisis brewing in the Great South Land of the Holy Spirit. If things continue as they've been going, within a decade or less the Church will simply not be able to provide the sacraments regularly across large regions of this land. Will Rome listen — or are they still advocating we've got to pray even harder for vocations? Pewter wrote today's reflection last December but the thoughts are worth reflecting on as we wait to get some feedback as to who was calling the shots in the Holy City in the last few days. [more]

034 :
05 Jun 2009

A critique of John Selby Spong by Daniel Gullotta... It is evident that the commentaries of Daniel Gullotta on Catholica draw a good readership. Perhaps it's his enthusiasm, perhaps it stems from the opportunity he provides for older people to gain an insight into what a committed young Anglican might be thinking on the big theological and spiritual issues of our day. Perhaps it's just the fact that his essays are always very interesting. Today's will not disappoint from any of the perspectives above. He shares his interesting perspectives on one of the most controversial Christian leaders of our age, Bishop John Shelby Spong. [more]

107 :
04 Jun 2009

Who wrote Romans? A slightly longer commentary from Dr Elmer today. It is an abridged version of a paper he delivered in Brisbane on the authorship of Romans. Trying to piece together the secretarial methods of the day and the mindset out of which the Pauline communities operated is as intriguing as any Crime Scene Investigation on television today. [more]

079 :
03 Jun 2009

The masks we hide behind... Amongst the many fascinating conversations we had at Carcoar a few weeks ago with Tom McMahon was one on the ways in which we mask our true nature. For his commentary today Tom expands on that conversation. It is the first of two commentaries he intends to bring us as a sort of "report" on his Aussie Odyssey. [more]

124 :
02 Jun 2009

Institutional Authority Today we have pleasure in presenting a really intellectually rigorous and provocative commentary by Dr Andrew Kania looking at the critical issue of institutional infallibility. Without some starting point of authority for where truth is defined, whether it be in the realms of science or theology, we are effectively up the creek without a paddle. Dr Kania argues the case well but there is much more to be opened up beyond this starting point. Andrew entitled his essay "The Last Straw" and submits it as a reflection on 2 Timothy 4:3-4. [more]

055 :
01 Jun 2009

Film Review: Angels and Demons... Brian Coyne reviews the controversial Ron Howard film, Angels and Demons. His conclusion is that there is much that is worth watching in this film beside the entertainment. [more]

009 :
31 May 2009

Accepting what cannot be changed! The journey out of active participation in the sacramental and communal life of the institutional Church is tortuous — particularly for those who have put in decades of active participation at the parish or diocesan level. Increasingly though the institution is losing many of those who were once the most active participants at the local level. In today's commentary Kerry Gonzales reflects on her own journey and likens it to the grieving process identified many decades ago by Elizabeth Kübler-Ross. [more]

003 :
30 May 2009

Where have all the Catholics gone, and why? Tonight at Pumpkin Time Catholica moves to a new cyber home – we're moving everything on Catholica to a new server. Today's reflection from Pewter in a sense sums it all up. Church as we've long known it simply "ain't working anymore" for most. People are searching for something that speaks more honestly and openly. Something that isn't some game about trying to impress God, the bishop or the pope; not some game of dress-ups; or running around trying to prove how we all know God's rules and the rest of humanity are infidels and sinners. Pewter and one of his mates share a few thoughts over a glass of port after the Vigil Mass. [more]

106 :
28 May 2009

Reporting to Rome... Dr Elmer introduces his commentary today with these words: "Last week we began an exploration of Romans and, in particular, Paul's comments about his final journey to Jerusalem. This week we turn to Romans again and ask why Paul's felt it necessary to write to Rome." [more]

078 :
27 May 2009

Letters to My Children #5 You could be forgiven for thinking today's lead commentary might have been written yesterday in the wake of the latest disquieting news rocking Catholicism.In fact Tom McMahon wrote this back in 2002. It's the fourth in his occasional series of Letters to his children. It's optimistic though: Despite all the gloomy news, how do we reclaim Jesus' Kingdom on Earth? [more]

123 :
26 May 2009

Eggs that seek to penetrate the Mystery of the Cosmos Today's commentary from Dr Andrew Kania at first sight might appear to have been misplaced as an article more intended for the craft pages of a woman's magazine. It does have those aspects to it but it also "packs a punch" at a couple of deeper levels: a different way of theologising (thinking about the Mystery of the Divine); and the healing of the tensions between Eastern and Western Christianity. [more]

056 :
25 May 2009

16.2: Borrowing spiritual ideas… Perhaps it should not be surprising that all of the great religious systems borrowed extensively from one another. Christianity was no exception. Tom Lee's exploration of the origins of Christianity today to some extent has a focus on how some of this "borrowing" occurred. [more]

010 :
24 May 2009

Eucharist is a verb, not a noun! It was difficult choosing what to make our Sunday Forum topic for today. In one sense I feel we should be "taking the day off" and allowing everyone to read the Report of the Irish Commission into Child Abuse and discussing what our responses should be to that. In a sense though I think that is happening of its own momentum — and out in the wider media world as well. The other possiboility is that I wanted to highlight for our wider readership who receives the email a post PeterR wrote four days ago and which deserves highlighting. Effectively it is an exploration of this topic of the meaning of the Eucharist (and the meaning of the Mass — our central liturgical and communal celebration within Catholicism). [more]

002 :
23 May 2009

A bit of Sush before Mass, eh! Pewter today could be writing about parishes that are trying to push their congregations out the door. It's the second of his reflections "From the Pewside". A few people have been complaining in his parish that some people make too much noise before Mass begins. The parish priest has told everybody to sush. There are a couple of issues here: Is attending Mass about reverence or about building community and communion? How should these sort of complaints best be dealt with when they arise? [more]

1020 :
22 May 2009

Check out our New Catholica Forum... Today we preview the new Catholica Forum and invite you in to comment and provide feedback that might help improve it even more technically — and as a vehicle for social communications and "building communion and community". The email today is a brief reflection on some of the more important reasons why we are undertaking this technical upgrade. [more]

105 :
21 May 2009

The Politics behind Paul's Final Journey... One lesson we might take from Dr Ian Elmer's commentary today is that politics played a huge part in the governance of institutional Catholicism right from the earliest days. What Ian examines today are effectively the political ramifications that were at play influencing St Paul in his third and final visit to Jerusalem. When bishops make their regular pilgrimages or visits to Rome today have the considerations at play changed much in 2000 years. [more]

077 :
20 May 2009

Letters to My Children #4 Tom McMahon is now safely home in San Jose after his Aussie Odyssey — and he'll no doubt have a report on that in due course. In the meantime here's the fourth in his occasional series of Letters to his children. [more]

122 :
19 May 2009

The Witness (cf Psalm 108:1-6): In a discussion with Dr Kania this morning, he informed me this series of essays began for him literally while participating in the Byzantine Liturgies at Easter time. He ends today's conclusion with a discussion on the worth of this sort of theological speculation when the actual historical or scriptural evidence of what actually happened is light on. [more]

055 :
18 May 2009

16.1: Great disputes Tom Lee's exploration of the origins of Christianity never fails to fascinate and today's excerpt is no exception. It intersects with the growing discussion going on today amongst scholars regarding the literalness with which we can read Scripture and even the key events in the life of Jesus. We're still about mid-way through the third century in this 16th chapter of Tom's exploration. It's a discussion of one of the great controversies at that time on the divinity of Jesus and the equally fascinating question of how Jesus' birthday came to be celebrated on December the 25th. [more]

009 :
17 May 2009

Dealing with pain spiritually... The editor is crook with the pain of a bad back today. That pain led him to hi-jacking this long discussion started by Stephen (Oh Yet We Trust) on the forum which, in a very real way, might be described as a reflection on different ways of dealing with pain spiritually. Thanks for the discussion starter, Stephen. There is much worth spending time with in what you write. [more]

001 :
16 May 2009

The Bishops' PR have improved! For the next five Saturdays we're going to have some shorter and quieter reflections from one of our readers who goes by the name of Pewter for the reasons he discloses in this introduction. He recently sent them in for consideration for publication and we loved them. They have some of the homely quality that Cindy the Sacristan used to share with us. They reflect that love-hate relationship many mature Catholics have today for the manner in which the great hopes that were unleashed by the Second Vatican Council have been stolen from the vast majority of the ordinary faithful by the insecure minority. These reflections have been written over the course of the last 12 months. [more]

033 :
15 May 2009

Daniel takes the knife to circumcision! No, we're not exploring porn today but the intriguing question of why male circumcision has long been seen as having spiritual or sacramental significance. The Bible certainly makes a big deal about the practice. Daniel Gullotta submitted today's commentary as part of his theological studies last year. The essay was entitled "A Covenant in Flesh". In it he examines the origins of the beliefs in one of the most ancient books of Scripture, the Book of Genesis. By way of introduction Daniel explains this is "an exegesis on Genesis 17:1-27 examining the Priestly Source's emphasis on male circumcision within the Covenant understanding of Ancient Israel". [more]

104 :
14 May 2009

The Example of Christ... What can we learn from Jesus? Today Dr Ian Elmer comes to what he describes as one of the most important parts of Scripture that helped form our Christology — our understanding of Jesus and his meaning for our lives. Ian argues it is also perhaps the earliest source we have of the Christian understanding of the Divinity of Christ. This is a rich commentary well worth spending time with. [more]

076 :
13 May 2009

Letters to My Children #3 For the next few weeks, while Tom McMahon continues his Aussie Odyssey he shares with us some of the letters he wrote some years ago, broadly addressed to his children, seeking to give an account of his life odyssey. Today's letter was written in June 2002. [more]

027 :
12 May 2009

Going out on a limb in search of the Divine... Editor, Brian Coyne, presents arguments why the Eastern and Western Church need to be listening to one another and why, together we ought be listening to our Jewish forebears in our search for the authentic theologies, Christologies that help give us access to the Divine and to Ultimate Truth. [more]

121 :
12 May 2009

The Witness (cf John 21:25): Flowing on from his reflection two week's ago speculating on the way in which Jesus' Mother would have become aware of the Resurrection, in this first of a two-part reflection Dr Andrew Kania explores the place of Mary further and leads into speculation on the special place of John, the Beloved Disciple as a witness to the Resurrection. [more]

054 :
11 May 2009

15: The Capture of One releases Many Today's commentary is a short chapter from Tom Lee's manuscript which we bring you in full. It's an interesting episode in Christian history where the capture and humiliation of the Roman Emperor, Valerian, by King Shapur of Persia led to an unprecedented 40 years of relative freedom for the Christians of the Roman Empire. Tom also relates a little of St Gregory the Wonderworker whom he describes as "an antique PR man" and the one who brought a bit of theatrical flair into liturgy. [more]

054 :
09 May 2009

Living out of our anger! The publishers of Catholica husband and wife team, Amanda McKenna and Brian Coyne, have had our regular Wednesday commentator, Tom McMahon, as a house guest for the past five days. Tom is visiting Australia from his home in San Jose, California. Today's commentary flows out of the experience and sharing of perspectives. [more]

014 :
08 May 2009

Two Video Commentaries! Today we present two video commentaries: One is of a conversation between Brian Coyne and Tom McMahon discussing his series of commentaries on Sacraments in an Age of Technology. The other is a recording Daniel Gullotta made of an address given in Brisbane by Dr Ian Elmer at the launch of his new book Paul, Jerusalem and the Judaisers. [more]

075 :
06 May 2009

Women – a high priority sacrament? Here's a commentary from Tom McMahon that's sure to attract a huge readership. He's looking at the mystery of the female — the problems they've posed for celibate men — what women mean for the future church. And he's also talking about sex and sport. You couldn't get a better collection of topics that polite people ought not talk about in public. [more]

120 :
05 May 2009

The Challenges facing the Church in Australia Even the proverbial "blind Freddy" knows today that the Catholic Church, along with most other forms of institutional religion today has its back against the wall with declining attendances and a sense of demoralisation that even extends into the episcopal leadership. In today's commentary Dr Andrew Kania, a Catholic lay leader and teacher with years of experience working with young people in secondary schools and at the tertiary level, shares some thoughts about what ought be done to address the crisis. [more]

053 :
04 May 2009

14.2: Cyprian and Stephen The attention this week in the extract from Tom Lee's manuscript turns from the conflicts between Novatus and Novatian to a series of conflicts that had far greater implications for the future of Christianity between Bishops Cyprian and Stephen with Stephen asserting a claim to primacy. This is a fascinating section in the early history of the Church. [more]

008 :
03 May 2009

Most memorable liturgies... For discussion today the editor of Catholica, Brian Coyne, suggests we might recollect memories of some of the best liturgies we have participated in during our lives. Liturgy often comes in for criticism but surely we all have memorable experiences? [more]

026 :
02 May 2009

A time to have hope despite all the negatives! Caught between the uncertainties created by the global economic situation in the secular world and the certainties of an institutional Church leadership that seems hell-bent on making our Church totally irrelevant in the lives of the great majority of the baptised, in some ways it's not a time of great joy. In this editorial though, Brian Coyne argues there is cause for hope as we face the future... [more]

032 :
01 May 2009

A theology student gazes into Hell... Today we have one of those subjects that you do not hear too many homilies about these days from mainstream priests and bishops — only the fringe tackle homilies on subjects like Hell today. If you value your job and reputation it's dangerous territory in Church circles these days to challenge the simple but cherished images of the past. Daniel Gullotta though is unafraid to venture into Hell. This commentary was originally written last year as an assignment when he was studying theology at ACU. In it he examines both the traditional and contemporary theological thinking on Hell and shares some of his own uncertainties about what to make of it all. [more]