134 :
30 Jun 2010

The Documents of Vatican II—Part I Tom McMahon begins a new series today. It's a retrospective on the The Documents of Vatican II. Not so much an historical analysis of the documents themselves as a reflection back on how they influenced his life and the lives of others around him. [more]

1422 :
29 Jun 2010

Music in education and liturgy... Today's lead commentary was going to be a podcast by Ken Canedo the editor was told about a couple of days ago exploring the changes in music style that were introduced around the time of the Second Vatican Council and earlier. Last night though the editor and his wife attended a concert by students musicians from the Diocese of Parramatta that provoked some thoughts on the place of music in education or, more generally, the place of the performing arts in education. The podcast is still included though and it will be a big nostalgia trip for those who remember the excitement and vibracy in the Catholic Church around the time of the Council. [more]

101 :
28 Jun 2010

30.2: The future... 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]

010 :
27 Jun 2010

The Church: Must it die to be transformed? John Chuchman's reflection today was written yesterday as a response to reading John L Allen's latest commentary in NCR "A global case for good government in the church" [LINK]. When many of the 86% and those strongly tempted to join them are increasingly asking "did we leave the Church or did it leave us?" John Chuchman's reflection offers much to ponder... [more]

072 :
26 Jun 2010

Extending yesterday's discussion... Is there a catastrophic split in institutionalised religion today between those who propose that essentially religion is some game of running around trying to prove you know all the laws, and those who see religion principally as a means through which people can learn, within a community and support context, how to make the best moral decisions in the nitty-gritty choices that crop up in their journey through life. Fundamentalists of course do not want to think. They want to obey and not have to think. The majority in civilisation though no longer seem comfortable with that and they have been tuning out from institutions that endeavour to promote the fundamentalist agenda for navigating one's way through life. How does an institution encourage people, and support them, in the quest to make the best moral choices in their lives when there are no priests, bishops or popes to call to make the decisions for the individuals who have to make the actual choices? [more]

071 :
25 Jun 2010

How do we make the correct choice when the choices are morally difficult? The extraordinary events in Australian Federal Politics yesterday where some 112 members of the Labor Party were forced to make the difficult moral choice between loyalty to a leader who was losing electoral appeal and the prospects of success at a rapidly looming election are a fascinating lesson in the sort of moral challenges any intelligent person faces at some point or other in life. By coincidence, last night on television across Australia, the ABC screened a documentary examining the difficult moral choice faced not only by Winston Churchill but by naval commanders and even ordinary sailors surrounding the decision to sink the French Naval Fleet lest it fall into the hands of Adolf Hitler. Today's commentary examines the challenges we all face in reaching the best moral decisions when the choices before us are difficult or next to impossible. [more]

133 :
24 Jun 2010

A tribute to Jesus and his Beatitudes… Jesus: the original psychologist that's an image Tom McMahon presents for us today in this continuing reflection on the Beatitudes. The Beatitudes are part of the teaching Jesus presents to reduce stress in our lives. [more]

100 :
21 Jun 2010

30.1: The future... For the next four Mondays we return to examine the conclusions Tom Lee came to at the end of his mammoth exploration of the First 500 Years of Christianity and the Papacy. We first published these essays beginning on Monday 24 March 2008 — that's almost two and a quarter years ago. We suggest it is worthwhile revisiting these essays simply because we are now well into "the future" Tom was writing about and secondly, for those following the series, these four essays are the conclusion to his book and re-reading them provides a definitive wrap to the entire series. In this first essay Tom looks at how the character of Catholicism is changing because of demographic and cultural shifts, and how it is changing because of impacts forced by changes in scientific knowledge and insight. [more]

009 :
20 Jun 2010

The Journey... There are many ways of looking at life. Some see life as a breeze. For others it is a constant struggle — like Sisyphus endlessly pushing a huge boulder up a mountain. John Chuchman today invites us to pause and reflect on life as a Journey... [more]

1413 :
19 Jun 2010

Standards of Proof require clarification... Our lead commentary today takes the form of an Open Letter, addressed to all Catholics and other interested persons, written by an American Canon Lawyer, Fr James E Connell JCD seeking clarification about the legal standards of proof that need to be applied at the early stages of church investigations when allegations of abuse are made. Fr O'Connell argues that the application of the incorrect standard continues to place children and other victims at risk. Fr O'Connell's open letter has been circulated amongst priests and bishops and has been published on a number of list servs. The issue of the various "standards of proof" that apply in different legal jurisdictions and at the various stages of a legal investigation have been the subject of discussion at various times on Catholica and we publish Fr O'Connell's letter as a further contribution to that on-going discussion as well as in the hope that it might lead the powers that be within the institutional Church to apply their minds to the issues raised. The Open Letter is re-published on Catholica in its original pdf form. [The Open Letter]

070 :
18 Jun 2010

Book Review: A Short History of Nearly Everything Over recent days I been reading Bill Bryson's A Short History of Nearly Everything. I finished it last night. Today's commentary is essentially a review of that book but many of the things in that book also intersect with two television programs I've been watching with much interest in recent weeks: Simon Schama's The American Future: A History and The Voyage to the Planets series on ABC Television. [more]

132 :
16 Jun 2010

Adjusting Jesus to modernity… By serendipity I was writing in the forum last night how we need to synthesise the Jesus story and experience through our "unfolding life story today" [LINK] and then along comes Tom McMahon with a commentary this morning about the need to adjust Jesus to modernity. I endeavoured to paint a picture of what an effective Church of the future might look like and at some stage I'd value Tom McMahon's perceptions on that from the journey he has walked. In the meantime, today Tom looks at how we need to synthesise the Sermon on the Mount — the Beatitudes — through the realities of the challenges we face today. Or should that be we need to synthesize the ralities and cahllenges of today through the insights Jesus gave us in the Beatitudes? ...Editor [more]

008 :
15 Jun 2010

...to Live the Questions! Religion everywhere today seems to be dividing. One of the major cleavage lines seems to be between those who basically see their faith as a place that provides a bulwark against the incertitudes of life and those who see faith and belief as the place where we learn to live with Mystery and the incertitudes inherent to life. John Chuchman's reflection today explores his own journey to embrace the Mystery of Life. [more]

1408 :
14 Jun 2010

What would Jesus do about economic growth? It's a public holiday across most of Australia today — to celebrate Queen Elizabeth's birthday. (For those who have forgotten, or may not be aware, she is head of our nation.) So that Catholica's editor can take a bit of a break, rather than bringing you our own commentary today we direct your attention to a few provocative commentaries and articles in other places. Perhaps surprisingly, we are indebted to a business commentator, Ross Gittins (Economics Editor of the Sydney Morning Herald), for drawing this subject to our attention. His commentary in today's Sydney Morning Herald is a good starting point for a summary of the ideas of Dr Michael Schluter who argues cogently that Capitalism is heading for an almighty fall unless we collectively re-think our ways. Dr Schluter as a former economic consultant for the World Bank and research fellow for the International Food Policy Research Institute has some credentials to argue that if we (the world generally) continues on the way we are going a lot of people are going to get hurt. In what we are about to introduce to you there is rich material for an extended discussion on Catholica. It's probably one of the most valuable investments of your time you could make given the challenges ahead of us collectively in the global economy. (In Friday's press George Soros was warning we're about to hit phase II of the Global Economic Crisis.) In broad terms what Dr Michael Schluter argues is that if the world is to return to a more even keel economically we ought pay greater attention to the economic teachings of Jesus — or should we say, the "relational teachings" of Jesus. [today's email with links to the external commentaries we bring to your attention today] | [discussion string on the Catholica forum]

031 :
13 Jun 2010

The implications of the decision re the Pell appointment in Rome Catholic journalist and church historian Dr Paul Collins has just filed with us this breaking news analysis of the rumours that have been circulating in Rome and Australia around the possible appointment, or decline of an appointment, of Sydney Archbishop, Cardinal George Pell, to head the Congregation for Bishops. Paul Collins will be interviewed tonight further on the ABC Local Radio program "Sunday Nights with John Cleary" [LINK]. There are significantly different implications that flow from assessments as to whether the Cardinal has declined the invitation or whether the invitation wasn't extended or has been withdrawn — implications at the international level and implications for the future of the Church in Australia and the aspirations of other players on the Australian ecclesial stage. [more]

045 :
12 Jun 2010

Worshipping without the 'G' word! Daniel Gullotta attended the Common Dreams 2 Conference held in Melbourne between 15th and 18th April 2010. In today's reflection his focus is on a liturgy event held at the Conference led by Gretta Vosper, chair of the Canadian Center for Progressive Christianity, which was not worship in our traditional understanding and which did not even mention the names of God. His essay provides an insight into other ways in which people seek to be religious or spiritual. [more]

032 :
11 Jun 2010

The search for a Church we can believe in again... The crisis in contemporary Catholicism is profound. It is of a scale unprecedented in the previous history of the institution. The sell-out of the ideals discerned by the majority of Bishops at the Second Vatican Council and the handing over of the institution to a small Taliban of liturgical and doctrinal fundamentalists has to end. That has been institutionalised theft and sin on a grand scale. Today's editorial is prompted by the words of William H. Slavick in an op-ed piece published in the Portland Press Herald, Maine. Dr Slavick argues it is time for Benedict to resign and take the thoroughly discredited leadership he heads with him. The full text of William Slavick's article calling for the resignation of the present leadership of the institution can be found in the Catholica Forum HERE. Our editorial though takes a softer line in inviting you to help us draw up a list of things that might define a Church we can believe in, or have hope in, again. [more]

147 :
10 Jun 2010

What Do We Mean by Speaking of the Mass as a Sacrifice? The question has arisen on Catholica as to whether modern sensibilities are changing toward the notion that we need to offer sacrifice to God? Does God need our sacrifices or do we need our sacrifices? In today's commentary, biblical scholar, Dr Ian Elmer explores the human need for sacrifice and the meaning of "sacrifice" in relation to the Catholic Mass. [more]

131 :
09 Jun 2010

A digression... Tom McMahon got a bit sidetracked somewhere between sitting down to write this week's commentary on the beatitudes and actually finished it. In his opening he apologises for that as you'll read. Most readers will forgive him as this turns into a fascinating commentary applicable in different ways to all of us, and the families we come from. It's essentially an analysis of that complexity of social forces that shape up individually and which also shape the institutions and types of societies we build. It's a sidetrack from the Beatitude, "Blessed are the Pure of Spirit", but perhaps not too much of a sidetrack. Enjoy! [more]

1402 :
08 Jun 2010

Michael Morwood's challenge to Catholic reform organisations... Is Michael Morwood correct: the things that need reform today are not merely matters of structure and governance but go to the core of doctrine and our fundamental understanding of the relationship God calls humanity, and each of us individually, into and our understanding of how God communicates with his people? [today's email] | [discussion string on the Catholica forum]

099 :
07 Jun 2010

29.5: The Legacy of the Last Five Pontiffs... Today's lead commentary completes the serialisation of Tom Lee's very personal and lengthy journey of exploration examining the origins of Christianity. There is one Chapter that follows in the logical sequence but we serialised that back at the start in March 2008. In that final chapter Tom examines the future but, for better or worse, we're now 'living it' and judging by the press the institution is receiving around the world lately not many of us are enjoying it. Today's final excerpt is interesting as, in a way, it is a commentary on the legacy of the last five pontiffs. [more]

007 :
06 Jun 2010

Metaphors of God None of us can see, or touch, the Divine. God, we understand in our theologies, is "totally other". The only way we can access the Divine is through metaphor, story and analogy. In today's reflection John Chuchman looks at some of the metaphors we use to describe God and how they have changed for him through time. Pause for a moment on this "Sun" day and reflect quietly for a while on what metaphors you use in your attempts to communicate with very source of your being... [more]

044 :
05 Jun 2010

How are our prayer styles changing? Daniel Gullotta argues today that it's becoming increasingly difficult to pray in the post-enlightenment world. With so many giving up active participation in public liturgy there can be little doubt that prayer habits, and forms, are changing. Perhaps what Daniel writes in this reflection might be taken up in a wider discussion on Catholica about the forms and style of prayer that people find most efficacious in their lives today? [more]

146 :
03 Jun 2010

The Factionalism that Divides Christianity: What can we learn from history? In some ways this is the toughest subject that Dr Ian Elmer could have chosen in his Puzzling Passages series. He's looking at the historical problem of factionalism in the Church starting way back with the reports of factions in the Church at Corinth. Today Christianity is divided into more factions and denominations than it has probably ever been in history before and Catholicism itself seems in danger of major fracture because of factionalism. What lessons should we learn from the experiences of Ss Peter and Paul and the factional rivalries at Corinth? [more]

130 :
02 Jun 2010

The Beatitudes: Blessed are... Tom McMahon's commentary today includes a link to a photo essay on Tom's friend, retired Sacramento Bishop Francis Quinn, which is well-worth the visit for looking at the face of a truly pastoral bishop. Following Jesus is about living in relationship with others, not some game of trying to prove we have all the rules, or know all the rules, and the rest of society doesn't. How did dogma creep into Catholicism to replace the Beatitudes? [more]

151 :
01 Jun 2010

Our Life Journey... Most people remember Malcolm Fraser's dictum "Life wasn't meant to be easy". It's a phrase many people themselves use at one stage or another about their own life journey. Today's reflection from Andrew Kania is a reflection on the life experience of one man who narrowly escaped the Hindenberg disaster. At the time he was a cabin boy on the Hindenberg when it crashed in 1937 at Lakehurst Airfield, New Jersey. What lessons might all of us learn from reflecting on the experience of this cabin boy, Werner Franz? [more]

098 :
31 May 2010

29.4: The Age of Reason & the increasing dogmatism of Catholicism... We arrive at the penultimate excerpt of Tom Lee's very personal and lengthy journey of exploration examining the origins of his own faith and beliefs. Tom researched and wrote this exploration over a period of about 30 years. In today's excerpt he examines that turbulent period of ideas variously called the Age of Reason or the Enlightenment which still casts such a huge shadow over the inability of institutional Catholicism to respond to modern life today. This, perhaps more than any other single extract, provides insight as to why Catholicism has become increasingly less relevant in the lives of the educated, baptised younger generations of Catholics today. [more]

006 :
30 May 2010

We're always standing on Sacred Ground Wherever one looks in the world these days there seems this deep quest for spiritual meaning. John Chuchman in this reflection suggests we don't have to look very far — our human experience is the very "stuff" from which we draw our spirituality. We are always standing on Sacred Ground! [more]

004 :
29 May 2010

Why the Pope should resign! Our lead commentary today is the text of a talk given by Richard Sipe to a group of guests invited by www.bishop-accountability.org in the Boston Public Library on May 20, 2010. It is a powerful and provocative commentary setting out the case why the gravity of the present crisis facing the Church calls for Benedict XVI to be the 10th Roman Pontiff in history to resign. [more]

1391 :
28 May 2010

Where do we find Absolutes? For discussion today we bring back to the front page of the forum a discussion that has become almost a regular theme on Catholica — this disputed interpretation as to whether people are being sucked out of the Church by secularism or some "Dictatorship of Relativism" OR is the collapse of belief to be explained as much by wrong-heading policies and thinking originating within the institution. We're trying to turn the conversation in a positive direction though to discuss where society might derive, or agree on, its core values. [more]

150 :
27 May 2010

Academic Freedom... At first sight, today's commentary might seem to be about things remote from the readership Catholica is endeavouring to serve — the disenchanted who are sick of what our institution has been attempting to serve up as "truth" and "the pathway to paradise" — but, bear with us, there is a connection. This is an important article about academic freedom. In the West academics might be in more danger of being reported by the 'Temple Police' than the 'State Police' but the threats to academic freedom in both places are very real. Amidst growing concern in various articles in the international media regarding political pressure being exerted on the Ukrainian Catholic University by the Ukrainian Secret Service, Dr Andrew Kania, provides some background history to the University. This article might have particular interest in Australia because the present rector of the University, the young, American-born, Fr Borys Gudziak, will be in Australia for a series of lectures in July this year. At the end of this commentary we provide links to a recent commentary in The Economist (23 May) which was followed up by a comment in First Things (25 May) by George Weigel. We have borrowed the headline from First Things as the title for this commentary. [more]

129 :
26 May 2010

The Beatitudes: Blessed are... Tom McMahon begins his commentary today with a correction to last week's: "The interruption of last week's commentary with the announcement of Tom's fourth grandchild has the baby's name wrong. 'The naughty lady from shady lane who's got the world in a whirl' is ADRIANNE. See what happens when 81-year-old granddads are left out of the family communication system. Welcome Adrianne Phoenix McMahon! It's a great world with many human-made problems." This is a moving commentary from Tom exploring the first three of The Beatitudes... [more]

097 :
25 May 2010

29.3: The Reformation... In the excerpt from his epilogue today, Tom Lee has an all-too-brief look at the Reformation. This excerpt ends with a searing quotation from Voltaire: "Of all religions, the Christian is undoubtedly that which should instill the greatest toleration, although so far the Christians have been the most intolerant of all men." [more]

1389 :
24 May 2010

George Pell's Pentecost Evangelisation Message? In the Archdiocese of Sydney yesterday some parishes with the facilities to play videos presented a 20-minute video of Cardinal George Pell instead of the homily or at the end of Mass. The Cardinal was also one in the selected group of presenters on the ABC television Compass program on Sunday night exploring how the Second Vatican Council had impacted on the Church in Australia. This has already led to significant discussion on our forum. Both programs offer much fodder for our own discussions both in terms of the content of what was discussed and in terms of presentation style. Join the discussion in our forum, or just tune in to the always energising discussion that the Catholica community generates. [more]

005 :
23 May 2010

Something positive... Today's reflection was actually inspired by something negative — Vince Exley's post on our forum under the heading "Our present Church is utter crap", it led me, the editor of Catholica to wonder what would take the crap out of the Church? (Vince, by the way is no "petulant teenager" in writing that. He's a man in his eighties with a life-long love of his Church and all those things those who are attracted to Catholica are questing after.) I wrote a post on the forum in response to Vince suggesting what we need is a "Church of integrity". In turn that led me to seek out a reflection from John Chuchman today that was overwhelmingly positive in orientation. This is what I found in his latest book "In Search of Spiritual Horizons — Moving beyond religion's secure boundaries". Is what we're seeking "Open Awareness"? [more]

1385 :
22 May 2010

How can we contribute to the huge ethical debates society needs to be having? After yesterday's commentary from Catholica editor, Brian Coyne, lamenting the marginalisation of the Church from the big discussions society needs to be having about the moral and ethical dilemmas posed by new technologies, news broke of a huge new scientific development in the creation, for the first time in history, of synthetic life. Today's email adds further questions to the one's posed yesterday. [more]

066 :
21 May 2010

Analysing some recent ideas from Pope Benedict... I received an email from Fr Kevin Murphy during the week suggesting that we explore on Catholica more deeply some of the ideas discussed by Pope Benedict in his recent comments to the press on the way to Portugal. John Allen gave the first report of the media conference in NCR and it was NCR's translation of the Pope's comments — originally given in Italian — that Fr Kevin sent through to me suggesting we might use this for the basis of a discussion here. Before tackling what I have to write as thought-starters for a discussion you might like to refresh your own memory by reading John Allen's report which you will find at: [John Allen's Report] | [the commentary from Brian Coyne]

128 :
20 May 2010

Is there a way out of the whirlpool? Is there way out of this whirlpool of chaos that our ecclesial leaders have boxed the institution up in? Tom McMahon suggests today that there is if we can go back to the Beatitudes preached by Jesus. Do we have leaders who are capable of bringing that about though? [more]

0047 :
19 May 2010

A New Pentecost... It is a great pleasure today to welcome to the pages of Catholica another voice from Australia's premiere Catholic University. Dr Mary Coloe is a Presentation Sister and Associate Professor in the National School of Theology at ACU. In this moment which is so painful for all of us who continue to cherish what authentic Catholic thinking has to offer our world, Sr Mary offers us some thoughts that might re-inspire a sense of hope that collectively we can re-capture that sense of hope the Spirit seemed to inspire in the assembled bishops of the world at the Second Vatican Council. [more]

096 :
17 May 2010

29.2: The splits that unfolded in Christianity... Surely one of the most inexcusable for all Christians must be the disunity that marks this system of religious thought. Tom Lee examines some of the causes of this disunity in a short excerpt from the epilogue to his study. In a little over a thousand words he manages to give an overview of almost 1500 years and the principal agencies that led to disunity. [more]

004 :
16 May 2010

Trying to define our spirituality! John Chuchman's reflection this Sunday is again taken from his latest book "In Search of Spiritual Horizons — Moving beyond religion's secure boundaries". It will appeal to many searching for meaning with us here in the Catholica readership. Trying to define, or talk about, our spirituality is like trying to nail jelly to a tree — or as the American's say it "Jello-O". [more]

030 :
15 May 2010

Does Mary need a makeover? It is difficult to know how to approach the e-Conference on Mary being sponsored by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference and the Broken Bay Institute this coming Tuesday. Mary in the eyes of many, particularly the readership attracted to a website like Catholica, have a sense that Mary is in need of a significant makeover. The religious hype associated with this key figure who brought Jesus into the world has more than probably removed her a long way from the reality of who she actually was in flesh and blood reality. The more conservative sectors within Catholicism of course want to take things in precisely the opposite direction. Each group would have supporters in the leadership realms of the institution. Is this Conference an endeavour to cement in the communication styles and icons that have become so problematic for the institution in the educated world? Or will it be an attempt to "reclaim" the true reality of Mary? It's difficult to "read the signs" emanating from the promoters of this Conference. The choice of Fr Francis Moloney as lead presenter suggests this is going to be a conference worth participating in. He is one of the best workshop presenters we have in Australia and my expectation is that Francis is one oriented towards finding an image of Mary that sits more comfortably with the broad range of more educated minds we find in most of the Western world today. There are worrying signs though that some in the leadership realms of the Church seem to believe that "rescuing Mary from the modern mind" is a better way to go — that's the pathway, despite all the evidence, to re-evangelise Catholicism. Are the bishops and organisers of this conference attempting to have the proverbial "two bob each way" hoping, on the one hand to appease those in the leadership sectors who want to take things in a more conservative direction by sending out a sign "look, we are also running programs dealing with one of the big icons in the remnant sectors of Catholicism" while at the same time presenting a more subversive message "updating the image of Mary". It is really difficult to tell. If you would like to join us here on Catholica this coming Tuesday I propose that we have a cyber discussion between, and in conjunction with the presentations exploring the place of this 'First Disciple' in our lives. ...Brian Coyne, Editor of Catholica. [more]

032 :
14 May 2010

Darkness into Light... Our lead reflection today is a video produced by Billy from our own community. It is a reflection that she put together in the immediate wake of Pope Benedict's disappointing Pastoral Letter to the People of Ireland. She put the video together around the music of Canadian composer and singer, Jane Siberry. We have received permission from Jane Siberry to publish this video on YouTube and on Catholica. We invite you to join in this prayerful reflection for the victims of abuse. It might also be appreciated as a reflection on where Catholicism is going as a religious institution. [more]

127 :
13 May 2010

A dysfunctional institutional empire in a state of collapse Part IV... If there is a common theme running through Tom McMahon's commentary today it is an exploration of how our understanding of Jesus has changed. How did Jesus end up being placed on a pedestal removed from the reality of who he really was? Collectively, we seem to be on a quest to go back and rescue the real Jesus from the unreal expectations that have submerged him over the centuries. [more]

1375 :
12 May 2010

An update... The editor provides an update on how Catholica is developing and an outline of plans and hopes for the short and long term.We're looking for volunteers who can also contribute to the effort. [more]

068 :
11 May 2010

Do we need a new way of measuring our 'success' as Catholics? DavidC posted a stunning video on our forum late last night. It is of a virtual choice of 185 voices performing in cyberspace. Brian Coyne uses that video as an introduction to a series of questions for reflection on how we measure our "success" as Catholics. Has measuring our success on Mass Attendance figures reached its 'use-by date'? How do you measure your own success as a Catholic, a Christian, or simply as a person — is it by how often you attended church, or do you evaluate your 'success' by some other set of measures? We'd value your sharing your thoughts with us. [more]

095 :
10 May 2010

29.1: Epilogue—The Results... If you have lasted with us this far with Tom Lee's extended study of the first 500 years of Christianity give yourself a big pat on the back and consider that you've earned yourself the equivalent of about an undergraduate degree in Christian history — or one unit for a degree at least! Over the next four weeks we're into Tom's study of what it all means—what were the results of the historical developments of the first 500 years? [more]

003 :
09 May 2010

Sometimes, just a simple "Yes"! Our meditation this Sunday comes from John Chuchman's latest book "In Search of Spiritual Horizons — Moving beyond religion's secure boundaries". This particular reflection has been chosen because it fits well with the larger theme we've suggested for discussion this weekend: "Let us brain storm a positive vision of Catholicism" [LINK]. In this meditation John intersects with one point that was raised by Des Farmer in the forum discussion yesterday: developing a personal relationship with God. [more]

067 :
08 May 2010

A brain storming session searching for a positive vision for Catholicism... In an endeavour to try and shift our discussion away from the constant flow of negativity and depression that some of our leaders seemed pathologically attracted to offering us these days through their pronouncements and misguided policy directions, I thought we might try a brain-storming session this weekend. If you were granted the power to create and inspire a form of Catholicism that was genuinely held in high regard by all people, not simply some minority which you, or some other person you might nominate might regard highly, what would be the characteristics of that Church? Last night I set down some thought-starters from my own personal perspective. The list which I have posted on our forum is not meant to be exhaustive but is an attempt to excite the neurons in your minds to expand on this list in a brain storm. In a "brain storm" one is seeking to accept all ideas rather than those that might be judged as practical/doctrinally sound/fitting in with some constitution or pre-defined set of 'rules'. The sorting out as to whether something can be implemented comes later. I invite you to share with us: What is the vision of a vibrant Catholicism you would like to see? [more]

015 :
07 May 2010

The case for Contemporary Christian Music… In recent days David Schütz, has triggered an animated discussion in far flung areas of the Christian community through provocative comments he placed on his Sentire Cum Ecclesia Blog attacking contemporary Christian music and musicians. His comments have been widely circulated in samizdat form by email and various other methods amongst musicians and composers and are generating much heat and discussion. His criticism was directed at contemporary Christian music in general and the As One Voice National Christian Music Conference in particular. This Conference to be held in September has been sponsored by the major publisher of contemporary music in Australia, Willow Publishing, and which we have been promoting the event on Catholica pro bono. For those interested you can read the debate that has ensued on David's own blog HERE. My co-publisher wife, Amanda (Milly) McKenna who is both a musician and liturgical and general composer in her own right, has responded on David's blog but in today's commentary for Catholica she expands on what she has written there. Amanda will be one of the presenters at the Conference and is a member of the working committee of the newly formed Australian Pastoral Musicians' Network. She is employed by the Catholic Education Office in the Diocese of Parramatta as a composer of contemporary Christian and liturgical music and to promote the development of musical standards in schools and parishes, particularly with a view to enthusing young adults through music. Through her publishers, Willow Publishing, she is also a regular presenter of workshops for pastoral musicians throughout Australia in both Catholic and other Christian settings. ...Brian Coyne (Editor) [more]

043 :
06 May 2010

Coming Home or Leaving Home? Daniel Gullotta, as regular readers of his commentaries will know, was brought up as a Roman Catholic but in early adulthood converted to the Anglican Church. He is now training to be an Anglican priest in Brisbane. He has been writing for Catholica since he was a student at the Australian Catholic University in Brisbane studying theology. In today's commentary he reflects on the invitation extended by Rome to traditional Anglicans to convert to the Roman Church. This commentary was originally written in October 2009 soon after the announcement of the invitation. [more]

126 :
05 May 2010

A dysfunctional institutional empire in a state of collapse Part III... Tom McMahon today writes the introduction to his commentary: "In the midst of a deluge of information concerning clerical abuse I feel like a man being engulfed by the sewer waters of a shattered dam. I have a partially written response to bland defensive statements made by the Pope and Cardinal Levada, as well as healthy lay observations such as Australian George Ripon, Catholica's FORUM, and Norman D. Kinsor and more. I asked myself if I was being futile in adding to the rushing waters of information; I searched my files and send along an article I wrote eight years ago. As one who has sailed boats in San Francisco Bay I know the importance of nautical underpinning, a healthy keel being a much needed stabilizer. Have the foundation stone of old church become corrupted by money? Let me know what you think and if I was on target in 2002." ...Tom in San Jose, 03/05/10 [more]

094 :
03 May 2010

28.6: Servant of the servants of God... We are nearly at the end of Tom Lee's extended study of the first 500 years of Christianity. Next week we begin the epilogue. By another of those coincidences today we published a second commentary by Robert Blair Kaiser seeking a return to the idea where Bishops and Popes consider themselves servants of their people (see Kaiser's commentary HERE). The coincidence is that Tom Lee's commentary today takes us to the origin of that expression — Pope Gregory I. [more]

006 :
03 May 2010

We, the people, can bring about change... A discussion on a listserv yesterday about the choice of next pope led Robert Blair Kaiser to respond that "The pope — and the papalotry he encourages — is the problem, not the solution." He sent his comments for publication on Catholica also because they fit closely with themes covered in a number of commentaries and recent forum conversations here. [more]

002 :
02 May 2010

We—the Body of Christ! Some writers have an ability to bring to focus the thoughts of large groups of people. John Chuchman is one of them. It's some kind of giftedness or grace. Today's commentary for Catholica is a reflection which many will find resonates with the present mood many feel. [more]

009 :
01 May 2010

Should we bother to protest? George Ripon wrote this commentary a couple of weeks ago and by coincidence the first available spot for publication on Catholica has turned out to be the day after the Vatican announced the New Missal Translations have finally been approved. Our own sense here at Catholica is that all it is going to achieve is a further significant exit from the pews adding to many other factors that have been emptying the pews for decades now. George Ripon thinks we should still protest. Who has the energy left to protest if they have been unable to read the signs for the past five decades? ...Catholica Editor [more]