011 :
31 Oct 2009

Cardinal Mahony — Chapter 10 "Phoebe" Robert Blair Kaiser's summary of the story so far: Juana Margarita Obregon, the cardinal's prosecutor in Mexico, stuns the cardinal by appearing in his cathedral plaza, come back, as it were, from the dead. She tells him how she was spared in the jungle holocaust, spared, perhaps, so she could help him re-form the American Church. The cardinal's chancellor, Msgr. Hawkslaw, believes he was brainwashed, a notion more than confirmed when Mahony mounts a Mass of the Resurrection for his martyred captors, confesses his own mishandling of the priestly sex abuse crisis, and tells a packed audience in the cathedral he will be looking for new ways of becoming a Christian. Now here's Chapter Ten... [more]

040 :
30 Oct 2009

Factionalism in the early Church at Corinth... A short essay from Daniel Gullotta today examining the phenomenon of factionalism in the early Church. Is the problem any different in the 21st Century when we look at the factionalism in most churches today? [more]

126 :
29 Oct 2009

Who was Theophilus? Writers and artists use all sorts of tricks to gain the attention of their audiences or to get their message across. In the Puzzling Passage he's selected for us today, Dr Ian Elmer explores the mysterious character Theophilus in the writing of the Evangelist Luke. Who was Theophilus? Was he a real person or an archetype created by Luke, the creative writer, to represent a large group in the early Christian community — the Roman-Gentiles attracted to the Jesus movement? What an excellent series Dr Elmer is bringing us in the lead-up to the e-Conference on St Luke next Wednesday? [more]

100 :
28 Oct 2009

The Psychology of Priesthood #17 As Tom McMahon perceptively writes, it is difficult writing about our personal experiences of sexuality especially on the internet. Society perhaps needs more authentic (honest), public discussion of this subject from people who do not carry all the baggage we "Catholics" carry. Vatican Two, Tom argues, was a plea to look at life as a mature adult but the "octagenarian Vatican Cardinals" fear "the camel's nose under the tent"! [more]

016 :
27 Oct 2009

What sort of priests can make the Jesus' message "sing" in society's heart again? Priests and Bishops face a great challenge today as more and more people look elsewhere for people to bless their weddings, conduct naming ceremonies for their children and send them on their way into eternity. How do you continue to make the messages of Jesus Christ relevant in a world that is becoming more and more sceptical of the programs offered by the institutional churches? Today on Catholica we bring you a priest's review of a book by a bishop which, when push comes to shove, is examining the foregoing questions from opposite sides of the social river. The Bishop is Julian Porteous, an Auxiliary Bishop in Sydney who has recently published a new book on priesthood. The Priest taking a critical eye at what the Bishop has written is our occasional commentator on Catholica, Daniel Donovan. [more]

077 :
26 Oct 2009

23.3: Augustine and Pelagius There's some great lines in the extract from Tom Lee's manuscript today — some by Tom, and some by some of the figures from history he quotes. The central focus is on Augustine and Pelagius. How much of our Christian attitudes to sin, and so many other things, have been borne out of the personal struggles — and failings — of men who were projected into powerful positions? [more]

020 :
25 Oct 2009

In search of Self #17… This is another of those gentle reflections from Francis today worth sitting with for a while. It's a reflection on 'self' — his 'self' but it so easily applies to all of us. A couple of weeks ago we included a Sinfonia from Beethoven with one of Tom McMahon's commentaries. That music is included again today as you might like to sit with what Francis writes for a little while. [more]

010 :
24 Oct 2009

Cardinal Mahony — Chapter 9 "Resurrection" Robert Blair Kaiser's summary of the story so far: Cardinal Mahony has been taken off on his own helicopter to Mexico and put on trial for his crimes before a worldwide television audience. A jury of his peers finds him guilty and sentences him to become a Christian. Then a troop of Mexican commandos invade the jungle compound and kill everyone except the cardinal. He wakes up in a Los Angeles hospital, with no memory of his ordeal, but with a nagging feeling that he is being called to a new kind of leadership in the American Church. He meets Nick Pike, a Southern California lawyer, and, Sean Sunnyhill, an Australian Jesuit, who start him thinking about some new ways of creating a people’s Church in the U.S. — even if he has to ignore canon law, which Pike suggests has become something of an idol. Now here's Chapter Nine... [more]

125 :
22 Oct 2009

Is the Acts of the Apostles Historically Reliable? In today's commentary Dr Ian Elmer continues with what has developed into a valuable prelude to the e-Conference on St Luke by exploring aspects of the writings of St Luke. This commentary explores both the historical reliability of the Acts of the Apostles and the theological impetus that appears to rest behind what St Luke was trying to achieve in writing Acts. [more]

099 :
21 Oct 2009

The Psychology of Priesthood #16 It is surely a myth that bishops and priests are not subjected to the same sexual urges and temptations as the rest of mankind? For a long, long time society has seemed to believe in such a myth. Tom McMahon's provocative commentary today cuts to the bone of this myth. He provides an "inside perspective" of his own journey to satisfy his curiosities as a young, sexually naive young priest discovering the masculine sexual urges. [more]

004 :
20 Oct 2009

The Mass: If it ain't broke, why fix it? George Ripon, in questioning the changes to the English version of the Mass, today asks "If it ain't broke, why fix it?" The response to George might be: but "they" think it is "broke". "They" honestly seem to think that why 86% have walked out of the pews is because we've all become more liberal, less pious and less reverent, and "they" are going to do something about it — and have been doing so for the last four decades with the determination of zealots to get their way. The implementation of these changes is one of "their" greatest victories. "They" are gunna show us how to fill the pews again with changes like this which re-introduce the world to "real prayer" — and get rid of this namby-pamby, watered-down, cafeteria Catholicism so beloved by the 'liberals' and 'geriatric stupido baby-boomers' who've driven everybody out of the pews! [more]

076 :
19 Oct 2009

23.2: An action-packed commentary... It's an action-packed commentary from Tom Lee today. It begins with what was effectively the excommunication of John Chrysostom, moves through the threat and eventual sacking of Rome by the Visigoths and ends with the effective resurrection of Chrysostom to be hailed as one of the great minds in both Eastern and Western Catholicism. To get anywhere in Catholicism you need to be excommunicated at least once. Some of today's "company men" bishops might take note! [more]

019 :
18 Oct 2009

A lifetime spiritual journey #17… Francis concludes Chapter Ten of his book with three poems written in 2005 and 2006 which explore in verse the themes he's been exploring in previous weeks in prose. A pensive commentary today accompanied by a violin concerto by Mendelssohn. [more]

009 :
17 Oct 2009

Cardinal Mahony — Chapter 8 "Sunnyhill" Introduction by Robert Blair Kaiser: In the previous chapter the cardinal visited a federal lockup to see Nick Pike, a Southern California lawyer whom authorities say was connected to an organization called Para los otros, the group that kidnapped Cardinal Mahony and took him to Mexico. Pike says he helped found Para los otros, but professes ignorance of the kidnapping. He says, however, that the cardinal's suffering has put something new in play. "What?" asks Mahony. Pike says, "You, your Eminence. A new you." Mahony is intrigued by Pike's dream to help re-create "the kind of Church we had in the beginning, a nonclerical Church, a people's Church" and he gets a retired federal judge to secure Pike’s release. Now here's Chapter Eight... [more]

040 :
16 Oct 2009

Enough is Enough! Tom McMahon came across this column by an Ottawa-based journalist and columnist, Janice Kennedy, earlier in the week and was so moved by what she wrote that he wrote to her to obtain permission for her work to be re-published on Catholica. Triggered by a comment made by the Archbishop of Halifax in response to the arrest of the Bishop of Antigonish, Janice Kennedy, argues that without profound change, the end is coming for Catholicism. [more]

124 :
15 Oct 2009

What Record was Luke Setting Straight? Another welcome bit of pre-reading on Luke from Ian Elmer today that might come in handy for the forthcoming e-Conference on St Luke. Essentially the question Dr Elmer explores is the motivation that caused the Lukan Gospel account to be written. Why did Luke feel he needed to correct the Gospel account of Mark? [more]

098 :
14 Oct 2009

The Psychology of Priesthood #15 Tom McMahon opens his commentary today suggesting he's "getting 'down and dirty'". He is. This is a brutally raw commentary — venturing into a territory that there have been enormous social taboos against discussing. Perhaps it is the case of Bishop Raymond Lahey of Nova Scotia that may further break down the taboos against discussing the sexual and emotional needs of priests? [more]

039 :
13 Oct 2009

The Conflict in Early Christianity... Today we have another of those wonderful student essays from Daniel Gullotta. His focus in this essay is the theory of the German theologian, Ferdinand Christian Baur (1792-1860), who proposed that the Church was born out of conflict between two opposing viewpoints which only gradually became synthesised into a single, united view. It's an essay that will probably be of interest to the theologically well-educated as well as those of us who are theologically illiterate in the theories of a lesser-known figure like Ferdinand Christian Baur. Daniel's original title for the essay was "Competing Churches and Rivalling Saints". [more]

075 :
12 Oct 2009

23.1: The permanent division of the Empire... We begin a new chapter from Tom Lee's exploration of the First 500 Years of Christianity. At the end of the fourth century the Empire becomes permanently divided. Today's excerpt is principally concerned with looking at the input of John Chrysostom elected Bishop of Constantinople in 398. [more]

018 :
11 Oct 2009

A lifetime spiritual journey #16… In a footnote to today's commentary, Francis Brown writes: "This piece of writing is meant to illustrate how a priest displaced from the official clerical status of priesthood (because of a request to marry), and feeling a persisting priesthood within him, can occupy himself. There are many spiritually-minded people in the world who have been displaced in some way by the lesser spiritual aspects of churches. These are still waiting for the hand of Jesus to touch them. Perhaps I can be the light of Christ that they are waiting for and have not found in the official churches." [more]

008 :
10 Oct 2009

Cardinal Mahony — Chapter 7 "Pike" Introduction by Robert Blair Kaiser: At the beginning of Chapter Seven, Mahony woke in a hospital room in Los Angeles. He had been in a coma for days, but the doctors decided that, though he could remember nothing of his ordeal, he had survived physically. His chancellor Msgr. Jeremiah Hawkslaw took him home to recover in seclusion. After reading accounts in Time and Newsweek about his ordeal, he began to feel a curious compassion for his captors, and he had recurring dreams about a beautiful young mystery woman calling for his help. Now here's Chapter Seven... [more]

008 :
09 Oct 2009

Re-thinking our understanding of Church community... Here's a good example of a reflection on Catholica that was triggered by a previous commentary long ago. Tom McMahon mentioned Paul Lakeland many months ago. Kevin Murphy went off on read up on Paul and found some ideas that are well worth reflecting on. The subtitle of Paul's book "Catholicism at the Crossroads" is "How the Laity Can Save the Church". What we're invited to reflect on is the style of community we build as Church. This is a rich reflection worth spending time with. [more]

123 :
08 Oct 2009

How Many Gospels Were Written before Luke? Dr Ian Elmer today takes on the much discussed question of the provenance and reliability of the Gospel record. It's a timely commentary in view of the upcoming e-Conference on St Luke which takes place in a few week's time — a bit of pre-reading if you like. [more]

028 :
08 Oct 2009

International Petition Organisers sharply critical of the Vatican... The organisers of the international petition which drew nearly 55,000 signatures, with a heavy weighting from intellectuals and the more reflective sector of Catholicism, have issued a strong rebuke to the Vatican for the brush-off that the Vatican has endeavoured to serve up. Here is the full text of the media release issued by the petition organisers today. [more]

097 :
07 Oct 2009

The Psychology of Priesthood #14 Tom McMahon might have sounded a bit frustrated at the beginning of last week's commentary but he has brightened up considerably this week. Intrepidly, he's still on the case of seeking to understand how the psyche of the priesthood developed historically? How related is the psyche of the modern priest to the psyche of Jesus Christ? [more]

074 :
05 Oct 2009

22.3: Original Sin and other pressing issues... The extract from Tom Lee's commentary today explores the origins of concepts like Original Sin, Purgatory, Limbo — as well as Catholic ideas about sex and celibacy in the reasoning of men like Augustine and Ambrose. What are your thoughts on these sort of issues? [more]

017 :
04 Oct 2009

A lifetime spiritual journey #15… In today's extract from his book, Francis relates some of the sense of alienation he felt on leaving the clerical priesthood and his pathway to find a new place of spiritual equilibrium in his life. [more]

007 :
03 Oct 2009

Cardinal Mahony — Chapter 6 "Remembering" Introduction by Robert Blair Kaiser: In Chapter Five, the jury found the cardinal guilty on all counts and sentenced him to become a Christian. "What!" he cried, "I have been a Christian all my life." The jury foreman said, "Few have noticed. You have been something of a crook. You lied during your depositions. you hid priests behind the statute of limitations. You bought the silence of their victims. You let your lawyers put legalism ahead of the Gospel. You manipulated the media. Try to think of yourself as a servant of the little people, not their lord and master." Then hell broke loose. Mexican commandos attacked the compound with automatic weapons and grenades. Mahony saw Díaz and Kelly wilt with bullets to the head. Then, for him, everything went black. Now here's Chapter Six... [more]

039 :
02 Oct 2009

The Curious character of Curia's take on Priesthood… Something completely different today. Herbie — a regular contributor to the Catholica forums but a now retired theologian and teacher who has had an illustrious career lecturing around the globe — has been entertaining us in recent days with a series of funny posts on the forum taking the mickey out of a certain Cardinal Archbishop in America who created a headline a few days ago suggesting that priests are more than dispensers of the Sacraments. Here's his latest contribution to that series — and to the wider discussion on the changing nature of priesthood. How do the ordinary pewsitters view the priesthood and how do those who sit in the ivory towers of the institution view the role of the priest? You'll find the earlier post this commentary follows on from at: Post id=34581. [more]

122 :
01 Oct 2009

Did Jesus and His Disciples Oppose the Temple? This is a fascinating commentary from biblical scholar Dr Ian Elmer today — one that I predict will become one of the most read and studied on Catholica in time. In the very best traditions of Catholic scholarship, Ian today invites us to examine some very important attitudes of Jesus towards Judaism. As most readers of Catholica will appreciate the relations between Christians and Jews include much which is ugly and significant efforts have been made over the last century to re-visit where this relationship became screwed up. Dr Elmer isn't directly endeavouring to solve the problem of the relation of Christians to Jews. He's attempting to cut to a fuller, more honest, or more truthful understanding of certain passages in the Gospels that have been problematic — for centuries and possibly millennia. We live in an exciting epoch when we have the benefit of rich reflections like this. [more]

096 :
30 Sep 2009

The Psychology of Priesthood #13 Tom McMahon sounds a bit frustrated at the beginning of today's commentary. He picked up Karen Armstrong's book on the Crusades hoping that it might shed light on the insights he was seeking. Evidently it turned out to be a disappointment so he has begun searching elsewhere for the particular information he's after in this extended exploration of how civilisation, the priests themselves, developed the psyche of priesthood that has been so familiar in our day — and which seems to be losing its tarnish. [more]

038 :
29 Sep 2009

Lay Celebration of the Eucharist... Now here's something to stir your passions — and bring the trads down out of their trees roaring their terrible roars — our resident Irish-Catholic, aged, liberal, reforming pot stirrer, George Ripon, rips into any number of Sacred Cows — popes and bishops. Let her rip, George. Come back and tell us what you think of George Ripon's proposals in our forum… [more]

073 :
28 Sep 2009

22.2: The Conversion of Augustine In today's and next week's instalments from Tom Lee's study of the Origins of Christianity the focus is on Augustine, the forces which helped shape his views and theology, and the impact these had on the Church. [more]

016 :
27 Sep 2009

A lifetime spiritual journey #14… Introduction by Brian Coyne: I remember a priest saying to a group of us around the time I was leaving school and going to university that even under the most orthodox interpretation of Catholic Church teaching it was difficult for any person to commit a mortal sin. I've pondered on those words many times over my lifetime and they came back to me as I was preparing today's commentary from Francis Brown. Francis challenges today the concepts of death and sin. I'm not sure that I wholly agree with him. While I do think there are few people who run around deliberately being sinful. I do think we all make plenty of bloody stupid decisions in our lives, or think stupid things, that bring disharmony into our lives — or the lives of our families, neighbours and communities. What Francis seems to be arguing here is a way of thinking that helps restore harmony and wholeness into our lives. This is another beautiful reflection worth sitting with quietly for a lengthy period of time. [more]

006 :
26 Sep 2009

Cardinal Mahony — Chapter 5 "Verdict" Introduction by Robert Blair Kaiser: In Chapter Four, the cardinal sickened under the assault of all the videotaped testimony against him. His lawyer, Paul Kelly, protests to the judge, "It's like the picadors have weakened the bull enough. Isn't it time to send in the matador?" His nurse/keeper, Maria, takes pity on him when he complains to her, "I thought my people loved me. Now I know. They hate me." Maria says, "They do not hate you. They just think you can be better than you are." The cardinal says he is beginning to fall in love with her. "You only think you do," she says. "Did you ever hear of the Stockholm Syndrome? Like, Patty Hearst fell in love with her kidnappers?" Now here's Chapter Five... [more]

095 :
25 Sep 2009

The Psychology of Priesthood #12 Tom McMahon's commentary today you'll find sits very comfortably with the theme Ian Elmer was exploring yesterday about the style employed by Jesus. Did Jesus comes to bring peace via the sword? Or does Jesus offer another route: peace by justice? [more]

121 :
24 Sep 2009

Did Jesus ever get angry? Now here's a commentary that might test your Sunday school beliefs — and one that might even trigger a sustained debate amongst Biblical scholars. There are really two questions up for consideration: Did Jesus get angry (fullstop)? And, did he get angry as depicted in the cleansing of the Temple scene described by Mark? The focus of Dr Ian Elmer's, commentary today is on the second question rather than the first but if his arguments carry weight perhaps the first question becomes the more important one and throws open to debate the big moral questions of "righteous anger" and "just war" theory. [more]

059 :
23 Sep 2009

A History of the Knights of the Southern Cross At the beginning of this month the Knights of the Southern Cross in Australia celebrated their 90th birthday. Cliff Baxter was commissioned to write the history of the Order in New South Wales to mark the milestone. Catholica editor, Brian Coyne, who has a number of associations with the Knights, reviews the book... [more]

072 :
21 Sep 2009

22.1: One Throne — One Church! Plenty to learn in Tom Lee's study of the Origins of Christianity today: did you know the origins of Just War Theory lay with Augustine? We learn about the beginnings of the Feudal system; that more women were attracted to the desert as Holy Hermits than men; and the Council of Constantinople in 381 was the place where the system of Trinitarian theology was virtually completed. [more]

015 :
20 Sep 2009

A lifetime spiritual journey #13… With Francis story we now enter a longer chapter where he writes of his more recent explorations of spiritual meaning. In this first section of Chapter 10 he writes of the release from fear... [more]

005 :
19 Sep 2009

Cardinal Mahony — Chapter 4 "Testimony" Introduction by Robert Blair Kaiser:In Chapter Three, Mahony's prosecutor, Juana Margarita Obregón, presented the jury with one videotaped interview after another with victims of pedophile priests in Los Angeles and their families who never got any comfort from the cardinal. Rather, his prosecutor charged, he had fallen back on a "if only had we known" defense. She tells the court, "This was just another type of denial, a rationalization." Now here's Chapter Four... [more]

058 :
17 Sep 2009

What sort of ecclesial leadership do we need? The rumours are circulating again of changes at the senior leadership level of the Church in this country. In today's commentary the editor of Catholica, Brian Coyne, poses questions regarding both the leadership and what, precisely, they are seeking to teach or preach... [more]

094 :
16 Sep 2009

The Psychology of Priesthood #11 Where do we find a priesthood that can again lead the people spiritually? Most people in the Western world have abandoned the practice of their religion and stopped listening to the Church hierarchs. Tom McMahon today continues his exploration of what went wrong with the idea of priesthood. His commentaries might seem negative but, at heart, his is part of the search to find the new form of priesthood and spiritual leadership that does respond both to the call of the Spirit and the Sensus Fidelium of where the Spirit is calling the world. [more]

003 :
15 Sep 2009

An adult exploration of the meaning of Christian humility…This is another grounded, beautiful reflection today from Sr Mary Cresp rsj exploring the Christian spirituality of humility and trust in Providence. "The response of humanity to Divine Providence is thanksgiving." ...Brian Coyne (Editor) [more]

071 :
14 Sep 2009

21.4: The Authorised Version of Scripture... Today in Tom Lee's study of the Origins of Christianity we take a look at three iconic figures in the history of Christianity — Ambrose, Chrysostom and Jerome. Each in their own way made decisive contributions with key ideas that became part of the collective wisdom of Christians and Catholics. [more]

014 :
13 Sep 2009

A lifetime spiritual journey #12… Francis is such a hope-filling writer. Today's excerpt from his book is a sort of transition chapter as he explains in the first paragraph. At the end of everything we can't take our money with us, we can't even take our hopes, our dreams and our disappointments with us. At the end of everything our hope is Oneness with the Divine — peace and equilibrium. Francis argues, it is Here, Now! Sieze it... [more]

004 :
12 Sep 2009

Cardinal Mahony — Chapter 3 "Trial" Introduction by Robert Blair Kaiser: In the previous chapter, the cardinal met his judge, Ivan Díaz, the jury (five retired bishops from Latin America), his defense attorney, and his prosecutor, Juana Margarita Obregón, who tells the court (and millions around the world who are watching the trial on TV) that Mahony "has let the unwritten rules of his clerical club undermine the rule of the gospel itself. He has robbed the patrimony of Christ's poor to enrich crafty lawyers—and keep sodomizing priests out of prison." Now here's Chapter Three... [more]

093 :
11 Sep 2009

The Psychology of Priesthood #10 Tom McMahon in his commentary today returns to the central themes of this series seeking to explore the psychology of priesthood down through the ages. Surprisingly perhaps, his commentary today begins with a set of admonitions given centuries ago to the pagan priests of the Roman Empire. [more]

120 :
10 Sep 2009

The Ten Commandments... The "Ten Commandments" is one of those terms that everybody knows, perhaps most people have even read a listing of the so-called ten at some stage. But how much do we really know about their origins and meaning. In today's commentary biblical scholar, Dr Ian Elmer, endeavours to provide some food for thought on the subject that extends our understanding beyond the school-level understanding that perhaps most apply when they think of the subject of what laws God might have given us. [more]

002 :
08 Sep 2009

An adult exploration of the meaning of Christian humility… Today's commentary from Sr Mary Cresp cuts to the chase. It's a fabulous but gentle reflection on humility. When I was reading her book and became motivated to approach Mary to share a portion of it with you, this is the section that got me off my backside to approach her and ask permission to reproduce it on Catholica. It's a commentary that I feel sure many will want to print out and mull and meditate on for a long time. Almost every line is a gem and a 'keeper'. ...Brian Coyne (Editor) [more]

070 :
07 Sep 2009

21.3: Basil, Jerome and Augustine Tom Lee's study of the Origins of Christianitymight be considered to have two great values. At one level it provides a big canvas view of the forces that moulded the development of Catholicism. At a second level though the fascination is in the myriad of small details. Today the focus is on Basil, Jerome and Augustine — "big picture" material and the small detail is possibly to be found in the origins of the practice of not eating meat on Fridays. [more]

013 :
06 Sep 2009

A lifetime spiritual journey #11… Francis entitled Chapter 8, "Providence". Perhaps the entire chapter can be summarised in this sentence Francis writes: "As Jesus brought Christ­consciousness into his life by awakening to his true relationship as Child of God, so I called on the Holy Spirit to continue to guide me to the same awakening to see me too as Christ." [more]

003 :
05 Sep 2009

Cardinal Mahony — Chapter 2 "Arraignment" Introduction by Robert Blair Kaiser: In Chapter One, three liberation theologians (who look like terrorists) kidnap Roger Michael Mahony, the cardinal-archbishop of Los Angeles, and take him off in his own helicopter to face trial for his sins. When his captors demand $49 million ransom, the President of the United States lauches a military task force to rescue him, while the world's media watch with fascination. [more]

007 :
04 Sep 2009

Catholic Schools and the Poor In August last year we published a commentary by Dr Michael Furtado commenting on the legacy of Dr Peter Tannock to Catholic Education in Australia. (See "The Legacy of Dr Tannock" Catholica commentary 14Aug2008 LINK.) Today's commentary by Dr Graham English is partly a response to that and other comments Dr Furtado has made about Catholic Education in this country. Dr English's commentary is an attempt to provide an honest view of the good and bad in what Catholic Education has achieved and is achieving. [more]

119 :
03 Sep 2009

How Does God Speak to Us? Today's reflection from Dr Ian Elmer 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. [more]

092 :
02 Sep 2009

The Psychology of Priesthood #9 Today's commentary from Tom McMahon is still very much centred around the funeral and good-byes to his seminary classmate, John Monagle. Tom wrote this the day after the funeral and one can almost see him fighting his demons through the words on the page. But what is the cause of his angst? Self-evidently this man is still in love with Jesus — or what Jesus offers to the world. He, and many of his colleagues 'signed on', in quite special ways as 'priests', to spread the good news. Somewhere along the way the scales fell from his eyes, as they have for many, and he started asking where the vision of Jesus parts company with the institutional vision? The death of his friend and colleague leads to some questioning of the ultimate objective: Where is paradise? What does resurrection really mean? [more]

001 :
01 Sep 2009

An adult exploration of the meaning of Christian humility… This short series of commentaries from Sr Mary Cresp rsj is taken from her 2005 book "In the Spirit of Joseph" a lengthy journey of self-discovery of the charism that drives the women's orders of religious who look to St Joseph as their patron. The heart of this chapter is an exploration of humility. Mary entitled the Chapter "The spirit of Joseph ... walks humbly". It's far from some insipid pietistic treatise asking for us to be good girls and boys for Jesus. One can tell by reading these words that a lifetime of reflection has gone into their composition and Mary writes in a style that sits very comfortably with the style of adult spirituality readers of Catholica find attractive. [more]