Catholica at its very best ... and it doesn't get better than this!
Monday, 11th December 2006

Dear friends,

It's not "Good News and Bad News" this morning ... but "Good News and Gooder News" if you'll forgive my lapse in grammar.

Firstly, out of the blue this morning I received a phone call from one of our members who happens to be a parish secretary. He wanted permission to write something about Catholica for the parish bulletin and to provide a link to our website. It's an avenue of promotion I hadn't thought about but, by all means, if anyone would like to promote what we have to offer through Catholica in this way we are more than happy to cooperate.

Secondly, today I think one has good reason as to why one would want to promote the contents of Catholica within the institutional Church. Wendy's conclusion to her series is simply stunning. I won't tell you too much in advance lest I take away any of the pleasure you might enjoy but I have to say this kind of writing is precisely what I believe might make Catholica succeed in the long run with our overall objectives. This is a personal story told "from the heart" and about as honestly as I think it is possible for a person to do in a fairly public place. I am going to send a personal Christmas message to each of the bishops around Australia particularly urging them to take the time to study what Wendy has to say alongside what they are studying in their commissioned report enquiring about Catholics who've stopped going to Mass.

Her article today has also motivated me to get off my butt and finally organise the series I've been wanting to run on the candid views of our own children. I'll be in touch privately with all those who have already indicated their children would like to participate. If anyone else knows of young people (i.e. young people in their twenties) who would like to share with us in total candour their religious and spiritual outlook today, their attitudes to the institutional Church, and their attitudes to us as parents, please let me know.

In the meantime, have a great day wherever you happen to be ... in life, and in our world.

Mixed Blessings III – the outcome in the third generation... You will find this concluding article in Wendy's series "serious precious cargo". This woman has a way of articulating what I know many parents have spoken to me about over the years in a way that almost takes your breath away. There is more reason for hope in this single article than in tomes of papal encyclicals. –Ed. [more]

Ruth's Prayer... Ruth's been blown away by the candidness of Wendy's offerings over the last three weeks. Her prayer today is very simple... [more]

Brian Coyne
Editor and Publisher
Catholica Australia