What, precisely, are the core requirements of Catholicism?
Tuesday, 12th December 2006

Dear friends,

When I went to bed last night there were reports in the Sydney Morning Herald of terrible bush fires at the bottom of the mountain. In the over 40 degree heat there had also been spontaneous combustion in the roof cavities of two houses near Penrith.

This morning up here in the mountains it is like a winter's day with mist in the valleys and a steady drizzle. The fires of just a few week's ago seem a long way away. I far prefer this sort of weather. What changeable weather we are experiencing at the moment.

In my own contribution to Catholica this morning I'm still puzzling over this question that I first asked around Christmas time four years ago. I think there is enormous confusion out there as to what this entire religious quest is about and specifically what the Catholic religious quest is about. I suspect the confusion even extends into the leadership echelons of the Church. If one were able to sit down with a bunch of Cardinals I wouldn't mind having a bet that one would find quite diverse differences of opinion between them as to what, essentially, Catholicism is endeavouring to achieve.

Have a great day wherever you happen to be ... in life, and in our world.

What, precisely, are the core requirements of Catholicism? Tom asks: is it the ability to memorise and recite a list of absolute laws? Or is it the ability to navigate through the absolute laws in order to discern the particular moral truth and course of action? [more]

On the ACBC report of the November Plenary... The cloistered quartet have been reading the report of the Bishops' November Plenary. There's evidently a lot of work being done but what is it achieving? [more]

Brian Coyne
Editor and Publisher
Catholica Australia