A radical re-think as to how we "do Church" and "worship God"?

Dear friends,

Ted Mason Has been helping run the Shalom House of Prayer at Carcoar in the Bathurst Diocese for 24 years. In today's lead commentary he examines the uncertain future being faced by retreat centres as the influence of the Church declines. I have responded on the same page by asking if we need to radically re-formulate how we "do Church" and "worship God" if the decline is to be reversed? I've put forward one proposal which might help give retreat centres a new future. It will be very interesting to see what response today's commentary generates both on the particular question of the place of retreat centres in our community and on the wider questions I'm raising of how we "do Church" and "worship God" I suspect this will all be too strong for those who already know the mind of God better than God knows his own mind — and for our leaders in Rome — but I'm sure the rest of you, the great uncatered for majority, will enjoy it all. <Click HERE to read today's commentary>

PETITION PASSES THE 5000 MILESTONE…

Well, the petition is now through the 5,000 mark which is the minimum figure some of us suggested way back at the start was the number it required in order to start to have impact. The reality is that we began to pick up feedback that it was being welcomed by some bishops back at about the 2,500 mark. This is a most encouraging development. Thanks fo everyone who has helped promote the petition and sign it. Thanks also to the critics whose words have continued to keep it in the spotlight in order to reach today's important milestone. The petition total at lunchtime today stands at the 5404 mark. <Click HERE to access the petition information page> and <Click HERE to sign the petition online>.

Best wishes for a great day wherever you happen to be ... in life, and in our world,

Brian Coyne
Editor and Publisher