EDITOR'S ROUND-UP

Saturday, 22 November 2008

Choosing to get dangerous!

Dear Friends,

It really is fascinating at the moment watching the unfolding religio-spiritual scene around the world. For a long time the characteristic within Catholicism at least seems to have been what might be lablled a "quiet attrition" — slowly, slowly, a few hundred or a few thousand, week in and week out simply "forget to rock up this Sunday". There are no letters of protest or explanation to bishops or the pope. People simple cease turning up to Sunday Mass — or participating in any of the other sacraments. As the pews empty the insecurities of the remnant escalate. The noise they create grows louder and the certitude with which they claim to know the mind of God grows more intense.

The election of Barack Obama as next President of the United States seems to have raised the stakes within conservative Christianity to a new fever pitch if you have been following any of the conservative Catholic news agency reports — or even the mainstream ones for that matter. One could be forgiven for believing that we're approached "end of the world" territory.

I have long predicted there would eventually be a counter reponse to the pattern of recent decades. I think it is now starting to build. In recent weeks I've become aware of a significant development in North America where all the major reform groups in the Church are now pooling their energies to mount a major conference in 2011 (I'll provide further information about this in a separate news report later today on Catholica). In our own forum in the past week, and as far as I can see quite independently of what is happening in North America, Frank Purcell called for a Synod of the Australian Church [LINK]. It has generated some enthusiasm within our community.

In our forum this morning Gail has posted a provocative idea she entitled: "Choosing to get dangerous about 'pro choice'." I read it as another "straw in the wind". People have "had enough". The "quiet exit from the pews" is coming to an end. The attrition that has been going on in the institutional Church is now beginning to slice into a sector of the population who are no longer prepared to leave without leaving any protest notes.

A bishop once explained to me "Brian, I see my role as trying to be a symbol of unity across the factions in the Church. I want to be seen as a bridge across the divisions." It sounds wonderful in theory. What he seemed to fail to understand is that when you have one faction that is totally incapable of listening to what anyone else has to say no one can play the "let's be nice to one another, children" game. The catastrophic exit out of the pews proves that. If you have a faction that is totally incapable of listening to viewpoints other than their own, and you have a weak leadership, or one that actually continually favours the faction that won't listen to anybody else, you eventually end up with a Church that only consists of that faction. Is that not as logical as one of Euclid's geometrical theorems?

Dr Ian Elmer's commentary today looks at leadership and resolving conflicts between factions in the early Church. What he writes is highly relevant to our own time. Don't miss what he has to write. Also don't miss Gail's post on the forum (I warn: prepare to have your brain spun around in its cranial cavity. What she writes is in the realm of "getting dangerous" as she herself warns.) <Link to Ian's commentary>

MEANWHILE, WHAT DO YOU THINK POPE BENEDICT MIGHT BE UP TO? In the news this morning it's reported he's considering another change in the Liturgy for the Eucharist by changing where the Kiss of Peace takes place. Talk about "shuffling the deckchairs on the Titanic"! <Link to Associated Press news report>

Communicating with Young People Part 2 of 2: Dr Graham English concludes his two-part commentary exploring the challenges the institution needs to make if it is going to retain the attention of future generations of young people. This commentary is from an address Dr English gave recently to members of the St Vincent de Paul Society. <more>

Communicating with Young People Part 1 of 2: In a sense this two-part commentary from Dr Graham English follows on from the last commentary he wrote for Catholica exploring the challenges that young people face today in having a sense of "belonging" to the Catholic Church. Today and tomorrow though the focus is back the other way in exploring the ways in which the institutional Church may have to adapt if it is to have a hope of maintaining relevance to the young people of tomorrow. This commentary is from an address Dr English gave recently to members of the St Vincent de Paul Society. <more>

An Australian Catholic Synod… Frank Purcell argues the world economic collapse can be likened to the collapse of Catholicism. In this short essay he entitled "Leadership Responsibility and the Collapse of the Australian Church" he argues that a possible way forward for the Church is the calling of an Australian Synod. <more>

Good Medicine! Dr Andrew Kania in his commentary today ventures into the emotive territory of the possible links between religious faith and physical, mental and emotional health. Does religion help keep us healthy? There is increasing scientific research seeking to explore this territory, mainly in the realm as to whether religious faith assists in recovery for various diseases or coping with a serious disease. These studies show mixed results as Google searches show. There are indicators suggesting a general trend though that a healthy spiritual attitude can contribute to better health in the other domains of life. Dr Kania today examines some of the research evidence and also draws in more traditional theological and scriptural perspectives. He also explores some of the nuances we believers need to bring to these discussions. Perhaps the focus of on-going research ought focus on what forms of religious faith and spirituality are most beneficial in promoting harmony in the realms of physical, mental and emotional harmony and well-being? <more>

10.1: The Mass takes form… The chief interest Tom Lee's commentary today will more tha probably generate is in his discussion of the origins of the Catholic Mass. There is much else of interest though beginning with volcanoes, plagues, fires, licentious behaviour and wars in various parts of the Roman Empire. His commentary explores why our principal celebration occurs on Sundays and how the formal liturgy we celebrated today evolved. <more>

Difficult Questions… Tom McMahon celebrates three score and twenty today and congratulations from all of us. And the man is never daunted in his exploration of this great adventure we are all engaged in. Today, in his series on the meaning of Sacrament in our Age of Technology his focus turns to marriage. The fundos aren't gunna like this one. At some stage though we're going to have to tie the old man down and ask him: "now Tom, we know you want to rip the rug out from just about every sacrament there is but we presume you still believe in signs and ritual? What is sacramental in the present age? Don't we require some structure? You're not actually wanting to get rid of Sacrament, are you — you're wanting to get back to where the signs mean something intelligible to people today? If we drop some sacraments are there new ones that ought be considered?" <more>

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

Brian Coyne
Editor and Publisher