EDITOR'S ROUND-UP

Saturday, 20 December 2008

Let's get serious...

Dear Friends,

I received an unsolicited commentary from Fr Eric Hodgens late yesterday expressing moral support for Archbishop John Bathersby in Brisbane and the parish community at St Mary's, South Brisbane. I have coupled it with an editorial which amplifies the arguments Fr Hodgens advances and which suggests we need to start standing up for the vast majority of Catholics who have been disadvantaged and driven out of the Church in the past century by this constant appeasement of a tiny, unrepresentative minority. <Link to the Editorial and Commentary>

As explained last week our normal Saturday commentator, Dr Ian Elmer, is on leave and the commentary he sent through got gobbled by our email program. We haven't yet been able to make contact with Ian so we presume he's having a really good time. A few people are on holidays already but that does not seem to have dented the traffic to our website. During the week I published new figures on our forum which show the continued growth of Catholica and a reach that now eclipses most of the diocesan-owned websites and media in this country and we are well-poised for significant further growth in the New Year. It has been a quite extraordinary week also in the strength of the commentaries we have published as the introductions below will demonsrate.

I will be taking a break from 29th December through most of January save for one weekly email and we will publish a countdown of the most read commentaries we published through the year. Could I take this opportunity to wish all our weekly readers a very Happy and Peace-filled Christmas and thank you for your valued support as subscribers to Catholica over the past year.

May the Holy Spirit be with you! Dick Westley argues today: "Clearly, human love is what matters, there can be no true spirituality without it. A moment's reflection on our lives reveals to us that the way the Holy Spirit works in our lives is precisely through "human" love. Through human love the Spirit breaks the strangle-hold of individualism on our lives and links us to one another. ... By linking us all together, Spirit ultimately links us to God. It is through the work of Spirit in our lives that our isolation ends and we become joined to one another and subsequently to God. That is the central message of Catholicism/Christianity." <more>

A Tale of Two Cities – Part 2 Given that nearly 90% of the baptised population have walked away from regular participation and listening to what the institution has to say in the space of a century, it is almost futile to pretend that anyone at the top is listening to any of the commentaries or discussion in a place like Catholica. "Truth" or "wisdom" is simply not perceived to originate from directions other than via the royal telephone coming down from the top. We can but continue "chipping away". Today Fr Dan Donovan's commentary might be considered in two parts. The first part seeks to take an overview of why things have developed in the way they have — why the Church has become so divided and why so many have "simply walked away". In the second part he applies particular focus to one group, Opus Dei, which exemplifies this simplistic philosophy or theology that has zealot-like attraction to a small sector in society but which leaves the great majority feeling absolutely cold and totally disinterested in what Catholicism has to offer. As Fr Donovan argues though this is the element that is favoured at the highest realms of the Church as offering a "way forward" — a way to enthuse, or re-evangelise, the world again. Fear unlocks wallets though more effectively than pickpockets. They presently have the money and the power. There is no evidence from any objective reading of the recent history of the Church that these groups have even the proverbial snowflakes chance in hell of turning things around. They point instead to a remnant Church — a Church left preaching only to the 5% who fervently believe they have "all the answers". One can only speculate what Almighty God might eventually have to say about this methodology. Fr Dan ends his commentary in a positive way. Many are no longer prepared to simply "walk away". Communities are emerging which encourage their "members to personalise faith and to take responsibility for their decisions". He argues we need a strong local Church and we need a Church leadership "whose authority is rooted in service not power" and the Eucharistic meal "is the key to authority in the Church". He also argues the Eucharist is "the blueprint for all Christian life". <more>

A Tale of Two Cities – Part 1 The priority for Rome as far as Australia is concerned has to be restoring to the people a sense of pride and respect for the institution. People are over this game of constantly trying to prove we Catholics are the only one's with answers and putting other people down as inferior to us because they do not share in our understanding of truth. In this cutting two-part series, which we publish today and tomorrow, Fr Daniel Donovan cuts to the heart of the problem in Australia. As an urgent priority we need an episcopal leadership in this country that the people can look up to with respect — not a leadership that is divided, and with one of the main players constantly wanting to appease the tiny minority who seek certitude over truth, and law over love. At present even our bishops are collectively divided because of what Rome tried to impose on this country under the leadership of Pope John Paul II. It has been divisive in the extreme. We need an Episicopal Leadership team in this country which is united and shares a common understanding of what our spiritual quest is ultimately about. Enough of these kindergarten-level games trying to constantly prove "we're the kings of the castle and everyone else are heretics and the damned". We need a leadership that is capable of acknowledging the complexities of modern life — and the Mystery of Life — and which is capable of leading us into the complexity, and the Mystery, not constantly trying to take the complexity and Mystery out of Life by reducing everything down to kindergarten-level rules, certitudes and simplicitudes. We need an Episcopal Leadership that respects the people they lead and one which, in turn, is respected by the people. Fr Daniel Donovan's critique has its focus on the Mother Diocese of this Great South Land of the Holy Spirit. He has entitled his essay "A Tale of Two Cities". <more>

Defending Eastern Catholicism against Cardinal's Kaspar's view… Dr Andrew Kania was present at an address delivered by Cardinal Walter Kaspar at Christ Church, Oxford, earlier this year where the Cardinal offered some comments disparaging of some aspects of Orthodox Catholicism. In today's commentary, Dr Kania responds with a vigorous defence of what he argues is the different approach to theology and philosophy used in the Churches of the East. <more>

10.4: Christianity under Roman Emperors, Trajan and Hadrian… Before Constantine the Christians got a pretty raw deal under the Romans although how much attention they received from the Roman authorities seemed to differ Emperor to Emperor. Today's extract from Tom Lee's manuscript on the early history of Christianity is looking at the situation under Roman Emperors, Trajan and Hadrian. Perhaps not surprisingly during this period we tend to know more about the Romans than the Christians who were still marginal to civilisation and whose leaders seemed to be martyred at the drop of a hat. <more>

Penance – Part 1! This may well be the most confronting commentary we have yet published on Catholica. Today, Tom McMahon really gets stuck into a Sacred Cow — The Sacrament of Penance: Does it have a future? Is it merely a left-over from medieval piety and Jansenism? Does it need to be revised, updated or simply dumped? My personal position is that I think the concept of Reconciliation still has much relevance. So does the idea of seeking out a spiritual counsellor or guide. Today's is only the first part of Tom's thoughts on this subject and we're yet to find out what his full position on this Sacrament is. I have little doubt what he writes will scare the pants off the insecure — but it will also stir much thoughtful reflection in the great majority. Strap on your seatbelt and enjoy the ride! ...Brian Coyne <more>

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

Brian Coyne
Editor and Publisher