EDITOR'S ROUND-UP

Saturday, 21 February 2009

Rating through the roof!

Dear Friends,

Today's email (Saturday) goes to our weekly subscribers as well as those who get the daily edition. Could I just point out for our weekly subscribers that we've changed over to a new email server and we're having a little teething problem with the links in the email. Sometimes they get messed up and don't work. We're still sorting it out. In the meantime can I suggest if you ever have problems in that regard — yes, every now and again I stuff them up also — the quickest solution is just to go straight to the home page of Catholica at www.catholica.com.au. All the links are there.

Also can I extend my thanks to our weekly subscribers as well. During the week I drew attention to the quite phenomenal growth we are now experiencing in the readership of Catholica. You can read all about that at the following link to a post on the forum. While you're looking at the forum you'll see that this past week it has been really buzzing with a feast of fascinating conversations. <The good news about the growth of Catholica>

And talking about "fascinating conversations", I've already put my crash helmet on for what Daniel Gullotta's commentary today is likely to stir up...

Getting used to the idea that God created gays and they're not some kind of freaks or an aberration! Today the youngest of our commentators, Daniel Gullotta, chances his life stepping in against the fundamentalist lions. He seeks to open-up an intelligent discussion on the vexed question of where homosexuality fits into God's plan of Creation. Daniel argues we need to start learning that it is part of God's plan and not some aberration... <Link to Daniel's commentary>

Seeking a win-win outcome for everybody! We invite comment from members of the Catholica Forum and Letters to the Editor from subscribers expressing your views on this Open Letter, or offering further suggestions that might help build the Church in positive ways in Australia and help foster a win-win outcome for the St Mary's Parish Community in South Brisbane, the Archbishop, the institution, and for all the stakeholders in this present impasse... <more>

"The Ecclesiology of St Paul" Last week, you will recall, Dr Elmer invited us to explore the Christology of St Paul. This week he turns to look at the Ecclesiology of St Paul as it is expressed in Galatians. What was Paul's view of "church" and "Christian community" and how might we take it on-board today? <more>

Letters to My Children #1 Tom McMahon introduces his own commentary today with these words: "I send along two articles I wrote a few years ago. I stand by them as I did when I first wrote them. They are part of LETTERS TO MY CHILDREN, nearly 200 essays explaining to Tommy and Steven who their father is and his approach to religion and life. I also had in mind as I wrote/write the numbers of people not of the Roman tradition who question me on what is happening in the Catholic Church. Next week: a summary of the sacred sign Penance and then a venture into marriage. Once a month you will receive one of my LETTERS written over a 30 year period." <more>

Learning more from Eastern Catholicism… This commentary from Dr Andrew Kania is a must read for anyone seriously seeking truth. It comes from that part of our religious and spiritual heritage that we in the West know little about — the intellectual, philosophical and theological development of faith that has been taking place in Eastern Christianity, often amidst great suffering, but largely through cultural barriers, outside of our purview. It has a connection that many might find interesting with the interview with Ted Mason that has been generating comment on the Catholica Forum this morning — this is "grounded, earthy spirituality" not "handed down on high from priests" but rung out of the soil, and the daily grind of simply life in "the real world" by lay people who endeavour to live with the Spirit. Learn something about one of the great philosopher heroes of the Eastern Christian Church: Hryhorij Skovoroda. <more>

11.3: The European Dimension… Tom Lee attracted some criticism when we first start publishing his manuscript — mainly from those sectors who "know all the answers" — for his use of the word "invention" in the title. Today's extract gives the reference where Tom Lee borrowed the term from. Tom Lee oughtn't be the one getting the blame at all but the ancient writer, Lucian of Samosata. His commentary today is largely discussing a peaceful period in Roman, Christian and European History. By this time though Christianity had lost almost all connection with its Jewish origins and the orginal Jewish-Christians had become a small sect rejected by both mainstream Judaism and mainstream Christianity. One wonders if that might happen again with our present remnant-lovers? <more>

A conversation with Ted Mason… It is our pleasure today to bring you a mini-video documentary on the Shalom House of Prayer at Carcoar in rural New South Wales and an extended audio interview with Ted Mason who has recently retired as manager of Shalom and leader of the lay prayer community located there. As editor I see two particular values in the documentary and interview. Firstly, the Shalom House of Prayer in itself is a fascinating lay initiative that's been going for 34 years now — and it pays its way. Secondly, Ted Mason is simply an interesting person. He calls himself "an ordinary bloke" and, in some ways, I think he fits that description from the point of view that I think he thinks a lot of the thoughts that I come across today in people who've seen a bit of life and who have been "mugged by reality" when it comes to many aspects of the spirituality and religiosity we were brought up on. At another level he's far from ordinary. There are few lay people around this nation who would have put in the 25 year full-time commitment that Ted and his wife, Ada, have put in furthering a valuable initiative in adult faith development like this. Enjoy — the video lasts about 5 minutes and I've broken the 50 minute audio interview into segments of about ten minutes duration. Brian Coyne, Editor and Publisher <more>

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

Brian Coyne
Editor and Publisher