Tom McMahon offers a response to the editorial I posted last Saturday to open this year's series of commentaries. He opines: "Few will hear a cathedral pulpit's message — the internet is the only way for modern humankind to go."

Thoughts on Brian Coyne's New Year's editorial '09

Bring out the big fire hoses; we have a ten-alarm blaze emanating from Australia. Hold the presses and take care of the immediate. Brian writes long and strong and it seems to me with an aching heart [Link to last week's editorial]. I printed out and made notes upon which I make my critique. Remember reader that the word critic or critique carries no negativity only another way of reading or looking at what Brian offers. I would ask that Brian run my response on open commentary not just in FORUM. Brian please don't comment on this; just let it stand on its own. I hope readers can see the compliment I mean to offer to you.

When Brian and Mily, along with the support of others I am sure, first came upon the concept of Catholica they threw out the first lifeline of hope to a struggle people who saw abandoning the Bark of Peter as a means of survival and sanity. A comparison to the sinking of the Titanic is in order; the Unsinkable has been severely damaged, there are not enough lifeboats aboard, and confusion accompanies panic as the ship's doom becomes inevitable. Some calm heads take hundreds to the lifeboats who will live to tell of the tragic ordeal. John the 23rd's Vatican Two flashed warnings of the need for a change of spiritual course, yet an old guard held the tiller, full speed ahead onto the shoals of medieval theology and the ship of institutional church has floundered. Catholica is one of the first people orientated providers of salvation. Central Control, aka Brian and company, are a positive voice in a fast-dying European based family system of religion. Catholica has Jesus in its lifeboats and his voice is being heard as he calms the waters. Brian calls for hopefulness and hope has been with this project from the very beginning.

Hans Urs von Balthasar

Conservative theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar says no individual can call himself a Christian, only one outside can put that compliment on another. I stand outside and I offer plaudits to Brian and all for the Christian lifeline of hope that continually plays out in Catholica.

To the text and often line-by-line, Brian, Romanisim is being exposed as going back wards. Don't bother to try to turn it around as it is dying of it own lack of energy. Yes, our children and grandchildren will never know the old church that was plodding along before Vatican Two. We need not struggle to inform them of the past; ours is the task of ferreting out the old messages of doom, sin, and negativity for ourselves; we can show them how we enjoy life, one another, and continue to make the world a better safer place. It is to the glory of the Creator that we live meaningfully in the world that is the Creator's gift. Much work lies ahead, such as achievement of world peace, yet that will not take place until I am at peace with myself and my neighbor.

Brian, you say "there seems to be a total lack of hope that the institutional church can recover a place of relevance in the world or in the lives of most people". I see through Catholica a human outreach to human beings in Africa, Australia, North and South America, Asia, bringing relevance to the world and many people. REJOICE! There is no room in Christianity for sadness for the work of the historical Jesus is being carried worldwide …. HE HAS RISEN! …… Few will hear a cathedral pulpit's message — the internet is the only way for modern humankind to go. Therapist Stanley Keleman teaches that all new life comes from the destruction of the old, nature's way.

Brian, the rest of your message is the hard work of getting the message into the eye and ear of those who are out there, those who may count so hopefully in the power of money, power, or trivial pastimes. Ours is the duty to sell, quietly and by example, the way of Jesus, the Master of love of neighbor and love of God. Yes, we have a world of confusion, wars, and disappointments; if I have inner peace and keep working away at converting myself I am confident that I will attract others to listen to the GOOD NEWS. We have much work to do and this is best done in community. Brian, you call for hope and for us to be beacons of hopefulness and I see you already there; I encourage you to trust we are seeing the message and together working for our own personal salvation and that of others. I find it so simple to say to someone that I am grateful to a God of love who has given me such fine gifts, life and all creation. We will change and re-create an institutional church by the personal revolution of each person into being a humble contributor to the betterment of others and the planet. The new kingdom of God will not look like the old medieval one.

Brian, I suspect that during your week off your mind never left Catholica … big mistake! You are too powerful and influential to get worn out. As your "confessor from afar" I recommend as your penance for your sinfulness that you take a day off a week, taking walks and exercise daily, and love Mily mightily, as you obviously love the world and us. Brian, I'll bet you had parents who were full of love.

Tom, who looks forward to meeting the folks down under later this year. 10/01/2009

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