100 :
28 Oct 2009

The Psychology of Priesthood #17 As Tom McMahon perceptively writes, it is difficult writing about our personal experiences of sexuality especially on the internet. Society perhaps needs more authentic (honest), public discussion of this subject from people who do not carry all the baggage we "Catholics" carry. Vatican Two, Tom argues, was a plea to look at life as a mature adult but the "octagenarian Vatican Cardinals" fear "the camel's nose under the tent"! [more]

099 :
21 Oct 2009

The Psychology of Priesthood #16 It is surely a myth that bishops and priests are not subjected to the same sexual urges and temptations as the rest of mankind? For a long, long time society has seemed to believe in such a myth. Tom McMahon's provocative commentary today cuts to the bone of this myth. He provides an "inside perspective" of his own journey to satisfy his curiosities as a young, sexually naive young priest discovering the masculine sexual urges. [more]

098 :
14 Oct 2009

The Psychology of Priesthood #15 Tom McMahon opens his commentary today suggesting he's "getting 'down and dirty'". He is. This is a brutally raw commentary — venturing into a territory that there have been enormous social taboos against discussing. Perhaps it is the case of Bishop Raymond Lahey of Nova Scotia that may further break down the taboos against discussing the sexual and emotional needs of priests? [more]

097 :
07 Oct 2009

The Psychology of Priesthood #14 Tom McMahon might have sounded a bit frustrated at the beginning of last week's commentary but he has brightened up considerably this week. Intrepidly, he's still on the case of seeking to understand how the psyche of the priesthood developed historically? How related is the psyche of the modern priest to the psyche of Jesus Christ? [more]

096 :
30 Sep 2009

The Psychology of Priesthood #13 Tom McMahon sounds a bit frustrated at the beginning of today's commentary. He picked up Karen Armstrong's book on the Crusades hoping that it might shed light on the insights he was seeking. Evidently it turned out to be a disappointment so he has begun searching elsewhere for the particular information he's after in this extended exploration of how civilisation, the priests themselves, developed the psyche of priesthood that has been so familiar in our day — and which seems to be losing its tarnish. [more]

095 :
25 Sep 2009

The Psychology of Priesthood #12 Tom McMahon's commentary today you'll find sits very comfortably with the theme Ian Elmer was exploring yesterday about the style employed by Jesus. Did Jesus comes to bring peace via the sword? Or does Jesus offer another route: peace by justice? [more]

094 :
16 Sep 2009

The Psychology of Priesthood #11 Where do we find a priesthood that can again lead the people spiritually? Most people in the Western world have abandoned the practice of their religion and stopped listening to the Church hierarchs. Tom McMahon today continues his exploration of what went wrong with the idea of priesthood. His commentaries might seem negative but, at heart, his is part of the search to find the new form of priesthood and spiritual leadership that does respond both to the call of the Spirit and the Sensus Fidelium of where the Spirit is calling the world. [more]

093 :
11 Sep 2009

The Psychology of Priesthood #10 Tom McMahon in his commentary today returns to the central themes of this series seeking to explore the psychology of priesthood down through the ages. Surprisingly perhaps, his commentary today begins with a set of admonitions given centuries ago to the pagan priests of the Roman Empire. [more]

092 :
02 Sep 2009

The Psychology of Priesthood #9 Today's commentary from Tom McMahon is still very much centred around the funeral and good-byes to his seminary classmate, John Monagle. Tom wrote this the day after the funeral and one can almost see him fighting his demons through the words on the page. But what is the cause of his angst? Self-evidently this man is still in love with Jesus — or what Jesus offers to the world. He, and many of his colleagues 'signed on', in quite special ways as 'priests', to spread the good news. Somewhere along the way the scales fell from his eyes, as they have for many, and he started asking where the vision of Jesus parts company with the institutional vision? The death of his friend and colleague leads to some questioning of the ultimate objective: Where is paradise? What does resurrection really mean? [more]

091 :
26 Aug 2009

The Psychology of Priesthood #8 At the end of today's reflection Tom McMahon apologises for venting. It's a nostalgic form of venting though brought on by the death of another friend from seminary days. So many of the faithful seem to just roll their eyes into the backs of their heads and forget to turn up next Sunday. Catholica seeks to reach out to those who pause awhile and ask "why has it all become so irrelevant in the lives of so many (or me)?" Essentially that's the question Tom McMahon is also trying to address... [more]

090 :
19 Aug 2009

A tribute to two priests! As telegraphed last week, Tom McMahon provides us with an interlude to his exploration of the psychology of priesthood by today bringing us an essay he wrote ten years ago paying tribute to a man and woman, Msgr James Wade, and Margo Schorno, whom Tom considers exhibited the very best qualities of what any priest — and person — ought witness through their lives. [more]

089 :
12 Aug 2009

The Psychology of Priesthood #7 Priesthood, like many aspects of Catholicism, had a long evolution. It did not 'come into being fully formed' by some edict of Jesus. It evolved over two millenia. Tom McMahon suggests that the form of priesthood we have known in recent history basically came into being with the Council of Trent in 1542 and the seminary system in the 17th Century. What were the forces that formed this particular model? Was it something inspired by the Holy Spirit or something driven more by human forces? Where do the needs of the female half of the population fit in? Tom continues his search for answers... [more]

088 :
05 Aug 2009

The Psychology of Priesthood #6 Tom McMahon today argues that we still understand little of the psychology of priesthood — those deep imperatives that 'drive the system' relentlessly on — even though the system is nearly 1800 years old. What drives the minds of bishops and priests? What do they believe they are trying to achieve? What do they think the religio-spiritual objective is? Have some of them ever stopped to ask questions like this or are they just 'driven' by this ancient feudal system that has evolved? [more]

087 :
29 Jul 2009

The Psychology of Priesthood #5 In the past week and on different sides of the Pacific Tom McMahon and the editor have attended funerals. Tom left the funeral he attended with feelings of anger which triggered the thoughts he shares in today's commentary. Why does the institution foist on the people priests who are little more than magicians who confect the Eucharist and not spiritual pastors and guides for their people? The editor shared his thoughts on the funeral he attended in the forum. [more]

086 :
22 Jul 2009

The Psychology of Priesthood #4 Tom McMahon, still recovering from his recent stroke, shows in today's commentary that the fight has not yet left the man. While critical of the feudal system that so many today are rejecting, Tom urges us to search for the alternative that does take us to the real Spirit of Jesus. [more]

085 :
15 Jul 2009

The Psychology of Priesthood #3 Tom McMahon provided this personal update on his health and introduction to today's commentary: "A personal to my readers: Since my June 30th stroke I have tested myself as to what damage still remains. Can I still think clearly? Today's medical examination offers that all symptoms will pass away. I do tire. I am driven to pursue the connection from early Roman psychology to the present day clerical sexual abuse and its cover up. The following is my fourth revision of an original paper and I can see a need for more, nature willing. Readers be patient as I need be with myself; every day I glean more information in talking with others that helps complete the mosaic. We are at a point of history bigger than the revolt of Martin Luther and we need proceed with painstaking care. We are on the trail of an elusive psychological link in the haystack of 1700 years of history. I do appreciate feedback as to my clarity and your understanding." [more]

084 :
08 Jul 2009

The Psychology of Priesthood #2 Tom McMahon wrote today's commentary before he suffered the stroke late last week that is now keeping him laid low. Not too low though that he hasn't made a few small forays onto discussion forums that we both follow. He is taking things slow though and forewarns there may be delays in this series examining the psychology of priesthood. He entitled today's commentary "The Psychology of Priests #2 — the outsider looks back in". [more]

083 :
01 Jul 2009

Tom's Apologia #1 A big topic over the coming year is going to be the subject of priesthood. Pope Benedict in part acknowledges this in calling for a Year of the Priest to try and rescue the tarnished image of priesthood. Others though are suggesting it is not time for any more pr exercises but for a frank re-examination of the entire notion of priesthood and what role the priest plays in modern society. Tom McMahon is one of them. Today he begins a new series. [more]

082 :
24 Jun 2009

Reporting on his Aussie Pigrimage #4 Tom McMahon continues his impressions of Australia and the people he met on his journey. Today he shares some of his observations of similarities and differences between the United States and Australia. [more]

081 :
17 Jun 2009

Reporting on his Aussie Pigrimage #3 Today Tom McMahon's commentary is more about sharing some of his impressions of Australia, and the people he met — all synthesised, of course, through the spiritual lens that largely underpinned his pilgrimage to the Great South Land of the Holy Spirit. Talk about not being able to take the spirit out of a priest — this is one man who didn't give up his vocation when his priestly faculties were removed. [more]

080 :
10 Jun 2009

Reporting on his Aussie Odyssey #2 Today Tom McMahon is pondering the d and m's of what sparked his desire to undertake an Aussie Odyssey. He claims he came fishing. We're a skeptical mob down here though when people start banging on about the deep and meaningfuls. One thing shine through though: while they might have taken the title of priest away from Tom they weren't able to knock the vocation of priestly service out of him. [more]

079 :
03 Jun 2009

The masks we hide behind... Amongst the many fascinating conversations we had at Carcoar a few weeks ago with Tom McMahon was one on the ways in which we mask our true nature. For his commentary today Tom expands on that conversation. It is the first of two commentaries he intends to bring us as a sort of "report" on his Aussie Odyssey. [more]

078 :
27 May 2009

Letters to My Children #5 You could be forgiven for thinking today's lead commentary might have been written yesterday in the wake of the latest disquieting news rocking Catholicism.In fact Tom McMahon wrote this back in 2002. It's the fourth in his occasional series of Letters to his children. It's optimistic though: Despite all the gloomy news, how do we reclaim Jesus' Kingdom on Earth? [more]

077 :
20 May 2009

Letters to My Children #4 Tom McMahon is now safely home in San Jose after his Aussie Odyssey — and he'll no doubt have a report on that in due course. In the meantime here's the fourth in his occasional series of Letters to his children. [more]

076 :
13 May 2009

Letters to My Children #3 For the next few weeks, while Tom McMahon continues his Aussie Odyssey he shares with us some of the letters he wrote some years ago, broadly addressed to his children, seeking to give an account of his life odyssey. Today's letter was written in June 2002. [more]

075 :
06 May 2009

Women – a high priority sacrament? Here's a commentary from Tom McMahon that's sure to attract a huge readership. He's looking at the mystery of the female — the problems they've posed for celibate men — what women mean for the future church. And he's also talking about sex and sport. You couldn't get a better collection of topics that polite people ought not talk about in public. [more]

074 :
29 Apr 2009

Learning from past mistakes... Tom McMahon argues today: "the period following the sexual revolution of the 1960's shattered ties with the Victorian era while offering a dismal aftermath of broken marriages and dysfunctional families; we seem to have failed to hit the jack pot of those who live happily ever after ... Jesus would come ready to work with the ever present human potential, not demanding perfection." [more]

073 :
22 Apr 2009

Camelot and the revolt against Victoria... Tom McMahon continues his provocative exploration of the evolution of the institution of marriage as perceived by the ordinary person in society, the ordinary person in the church, and those who acted as God's spokespersons within the Church. In recent days in Australia we've learned that even fewer people now are seeking nuptials in a religious ceremony. Is the Church's grip on the lives of ordinary people weakening? [more]

072 :
15 Apr 2009

Is marriage just about property and procreation? Where does love fit in? Historically, marriage seems to have been more to do with property and procreation than about love, sexuality and human relationship. Tom McMahon today looks at the changes taking place in society today in our societal attitudes towards marriage. The issue of same-sex unions is where the changing perceptions and tensions have been brought to a new focus. Is the institutional Church interested in the search for ultimate truth (what is God's intention)? Or in not upsetting "the little people", challenging the comforting social mores and shibboleths that have developed over time, and preserving the controls it acquired over human relationships? [more]

071 :
08 Apr 2009

The Middle Ages (cont'd)… Is there anybody in society who would not argue that the long-term stability of marriages is not a cornerstone of wider societal stability? Do any people seriously enter into a relationship with a hope that it will be temporary and short term? These are the bigger questions that lie behind this exploration of marriage that Tom McMahon is exploring in these series of commentaries. The reality is that throughout history the relationship between the sexes has posed challenges both at the societal level and the personal level. In today's commentary, Tom continues his exploration of attitudes to marriage in the MIddle Ages — as he puts it: "we tip toe thru the wilted tulips of the Middle Ages". [more]

070 :
01 Apr 2009

The Middle Ages… The reality is societal attitudes change to many things as time unwinds and our knowledge changes. In today's commentary Tom McMahon is looking at how people looked upon marriage in the Middle Ages — and the changing attitudes within the clerical and monastic classes which were driven perhaps more from their own self-interests than any concern for the married. This is only an introduction to a period which Tom sees as crucial in forming attitudes that we still carry less as a heritage and more as a legacy today. [more]

069 :
25 Mar 2009

WARNING: Don't read this commentary if you are afraid of having some of your most dearly-held and sacred beliefs challenged.

In search of the florist who sold the lillies to St Joseph! Tom McMahon is one commentator not afraid to confront the most cherished cliches, and the deepest held ideas contained in our mythologies and credal belief statements. To introduce today's commentary he writes: "We polar down Nazareth way, trying to find the florist shop that sold lilies to Joseph; we leave the Bronze Age, now using texts that circle the life of Jesus. We are on the trail of how ancients used the terms marriage and wife … the man in Joseph is out!" [more]

068 :
20 Mar 2009

Marriage at the time of Abrahama and the Bronze Age: As Tom McMahon suggested last week — and I think today's commentary reflects that. Our Tom is a brave man though — brave enough to ask some of the questions that are on everybody's lips but which are largely unvoiced because of various kinds of social or religious taboos. Today he's endeavouring to not so much answer questions but raise questions in the mind of the reader. What were the attitudes to marriage — and to women — six thousand years ago, long before anyone had heard the name Jesus Christ? What do we know of what women themselves thought in those earlier epochs of history? [more]

067 :
11 Mar 2009

Marriage – Intro and Part I: What a feast we have coming up on Wednesdays? Today Tom McMahon dips his timid toe in the water of that place where even angels might fear to swim — the relationship between men and women, the meaning of sexuality, sexual morality, marriage — and the meaning of all these things in a religious or sacramental context in today's milieu. After much reflection over recent months, Tom has decided to carve the subject up into eight historical epochs and examine how our ideas of marriage evolved down through time. [more]

066 :
04 Mar 2009

Letters to My Children #2 Today Tom McMahon shares with us another of his letters written for his children and the archives. This one was written ten years ago in 1999 and is a pretty frank overview of his time as a priest and what led to his disillusion with clericalism and the institution. [more]

065 :
25 Feb 2009

Penance – A final overview: A few week's ago a number of people requested Tom McMahon provide an overview article on Penance following his recent series on the subject. In today's lead commentary Tom provides that overview. It is a commentary that will provoke considerable reader interest from a number of points of view: firstly it provides a good overview of the history and links to further interesting reading. He urges that whatever kind of Christian or Catholic communities emerge in the future undertake a major re-think of the mercy and forgiveness modelled by Jesus. [more]

064 :
18 Feb 2009

Letter 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]

063 :
11 Feb 2009

Penance – Part 4 Today on Catholica Tom McMahon concludes his series of commentaries on the Sacrament of Penance. He'd penned this commentary before I posed the question last week "A question for the psychologist in Tom McMahon..." — it's now on page 3 of our forum and he's obviously missed it such is the pace of discussion at the moment — so I'll endeavour to get him to respond to that question in coming days in the forum. Does this sacrament still have value? If so how might it be reformed, or if it has been already reformed enough, how might it be better promoted or encouraged? [more]

062 :
04 Feb 2009

Penance – Part 3 Yesterday on Catholica Andrew Kania brought us a provocative commentary on what amounted to a strong argument in favour of the importance of Reconciliation. Today on Catholica Tom McMahon continues his series on the Sacrament of Penance with an exclusive revelation of the first "sin" he confessed in Confession. It's lain as a secret for 73 years. Be one of the first to read the momentous revelation. Can you remember what the first "sin" was that you confessed? Many readers will identify with what Tom writes. Does the form of "Confession" we were brought up on actually lead to the sort of "Reconciliation" that was being discussed in yesterday's email and lead commentary. Is it, for example, a protection against dementia? [more]

061 :
17 Jan 2009

Reasons for Hope! 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." [more]

060 :
28 Dec 2008

Penance – Part 2 Tom McMahon entitled today's reflection a "walk through the graveyard". Surely, of all the Sacraments, the one in most urgent need of a re-think is the Sacrament of Confession? One suspects the drop off in participation in this Sacrament has been the greatest of all. The people have spoken. Tom shares some observations of priests going to confession in the 1960s. We might wonder if the priestly participation rate in this Sacrament has dropped off in line with the drop in lay participation? [more]

059 :
21 Dec 2008

Merry Christmas from a converted Scrooge in San Jose! Tom McMahon asked me to hold the commentary he'd already written on penance for this Sunday 'cos "'tis the season to be jolly". In its place he sent through a second commentary more in keeping with the Spirit of the Season. He bases much of this commentary around an article in America Magazine on the Christianity of Charles Dickens by Michael Timko. Between Michael Timko and Tom McMahon you'll find much worth reflecting on and getting jolly about in preparation for Christmas… [more]

058 :
14 Dec 2008

Penance – Part 1 Tom McMahon today begins what he predicts will be a three or four part sub-series looking at the Sacrament of Penance. He suggested we title this sub-series "As the people grow up…" and we've taken up his suggestion. As he suggests, we're in for some humorous anecdotes as well as some serious reflection… [more]

057 :
07 Dec 2008

Barren desert … uprooted feeling … a confession! Tom McMahon start off his commentary today providing a further insight into his own outlook and life post the clerical priesthood. He argues: "I feel a strong duty, that commission given to me at ordination in 1954, to direct people to think as Jesus would think." In his final exploration on the sacrament of marriage in this series he argues that in light of the greatly increased prevalence of divorce "to survive the institution needs to take a living interest in its divorced population". [more]

056 :
30 Nov 2008

The gauntlet ... a review ... "the good old days" Tom McMahon responds today to a question the editor put to him a couple of weeks ago. He argues signs and ritual are important but only if they have meaning. The sacraments of Trent have lost their meaning to most of the population today. He writes "every generation writes its own response to Jesus … its own gospel". [more]

053 :
09 Nov 2008

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]

054 :
09 Nov 2008

A reflection on the US election result? Further to Tom McMahon's recent mini-commentaries on the US Presidential Election contest, he has sent us this short post-election reflection penned the morning after the result was announced. [more]

053 :
09 Nov 2008

Who is on which train? In this imaginative scenario Tom McMahon is picturing the Roman Catholic Church today as two trains stuck on two different tracks. Essentially neither of them are going anywhere at the moment. One has the potential to go somewhere but ahead of the other only lies a set of twisted tracks. He takes a look inside the carriages of each train today to see who is aboard each train. [more]

052 :
02 Nov 2008

Is the priesthood as we've known it obsolete? In his last commentary on the meaning of Sacraments today, Tom McMahon asked us to imagine two railroad trains of thought side-by-side, one on a switch track and the other on what used to be the Trentan mainline. He dared to say the Trent-line's tracks are today somewhat twisted. He continues the analogy today and asks: who's on board which train? Can you find the hidden messages? [more]