229 :
21 Apr 2012

The mythological aspect of life and belief XIII Tom McMahon's magic carpet takes us sweeping back across the Atlantic today to the Aztec Civilisation of Central America. At the end of his commentary we pose the question: how much does this increasing study of other religions in society today threaten Catholic hegemony to be the only true religion? [more]

227 :
09 Apr 2012

What does it mean to be "a person"? After reading this commentary from Tom McMahon you might well ask if the present problems institutional Catholicism is facing stem not so much from the requirement for celibacy in their priesthood and their incapacity to deal with the questions of human sexuality but the emasculation of personhood that being a priest has traditionally entailed? This is raw stuff and personal but it's not only a commentary for priests but for all of us. What does it actually mean to be "a person"? [more]

227 :
09 Apr 2012

The servant-priesthood model of Jesus... One of the questions and conversation topics constantly bubbling on Catholica is this question of the nature of priesthood. Many educated lay-people today question the role and type of priesthood we need in society and many still in, and departed from, formal roles as priests are mulling the question. Perhaps one of the few places where questions on this topic are not asked is in the upper realms of the hierarchy — perhaps out of a belief that they think they already know the answer, and it is an ancient answer. Tom McMahon is an advocate for a new, possibly very ancient model of priesthood — one modelled on none other than Jesus himself and his first followers rather than the triumphalism, formalism and legalism of a post-Constantinian Church. That's essentially the theme of today's commentary with links to many other articles that Tom points to as also pointing to a new conception of the role of priesthood in our age of technology. [more]

226 :
07 Apr 2012

The mythological aspect of life and belief XII Finally Tom McMahon's magic carpet ride through ancient mythology brings us to the Trevi Fountain. Apart from the humorous anecdote in this last paragraph of his own experience at the fountain in 1967 leading a group of 16 and 17 year olds, it's not so much a commentary on the Trevi Fountain but on the influence of the Roman Emperor Julian the Apostate on helping form the beliefs we hold today. [more]

225 :
02 May 2012

Pondering the process of redemption and rejuvenation... Tom McMahon in this commentary is a little more self-reflective wondering if he tests us, his readers, a little too much with the radical ideas he puts on the table for reflection? In answering his own question he concludes "no" and one suspects most of you might agree given the mounting evidence of dysfunction in the institutional Church. He ponders the process of redemption and rejuvenation as we continue the search for the authentic Jesus in our lives. [more]

224 :
29 Apr 2012

The mythological aspect of life and belief XI We're back on track in our magic carpet ride with Tom McMahon today. However he's decided to fly-over the Trevi Fountain in Roma and head straight to Istanbul or Constantinople on the track of where we Christians came up with the difficult notion of a Trinitarian God. [more]

223 :
25 Apr 2012

What comes after Christianity? The seeming disjointedness of Tom McMahon's magic carpet ride last Sunday in his mini-commentary [LINK] suddenly jumping to the site of the Titanic's sinking in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean is explained by this commentary that went missing from the previous Wednesday when Tom seemed to go AWOL. He was in fact back in San Jose attending a lecture by a Professor Thomas Sheehan entitled "What Comes After Christianity?". Tom McMahon took some notes during the lectures and shares them with us today. This will give you new perspectives on how Jesus thought of himself. [more]

222 :
22 Apr 2012

The mythological aspect of life and belief X Tom McMahon went AWOL during the week and it seems he returned from Roma where his last mini-commentary was based for a brief sojourn back home in San Jose, California. Today we find him on his magic carpet flying back to the Trevi Fountain in Rome but overflying the wreck of the Titanic which has been so much in the news in recent days because of the centenary of her sinking. [more]

221 :
15 Apr 2012

The mythological aspect of life and belief IX Tom McMahon takes us to Roma today. It's a city with much to tell us about the origins of religion, mythology and humankind's evolving understanding of the Divine. [more]

220 :
11 Apr 2012

It's a wonderful world... A bit of a break today as Tom McMahon gives us a shorter and very homely reflection in keeping with the Easter season. We all needs hugs in our lives and perhaps that is the chief lesson from this reflection. [more]

219 :
08 Apr 2012

The mythological aspect of life and belief VIII In his mini-commentary today, Tom McMahon remains in Ancient Greece, today at the Temple of Apollo in Delphi pondering what contributions the Greeks made to our pictures and ideas about divinity and the roles of the gods in human affairs. We see where symbols and ideas from this ancient time are embedded in modern life and thought today. [more]

218 :
05 Apr 2012

An increasingly marooned and isolated priesthood: Part 3... Here again is Tom McMahon's own introduction to this series: "This commentary is born of sources of information that I have experienced within the past week. I will combine five ideas as a continuation of the past commentaries on two forms of priesthood, Jesus servant type and 1500's liturgical Council of Trent sacramental priest. These new/old themes constitute a cultural revolution that never took place. In this series we will look at Fr. Bill Lenane's recent funeral; a review of Irish priest Eamonn Fitzgibbon's PAINTED INTO A CORNER, found in the October 2011 edition of The Furrow [LINK]; my reflection on Dr. John N Collins' THE FUTURE OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH – THE FUTURE OF THE PRIESTHOOD [LINK]; spotty re-reading of Hoge and Schoenher's text books; and a re-read of the Document on Priesthood from Vatican Two. All five are high energy considerations. All five co-mingle and will be worked into this forthcoming series. I intend to circulate these commentaries among local Roman clergy and peers of my seminary and priestly days, hoping for feedback." [more]

217 :
01 Apr 2012

The mythological aspect of life and belief VII In his mini-commentary today, Tom McMahon remains in Ancient Greece pondering what contributions the Greeks made to our pictures and ideas about divinity and the roles of the gods in human affairs. In so many ways the gods seem to be expressions of our human emotions: the idealised "perfect" human and the angry, vengeful, jealous or negative side of our psychology. [more]

216 :
28 Mar 2012

An increasingly marooned and isolated priesthood: Part 2... Here again is Tom McMahon's own introduction to this series: "This commentary is born of sources of information that I have experienced within the past week. I will combine five ideas as a continuation of the past commentaries on two forms of priesthood, Jesus servant type and 1500's liturgical Council of Trent sacramental priest. These new/old themes constitute a cultural revolution that never took place. In this series we will look at Fr. Bill Lenane's recent funeral; a review of Irish priest Eamonn Fitzgibbon's PAINTED INTO A CORNER, found in the October 2011 edition of The Furrow [LINK]; my reflection on Dr. John N Collins' THE FUTURE OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH – THE FUTURE OF THE PRIESTHOOD [LINK]; spotty re-reading of Hoge and Schoenher's text books; and a re-read of the Document on Priesthood from Vatican Two. All five are high energy considerations. All five co-mingle and will be worked into this forthcoming series. I intend to circulate these commentaries among local Roman clergy and peers of my seminary and priestly days, hoping for feedback." [more]

215 :
25 Mar 2012

The mythological aspect of life and belief VI In this mini-commentary today, Tom McMahon takes us on his virtual magic carpet ride to the Temples of the Acropolis in Ancient Greece. What part did they play in the evolution of religion? [more]

214 :
21 Mar 2012

An increasingly marooned and isolated priesthood: Part 2... Tom McMahon provides his own introduction to this new series: "This commentary is born of sources of information that I have experienced within the past week. I will combine five ideas as a continuation of the past commentaries on two forms of priesthood, Jesus servant type and 1500's liturgical Council of Trent sacramental priest. These new/old themes constitute a cultural revolution that never took place. In this series we will look at Fr. Bill Lenane's recent funeral; a review of Irish priest Eamonn Fitzgibbon's PAINTED INTO A CORNER, found in the October 2011 edition of The Furrow [LINK]; my reflection on Dr. John N Collins' THE FUTURE OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH – THE FUTURE OF THE PRIESTHOOD [LINK]; spotty re-reading of Hoge and Schoenher's text books; and a re-read of the Document on Priesthood from Vatican Two. All five are high energy considerations. All five co-mingle and will be worked into this forthcoming series. I intend to circulate these commentaries among local Roman clergy and peers of my seminary and priestly days, hoping for feedback." [more]

213 :
11 Mar 2012

The mythological aspect of life and belief V We've drawn attention on Catholica recently to a documentary series that's been screening on television in Australia in recent weeks called "The Code". Yesterday on the forum we viewed a beautiful animation on the Fibonacci Numbers [LINK]. In this mini-commentary today, Tom McMahon is also into the fascination with numbers — this time concerning their association with religion. [more]

212 :
07 Mar 2012

Two Models of Priesthood V Tom McMahon is in fine mettle today with this commentary which draws on the wisdom of a number of other writers who have been researching the changing nature of priesthood in recent decades. As he suggests in the commentary it is doubtful that those who presently control the institutional agenda are even aware of this research or the changing perceptions opening up in the wider community. [more]

211 :
29 Feb 2012

Two Models of Priesthood IV Tom McMahon in now what is an extended series looking at two models of priesthood today fills in another "hole" he felt was missing from his previous commentaries. The Council of Trent certainly went a long way to shaping the ideas we have about priesthood today — and the ideas that priests themselves have of their roles in society. Has the world moved past this model? Are collectively searching for a new understanding of the role of the priest in our contemporary world? [more]

210 :
26 Feb 2012

The mythological aspect of life and belief IV In this fourth part of a new series of mini-commentaries Tom McMahon takes us to the religious beliefs in Ancient Egypt. The essential issue he examines are religious notions that we also find much later in history in the Jesus' story. [more]

209 :
22 Feb 2012

Two Models of Priesthood III Over the last two Wednesday commentaries Tom McMahon has been looking at these two models of priesthood. Today was going to be some kind of conclusion but on reading back through his previous commentaries Tom felt there was a "hole" in what he'd written so today he gives what is effectively a chronological exposition as to how we got to the model of priesthood that seems favoured by the institutional leadership today. [more]

208 :
19 Feb 2012

The mythological aspect of life and belief III In this third part of a new series of mini-commentaries Tom McMahon takes us to Mount Olympus for an all-too brief look at the Ancient Greek Deities. Tom's commentary might be "mini" but the links we provide to National Geographic, Wikipedia and other sites could occupy your for days. Way back in the mists of human history what are the origins of this human need for gods? When humans first started thinking about gods, what were the images and ideas they had? [more]

207 :
15 Feb 2012

Two Models of Priesthood II From whence did these two models of priesthood emerge — the Trentan "liturgical/sacrament-dispensing priesthood"; and the Vatican II/First Century/Twentieth Century "Jesus' servant'priesthood"? That's essentially what Tom McMahon explores in this second part of this series. Today's commentary is also a useful refresher in some recent world, and ecclesial, history with plenty of fascinating links to further exploration in Wikipedia and other places. [more]

206 :
13 Feb 2012

The mythological aspect of life and belief II In this second in a new series of mini-commentaries Tom McMahon today invites us to think of the spiritual world view held by American Indians and Ancient Egyptians. His series is partly inspired by the National Geographic book, "Essential Visual History of World Mythology" and he begins today with a further explanation about what he hopes to achieve via this exploration. [more]

205 :
05 Feb 2012

The mythological aspect of life and belief I Tom McMahon has proposed a new series of mini-commentaries this year, which we propose to run on Sundays. Drawing from the National Geographic book, "Essential Visual History of World Mythology", Tom describes these commentaries as "an experiment that the little boy from 15th Street who happened to become a Catholic priest will offer weekly during the coming months of the year 2012. The issue of religion is humanly complex found in verbal traditions and written texts. Hopefully this series will shed light on the historical human adventure into the realm of the Divine Mystery. All information herein is offered in condensed form, allowing the reader to go into further investigation." [more]

204 :
01 Feb 2012

Two Models of Priesthood I By way of his own introduction Tom McMahon writes: The following was first written back at the beginning of January while I was unaware Brian was not going to publish any commentaries until February. I used January to read and in particular to study the entirety of Fr. Peter Dresser's GOD IS BIG, to clean up the mess in my "den of thieves" in preparation for the February visit of Marilyn and John Chuchman, to play with our grandchildren despite a torn left meniscus, and to touch up the following... [more]

203 :
28 Dec 2011

The question that confronts us all at some stage? Tom McMahon spent a couple of days iced in at his chalet at Soda Springs in the High Sierra Mountains. It led to him pondering how the family traditions centred around Christmas will be celebrated by future generations and also that big question we'll all face at some stage of our lives: "Have you used your life well?" [more]

202 :
21 Dec 2011

The Liberation of the Laity... A lot has changed in our human perspectives since Tom McMahon was ordained as a priest in 1954. In today's commentary he reflects on some of those changes — changes in the perception of the role of the priesthood and the role of the laity. He argues the rise of a more questioning and assertive laity continues to be a slow and patient endeavour. [more]

201 :
14 Dec 2011

Priestliness: what does it mean today? What do we mean by the term "priest" today? That's the question at the heart of what Tom McMahon explores in this commentary today. Has the meaning of priesthood changed down through time? When we use the term "priest" does it conjure up different images in the minds of different people? [more]