023 :
08 Jul 2010

What would Mary make of it all? One picks up a growing discomfort in the Australian community over the growing commercialisation surrounding the canonisation of Australia's first saint. The picture being portrayed would seem to be a long way removed from everything that Mary MacKillop stood to represent. Fr Dan Donovan was upset to receive some posters in the mail that he feels takes us away from the spirit of what Mary MacKillop represents. [more]

022 :
03 Jul 2010

Where things seem to be heading now... This is the final part of a series of essays by Fr Dan Donovan examining where the Church seems to have lost its way in the modern world. What he writes today explores how the dialogue between the Anglican and Catholic churches seems to have been skewed in the pontificates and John Paul II and Benedict XVI. [more]

021 :
02 Jul 2010

The New Translation of the Mass: what will it achieve? In this second of a series of essays, Fr Dan Donovan begins his exploration of the game that is being played with changes to the English Mass text and the overtures being made to conservative Anglicans. It's almost two commentaries in one as the footnotes are as informative as the commentary itself. [more]

020 :
01 Jul 2010

The changing order of things in our world! For the next three days we present a connected series of essays by Fr Dan Donovanexploring the significant global challenges facing the institutional Church at the moment. Today, Dan looks at the changing picture of global economics and trade and the implications that has for the mission of the Church in the world. Tomorrow he asks whether the priority of putting an emphasis on a new translation of the Mass is a response to the crises facing the Church or some kind of distraction? On Saturday he explores whether the initiative to invite back conservative Anglicans is a useful way to go in replacing the many who have given up regular practice in the Catholic Church? [more]

019 :
30 Apr 2010

Rethinking Catholic attitudes to Women! Today it is a pleasure to present a thought-provoking commentary from Fr Dan Donovan. The central focus of his essay is directing to getting us to collectively re-think our attitude to women in light of the Gospels and the example provided by Jesus. It also contains some thought-provoking ideas on other things such as how our Church might have looked if we only had the Gospel of Mark? And more contemporary issues about how the Church funds itself? [more]

018 :
11 Dec 2009

Thank God for the Women Religious who embraced Vatican II! The resistance the Vatican is experiencing to its attempts to pull the religious women of the United States back into its conservative line has been generating headlines in even the secular press. Fr Dan Donovan argues: "the Catholic world must stand in solidarity with these women who now find themselves the butt of a latter day inquisition". [more]

017 :
27 Nov 2009

Is the cadaver trial of Pope Formosus in 897 a metaphor for the choices facing the church today? This is probably the most powerful and compelling commentary we have yet published on Catholica. You'll more than probably learn things about our history from Fr Daniel Donovan that you never knew. I think even the more liberal and progressive members of the Church will be awestruck and I hate to think how the more conservative members of the institution are going to react. Mark my words, "they will attempt to react to this one for sure" either against Fr Dan or against Catholica. Leave all that aside for a moment and just ask yourself "how do I react?" We would love to hear your reactions on the forums of Catholica. Which model of Church of the two presented here do you believe offers you salvation, meaning and the "peace which surpasses all human understanding" offered by Jesus Christ? ...Brian Coyne, Editor [more]

016 :
27 Oct 2009

What sort of priests can make the Jesus' message "sing" in society's heart again? Priests and Bishops face a great challenge today as more and more people look elsewhere for people to bless their weddings, conduct naming ceremonies for their children and send them on their way into eternity. How do you continue to make the messages of Jesus Christ relevant in a world that is becoming more and more sceptical of the programs offered by the institutional churches? Today on Catholica we bring you a priest's review of a book by a bishop which, when push comes to shove, is examining the foregoing questions from opposite sides of the social river. The Bishop is Julian Porteous, an Auxiliary Bishop in Sydney who has recently published a new book on priesthood. The Priest taking a critical eye at what the Bishop has written is our occasional commentator on Catholica, Daniel Donovan. [more]

015 :
06 Mar 2009

Catholic Tertiary Education in Australia In today's commentary, religious educator, Fr Daniel Donovan, argues the establishment of the first full Faculty of Theology in Australia at the Australian Catholic University provides rare opportunity for the collective ecclesial leadership in this country to make some critical decisions regarding the direction given to the university in particular, and Catholic Education in this country in general. The appointments made, and the tone the bishops establish for Catholic tertiary education have wider repercussions for our collective success in rejuvenating the institution in this country. Today's commentary is introduced by an editorial which argues: "One of the key starting points for the rejuvenation of Catholicism has to be a fundamental re-think of the role of the theologian in the Church and in society, and a fundamental re-think of the roles of bishops, the magisterium and the Catholic institutes of higher learning." [more]

014 :
18 Dec 2008

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]

013 :
17 Dec 2008

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]

012 :
31 Oct 2008

Pray for the Remnant! "War is Peace! Freedom is Slavery! Ignorance is Strength!" — The slogans of the Ministry of Truth in George Orwell's novel "1984". Orwell must laugh that his insights from his 1948 novel, might be applied with delicious irony to the Holy Roman Catholic Church in 2008. Ripping the heart out of Vatican II while pretending that you love Vatican II and want to see it's reforms rejuvenating the Catholic Church. The latest casuality in this game of casuistry it seems are the Eucharistic Prayers for Masses with Children. Fr Daniel Donovan reviews the thinking that led to the introduction of this reform and voices his protest at the game which seems to be underway at the hands of the Vandals and Visigoths (or is it the old lace and incense queens?) who seem to have invaded the citadel of early third millennium Catholicism. And we all thought the Vatican was the last great bulwark against totalitarianism! [more]

011 :
09 Oct 2008

Lessons from St Francis... Last Saturday our occasional lead commentator, Fr Dan Donovan, was to be found blessing the animals at the festival held in the plaza outside St Mary's Cathedral in Sydney for World Animal Day. He sent this commentary in yesterday as a post-event reflection. [more]

010 :
01 Oct 2008

Teaching the Faith or Memorising the Catechism? There is a putsch on coming from some political sectors, and others searching for certitude and simplistic answers within the Catholic Church to take religious education back to methodologies that might have been successful in earlier epochs in history where the broad body of the faithful had far more limited education, and where different social conditions prevailed. Fr Daniel Donovan has been searching around in the archives also. In this commentary he brings to our attention a pioneer from the early 20th Century, Canon Francis H. Drinkwater, still lauded in professional education circles for his insights into the problems facing religious educators, parishes and parents today in the challenge of "passing on the faith". [more]

009 :
18 Sep 2008

How official Church attitudes to suicide have changed, and why… Last Sunday night our occasional lead commentator, Fr Daniel Donovan, was one of the featured guests on John Cleary's program on the ABC discussing the vexed subject of suicide. For our commentary on Catholica today we republish a short segment from the hour-long broadcast in which Fr Donovan discusses the ways in which the Church has modified its approach to dealing with the moral considerations surrounding suicide and also its pastoral response to the grieving families and friends of suicide victims. [more]

008 :
16 May 2008

A Case Study… Following on from his commentary yesterday Fr Daniel Donovan today shares the approach he used recently when called in to assist a parish community when their priest left as a result of feeling called to marriage. The approach Fr Donovan used was modified version of the Elizabeth Kubler-Ross process that is used for bereavement counselling. [Part 2 of 2]

007 :
15 May 2008

The pastoral care of the people in times of turmoil caused by the loss of a pastor… Fr Daniel Donovan shares his very personal feelings when one of his close priest friends decided to leave the priesthood. That experience, and being called in to help communities regain their equilibrium in situations where a priest suddenly leaves is what led to this valuable two-part commentary which we are running today and tomorrow. It might serve as a long-term resource available to any community that faces this kind of situation but hopefully it might help also in the development of pastoral strategies at the national and international levels that in time, communities and the people might find valuable. [Part 1 of 2]

006 :
12 Feb 2008

Will this Pastoral Plan do more harm than good? Fr Daniel Donovan sees enormous shortcomings in the new Pastoral Plan for the Archdiocese of Sydney beginning with criticisms of its underlying Christology (understanding of of Christ's message and mission) and going through to criticisms of its understanding of what the pastoral mission of the Church is. He provides a detailed critique in this commentary. [more]

005 :
10 Aug 2007

Does the Latin Mass help reconcile the divisions with the Church? Two of our recent commentators, Frs Daniel Donovan and Kevin Murphy, have written to the editor drawing attention to some comments Sr Joan Chittister has voiced in her regular column in National Catholic Reporter regarding Pope Benedict's recent decision regarding the Latin Mass. Here are their further thoughts… [more]

004 :
27 July 2007

The crisis facing the Church... In this detailed commentary Fr Daniel Donovan endeavours to break apart the nature of the crisis in participation and morale being experienced by the Church, both locally and internationally, at the moment. It is a potentially explosive analysis with his revelations of a recent Open Letter to the Priests of the Archdiocese of Sydney from Dr Dennis Dubro, the former Bursar at the Opus Dei-managed Warrane College whose letter "warns of the dangers of Opus Dei and its unbridled activity and power in the structures (and worship) of the Local Church". Fr Donovan is concerned at the appeasement that seems to be underway at a high level in the Church for dissident elements who at every turn have endeavoured to undo the work of the Second Vatican Council. Fr Donovan charts how at a number of significant levels there has been a decisive shift away from the spirit and intent of what the collective Church Fathers charted as the future for the Church at the Second Vatican Council. He concludes by arguing that the responsibility of the Church's bishops is "to uphold with courage and imagination the work of Vatican II so that God's Spirit might continue to renew the whole earth" and not be engaged in this constant "appeasment of the disaffected". [more]

003 :
22 June 2007

Further thoughts ... Fr Daniel Donovan takes a further critical look at the draft pastoral plan for the Archdiocese of Sydney. In the interests of encouraging intelligent discussion within the Church community that is to the overall enhancement of the Church, Catholica would welcome informed responses or rebutals from those who drafted the plan, or writers with expertise who disagree with Fr Donovan's criticisms. [more]

002 :
18 June 2007

Our changing perceptions of belief and practice... Fr Daniel Donovan was recently interviewed on The Religion Report on ABC Radio National concerning the comments he first aired on Catholica over the Draft Pastoral Plan for the Archdiocese of Sydney. We invited him to provide us with a debrief following the interview. In overview his commentary ends up essentially being a critique of how and why our views on religious belief and how we practice them have changed in the last half century. [more]

001 :
18 May 2007

Draft Pastoral Plan needs serious re-write suggests Academic... The Archdiocese of Sydney recently circulated a Draft Pastoral Plan for public discussion. A pdf copy of the draft document is available on the Archdiocesan website. The feedback being picked up by independent religious journalists and commentators around Sydney is that at the parish level there is disquiet about the draft plan. Fr Daniel Donovan, a lecturer at the School of Religious Education at ACU National was approached by a number of parishes to provide a critique of the Draft Plan. His conclusion is that the draft is seriously flawed and needs to be taken back to the drawing board for a major re-write. He argues the document is theologically flawed and needs to pay far greater heed to official Vatican documents and the accepted teaching of the Catholic Church. In his critique, Fr Donovan cites a number of significant Vatican level documents which would urge a different approach to be taken to what has been proposed in the Draft Pastoral Plan for Sydney. We publish here the critique Fr Donovan has provided to the parishes that requested it. [more]