001 :
08 Mar 2008

Steps towards Ministry… We are all called to evangelise. In this article, originally published in the New Evangelisation newsletter, New Zealand (www.newevangelisation .wellington.net.nz), Sydney-based lay activist, Harvey Smith, outlines some thoughts for stirring us out of our complacency. [more]

001 :
07 Dec 2007

Aplea from the heart… On a regular basis now we receive unsolicitedcommentaries and reflections from readers and, where possible, we endeavourto slot them into our publishing schedule. Today's contribution comesfrom Kerry Gonzales whom I do notknow other than what you will read in this essay. What she writes struckme as a "from the heart" plea and I feel many will be attractedto the frankness and honesty of what she expresses. …BrianCoyne, Editor [more]

001 :
04 Nov 2007

Whatwould you do? This commentary is an account of a complex caseinvolving allegations of abuse sent into Catholicaby one of our readers. The case is situated in another country, not Australia.Our correspondent has brought it to our attention as it involves complexmoral issues. They suggest virtually all of the players in this case havebecome "losers" and asks "which one was the victim?"By way of introduction our correspondent writes: "This is acase involving an infatuated woman, a naive priest, a misguided crusaderand a weak bishop and how a confluence of circumstances combined intoa tragic loss for the diocese and almost a suicide." Allthe names have been changed, and other details that might make identificationof the particular individuals involved or the location difficult. Theprincipal reason we publish the story is that in a way it is an excellenthypothetical. Except perhaps for the children involved, whom one can excuseon the grounds of childhood innocence, all of the other players in thedrama have self-evident moral flaws of one description or another. Weend the report with two questions that might form the basis for discussionin our forum. [more]

001 :
04 Oct 2007

Whowill celebrate the Sacraments in ten years time? In light of thepresent petition to the Australian Catholic Bishops, readers of CatholicaAustralia will be interested in this discussion paper preparedby the Pastoral Council at the Parish of the Immaculate Conception, Rosebank,Johannesburg late last year which discusses the similar looming crisisin Ministry and the availability of Sacraments facing the Catholic Churchin Australia. [more]

001 :
17 Aug 2007

Anotherlay response to Bishop Manning's interview… Way over on theother side of this continent in the South West of WA, PeterBeeson, has been mulling over what the Bishop of Parramatta,Kevin Manning, had to say in hisinterview with Catholicaeditor, Brian Coyne, last week. He provides a summary of what he thinkswere the key points in Bishop Manning's argument and he shares his thoughtson a couple of areas where he finds himself in disagreement with the Bishopand indeed with Church teaching as it has been urged on the faithful…[more]

002 :
01 Jul 2007

Canyou assist Dr Gakavian in his work? Last year Cliff Baxter introducedreaders of Catholica to DrArmen Gakavian, a still youngish graduate based here in Sydney,who has made it his life's work to assist the people of Armenia. He writes,researches and undertakes practical social justice endeavours in supportof the long struggle the people of Armenia have been involved in to carvea better place for themselves and their nation in the world. One of thepractical endeavours which Cliff and Armen brought to our attention wasthe situation of one particular family in Armenia, the Nersisyan's, whomArmen has made it his business to assist financially. Today Dr Gakavianputs before you a further request for financial assistance for the Nersisyanfamily. [more]

001 :
04 Jun 2007

CatholicReligious Education in Australia — why and how it has changed...Catholic Education in Australia faced a major crisis in the 1960s to thepoint where the bishops of the time seriously considered having to closethe entire system down because they simply did not have the resourcesto sustain it any longer. The new system that was established in the 1970s,thanks largely to government funding, is fundamentally different to thesystem of religious education that had existed in the past. In today'scommentary, Dr Graham English, SeniorLecturer in Religious Education at ACU National, explores some of theother social and cultural factors that make Catholic Religious Education today somuch different to what it was in the past. [more]

001 :
18 May 2007

DraftPastoral Plan needs serious re-write suggests Academic... TheArchdiocese of Sydney recently circulated a Draft Pastoral Plan for publicdiscussion. A pdf copy of the draft document is available on the Archdiocesanwebsite.The feedback being picked up by independent religious journalists andcommentators around Sydney is that at the parish level there is disquietabout the draft plan. Fr Daniel Donovan,a lecturer at the School of Religious Education at ACU National was approachedby a number of parishes to provide a critique of the Draft Plan. His conclusionis that the draft is seriously flawed and needs to be taken back to thedrawing board for a major re-write. He argues the document is theologicallyflawed and needs to pay far greater heed to official Vatican documentsand the accepted teaching of the Catholic Church. In his critique, FrDonovan cites a number of significant Vatican level documents which wouldurge a different approach to be taken to what has been proposed in theDraft Pastoral Plan for Sydney. We publish here the critique Fr Donovanhas provided to the parishes that requested it. [more]

018 :
23 Dec 2006

"Ourpolitical leaders must listen to the voice of the oppressed in this HolyLand" Patriarch Michel Sabbah'sChristmas message underlines the enormous contradiction that Bethlehempresents to our world today. [more]

013 :
01 Dec 2006

Renewalwithin Catholicism Michael J Baylyargues: "As Benedict XVI breathed the air and walked theancient streets of Istanbul, my hope is that he was similarly moved andinspired to usher in a "renaissance" within the Catholic Church— a new era marked by creativity, tolerance, and the inclusion ofthe experiences and insights, hopes and aspirations of all. Just as MehmedII revitalized Istanbul, may Benedict XVI facilitate a renewal withinCatholicism. This "renewal" could be initiated by the Pope'sconvening of a truly ecumenical council — perhaps in Istanbul!"[more]

001 :
13 Aug 2006

Life Cycle... Andrea Snashall was one of the most outstanding public relations officers working in any of the Catholic schools in Western Australia in the 1990s. She was seconded to work at the Catholic Education Office because of the quality, and effectiveness, of her work. A few years ago Andrea moved to live in Switzerland following a long-distance romance across the globe. She is now married and the mother of Luca and Gioia (10 mths). She wrote this reflection recently for a magazine for expats living in Switzerland. It's a particularly poignant reflection on her relationship with her father. [more]