Letters

Dissent

Brian Bibby

Contents - Dec 2007 - Buy a copy now Editorial: Liturgy: light at the end of the tunnel - Michael Gilchrist Liturgy: Australian archbishops report progress with new English Mass translations - Michael Gilchrist News: The Church Around the World Schools: The state of Catholic education: teacher and student experiences - Br Barry Coldrey Catechetics: Religious education in Catholic schools: the role of parish priests - Michael Gilchrist Church History: Interesting aspects of ecumenical councils - Frank Mobbs Britain: British Catholicism: the salt has lost its flavour - John Haldane 1962 Missal: Australian bishops support Benedict XV's liberalising of the Latin Mass - AD2000 Report Architecture: Did Vatican II recommend the removal of altar rails? - M. Cassey Letters: Dissent - Brian Bibby Letters: Far-sightedness of Father Purcell - Fr Brian Harrison OS Letters: Response - Don Gaffney Letters: Narrow way - F. Thims Letters: Latin Mass - Carol V. Phillips Letters: Pope's Masses - Paul Martin Letters: True Church - Peter D. Howard Letters: Homosexual 'marriage' - Arnold Jago Letters: Unbaptised infants - Lawrence R. Hurley Letters: Archaeology - Ann Marie Streda Events: Latin Masses for Christmas in Caulfield and Kew Books: JESUS, THE APOSTLES AND THE EARLY CHURCH by Pope Benedict XVI - Tim Cannon (reviewer) Books: THE CATHOLIC PRIESTHOOD AND WOMEN by Sara Butler MSBT - Paul Woodbury (reviewer) Books: Books available from AD Books Reflection: May we deepen our longing for the Lord's coming - Bishop Arthur Serratelli

The October issue included a summary of Sydney's Pastoral Plan. At last, I thought, something is being done to rectify the problems in our schools and Catholic life in general.

Then I read on further and found to my chagrin, three articles that show just why the Pastoral Plan will not work. Hence the irony.

The three offending articles were:

1. The review of the book by Bishop Geoffrey Robinson calling for a radical overhaul of the Catholic faith.

2. The article by Michael Apthorp concerning abuses of the liturgy in a Brisbane church.

3. The formation of a new organisation 'Protect Our Children' to tackle the doctrinal and moral abuse of Catholic children.

These articles are just three more in the legions of examples of bishops, priests, the heads of CEOs, liturgy bodies, tertiary institutes and seminaries who live in open defiance of the Pope, the teachings of the Church and the Magisterium - and do so with impunity.

They are also a timely reminder that in Australia these forces have been growing in strength over the past 40 years. In April 2005 journalist Bryan Patterson reported in the Melbourne Sunday Herald Sun (3 April) that there was a National Council of Priests (NCP) representing 40 bishops and half of Australia's 1649 priests.

The NCP lobbied the Vatican by letter asking, amongst other things, that the ban on married priests and women priests be lifted and also for a change in the leadership of the Church in Australia to make it more 'collegial'.

For some reason, the 'Official Church' in Australia continues to turn a blind eye to dissidents.

Before Sydney's Pastoral Plan can be implemented successfully, the question of those who oppose it must be addressed.

No reforms can be successful when those who oppose them are significant in their numbers, hold critical positions in the reform process, are united in their opposition, are organised and who are in for the long haul.

My second concern is that because of the ages and numbers of teachers and students currently in the 'pipeline', the reform process will take at least two generations to complete. By that time, some of the leaders pressing for the reforms will no longer be active.

There needs to be plans in place now to cope with this eventuality.

My third concern is that the reform plan is to be implemented in only one diocese, Sydney. Given the potential implementation timeline, what are the prospects for implementing the reform process across Australia?

BRIAN BIBBY
Forest Hill, Vic

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 20 No 11 (December 2007 - January 2008), p. 13