Editorial

AD2000: accentuating the positive

Michael Gilchrist

Contents - May 2007 - Buy a copy now Editorial: AD2000: accentuating the positive - Michael Gilchrist Documents: Benedict XVI's new document on the Eucharist - Sacramentum Caritatis - Michael Gilchrist Education: How to fix Australia's Catholic schools and colleges - Br Barry Coldrey News: The Church Around the World Catechesis: Sydney RCIA conference in June on forming new adult Catholics - Joanne Zwaans Cinema: New movie offers an authentic representation of monastic life - Rosina Gordon (reviewer) Vocations: New religious communities flourishing in the United States - Fr James Lloyd Culture survey shows moral divisions in the US The importance of 'holy things' for one's Christian faith - Andrew Kania Letters: Teachers' conference - Ron Munro Letters: Marital fidelity - Br Con Moloney Letters: Conscience - Msgr F. Hickey PE Letters: Priest shortage - Dr Frank Mobbs Letters: Ecumenical councils - Peter D. Howard Letters: Debating euthanasia with facts - Rebecca Soares Letters: Scourge of euthanasia - Brian Harris Letters: Thank you from India - Fr. A. Joseph Letters: Capital Punishment - with Apology - John Gallagher Books: The Catholic Church and the Counter-Faith, by Philip Trower - John Morrissey (reviewer) Books: The Heresy Of Formlessness: The Roman Liturgy and Its Enemy, by Martin Mosebach - Tim Cannon (reviewer) Books: Liturgy, Life of the Church; The Modern Rite; Pope and Council on Sacred Liturgy - Michael Daniel (reviewer) DOES YOUR PARISH STOCK AD2000? Books: AD2000 Books Reflection: Teaching children about the Eucharist - Audrey English

Now into its 20th year, AD2000 has had as its central reason for existence, from the time of its launching in 1988 by the late B.A. Santamaria, the promotion and defence of religious orthodoxy. This continues to be necessary because of pressures from inside and outside the Church to accommodate her teachings to secularism and relativism.

The position has become increasingly difficult as the number of church-goers steadily decreases in line with the low practice rate of school leavers. That in turn can impact on this journal's potential circulation and outreach.

From time to time, loyal, dedicated readers plead with us to provide more 'good news' stories about the Church as they feel discouraged by reports documenting further dissent, liturgical abuses and statistical declines in Australia and elsewhere.

However, promoting and defending orthodoxy necessarily involves both positive and negative elements: pinpointing where orthodoxy is working in practice in parishes, schools, seminaries and religious communities; but also drawing attention to errors that can undermine or dilute the faith. Needless to say AD2000 would much prefer to fill its pages with nothing else but good news to raise the spirits of the remnant of practising Catholics.

But we have to be realistic. The overall situation remains far from rosy, and, as with human health, any spiritual 'cure' must depend on diagnosing the nature and extent of the illness. At the same time, learning from others' successes in effecting improvements, in Australia and in other countries, can save us from having to reinvent the wheel.

Readers seeking more edifying, encouraging reports in AD2000 will be pleased to find a succession of these in the present issue. This is not always possible every month as we rely on what is to hand at any given time. The balance between the positive and the negative will inevitably vary.

Meanwhile, if there is something positive and worth reporting about occurring in your part of the Church, I would be delighted to hear from you.

Michael Gilchrist, Editor (email address provided on request).

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 20 No 4 (May 2007), p. 2