Letters

Scandal

Don Gaffney

Contents - Jun 2008 - Buy a copy now Editorial: Man-made climate change: a moral issue - Michael Gilchrist Education: Pope: Catholic education must uphold Church teachings - Pope Benedict XVI News: The Church Around the World Human Rights: China: Olympic rings - or shackles? - Babette Francis Jury still out on global warming - Cardinal George Pell Christianity 'lite' with all the hard parts unmentioned: a spiritual dead-end - Alan Roebuck FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH: Reasons for believing in God - Frank Mobbs Climate Debate: Man-made climate change is a reality - Dr Alex Gardner Climate Debate: Man-made climate change: politics not science - Peter Finlayson Letters: Climate change - J. Holder Letters: Sceptical - Bernard Hoey Letters: Scandal - Don Gaffney Letters: Contraception - Tim Coyle Letters: Baptism formula - Franklin J. Wood Letters: Adoptions - Tom King Letters: Abortion and Martin Luther King - Brian Harris Letters: Ordinary Magisterium - Peter D. Howard Letters: Infallible? - Frank Mobbs Letters: Priests needed in Ballarat - Jenny Bruty Books: RATZINGER'S FAITH: The Theology of Pope Benedict XVI, by Tracey Rowland - Michael E. Daniel (reviewer) Books: FR WERENFRIED: A Life, by Joanna Bogle - Michael E. Daniel (reviewer) Letters: FEMINISM V. MANKIND: Selected Essays - Catherine Sheehan (reviewer) Books: Books available from AD2000 Books Reflection: Benedict XVI on the mystery of the Body and Blood of Christ - Pope Benedict XVI

May I thank George Simpson for his balanced view on a problem endemic in the Church today. His last paragraph reminds one irresistibly of Napoleon's threat to Cardinal Consalvi, 'You realise that I can destroy your church'. And the reply, 'I doubt that very much, M'sieur. We priests haven't managed it in 1800 years.'

As regards Cardinal Levada's failure to confirm Catholic doctrine regarding the impossibility of women priests, whether due to his own decision or to deliberate bureaucratic strangulation, there is no Catholic option but to keep fighting to break through.

There is of course a happier possibility, namely that Bishop Morris of Toowoomba will himself openly confess his error after being reminded of the immutability of Catholic doctrine by being called to Rome and by an envoy from Rome, Archbishop Chaput.

That would be eminently the best way to repair the scandal Bishop Morris has given, not only to his flock and his priests, but to Australia in general.

DON GAFFNEY
Tarragindi, Qld

(Update: On May 30, 2008, Cardinal Levada has published L'Osservatore Romano a decree with immediate effect that anyone attempting to confer ordination on a woman, or any woman who attempts to receive Holy Orders, automatically incurs latae sententiae excommunication reserved to the Holy See.)

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 21 No 5 (June 2008), p. 14