Letters

Dissent

Peter D. Howard

Contents - Apr 2009 - Buy a copy now Editorial: Confronting the long march of secularism - Michael Gilchrist Benedict XVI addresses a Vatican conference on evolution and Christianity - Michael Gilchrist News: The Church Around the World US Catholic universities: how not to observe Lent American women religious: Vatican apostolic visitation - AD2000 REPORT Red Mass Homily: Catholics as 'bearers of light' in a secular culture - Bishop Peter J. Elliott Anti-life platform: Archbishop Chaput: President Obama and the challenge for US Catholics - Archbishop Charles Chaput Foundations of Faith: The Mass and private devotions in Catholic life - Br Barry Coldrey Andrew Cichy: A bold project to reinvigorate Church music in Australia - Anthony Barich Events: Holy Week 2009 - Traditional liturgy in Melbourne Conversion: Peter has spoken through Leo: why I became a Catholic - Michael Daniel Letters: Active Catholics? - Rev Edward P. Evans Letters: Hippies - Stephen Hemingway Letters: Dissent - Peter D. Howard Letters: The Pill - Denise M. Cameron Letters: Capitalism - William Briggs Letters: Church unity - Alan Baron Letters: Love and truth - Frank Mobbs Letters: Church in China - Francis Vrijmoed Letters: Bush fires - Maureen Federico Books: RENDER UNTO CAESAR:Living Our Catholic Beliefs in Political Life, Charles Chaput - Tim Cannon (reviewer) Books: LIVING BIBLICALLY, by Archbishop Barry Hickey - Michael Gilchrist (reviewer) Books: AD2000 Books for April Reflection: The Resurrection: confirmed by faith and reason - Bishop Arthur J. Serratelli

The dissent at St Mary's in South Brisbane, according to Christopher Pearson in The Australian, is because the local hierarchy has been 'scandalously remiss'.

Two major areas would fit this description in Brisbane: the formation of teachers for Catholic RE, and the formation of seminarians.

Eamonn Keane's A Generation Betrayed castigates the destructive influence of Thomas Groome's theory and praxis on catechesis and on the formation of teachers and cites the disturbing results of Professor McLaughlin's survey of the beliefs, values and practices of student teachers at the Australian Catholic University (ACU).

The Catholic Leader (8 February 2009) informs us that 'the ACU is now the primary higher education body for teaching theology for the Catholic Church in Queensland', and that the 'new rector of the Holy Spirit Seminary Monsignor Tony Randazzo also hailed the change for allowing 'cross-pollination of ideas' between the seminarians and the broader public ... studies would be carried out in the framework of the good strong Catholic tradition that is offered by ACU.'

It is high time that both the hierarchy and Msgr Randazzo face the reality of the confusion and dissent promoted within some departments of the ACU, for example in Dr Ian Elmer's public challenge to Catholic teaching on the priesthood (23 November 2008) see www.catholica.com.au/forum/forum_entry.php?id=19276

According to Dr Elmer, 'If we can change our view of slavery in the light of changed moral sensibilities, then we can change our policy on ordaining women for the same reasons.'

Dr Elmer also believes, 'Both hierarchy and laity are seen as 'witnesses' whose combined efforts, thoughts, study and reflection lead to the sensus fidei' and that the Pope's authority 'can only derive from the whole community.'

If this is typical of what our seminarians and teachers are being taught it is no wonder there is a crisis of faith in Christ's Church here.

PETER D. HOWARD
Springwood, Qld

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 22 No 3 (April 2009), p. 14