Letters

BEC success stories (letter)

Errol P. Duke

Contents - Aug 2001 - Buy a copy now Editorial: The Assumption of Our Lady: 15 August - Michael Gilchrist Melbourne's new Archbishop receives Pallium from John Paul II - AD2000 Report News: The Church Around the World After 14 years: why does AD2000 continue? - Michael Gilchrist Denver Archdiocese: the future of Catholicism - David Scott US bishops implement papal teaching on Catholic universities - Charles E. Rice Appreciating the Mass: a successful new publication - Fr Robert Egar PP Australian scholarship for African priest Letters: Balanced presentation (letter) - Denis O'Leary Letters: BEC success stories (letter) - Errol P. Duke Letters: BECs not new (letter) - John Barich Letters: Radical feminists (letter) - Dr T.R. White Letters: Statement of Conclusions (letter) - Mark Power Letters: Orthodox seminary (letter) - Paul Chigwidden Letters: Finding more priests (letter) - Theo Silvas Letters: Evolution/Original Sin (letter) - John Schmid Letters: Vatican II 'ambiguities' (letter) - George F. Simpson Letters: Choosing life (letter) - Mark Whybrow Letters: St Thomas Aquinas (letter) - Valentine Gallagher Letters: Generous response (letter) - Fr Stephen B. Muchemwa Letters: Mass leaflet (letter) - Stephanie McClarty Letters: Correct statement (letter) - Elizabeth Carr Books: Genetic Turning Points, by James Peterson - Bill Muehlenberg (reviewer) Books: The Cross of Anzac, by Tom Johnstone - Mark Posa (reviewer) Books: Hail, Holy Queen: The Mother of God in the Word of God, by Scott Hahn - Catherine Sheehan (reviewer) Books: Learning to Pray, by Julie Keleman - Anthony Cappello (reviewer) Books: The DNA of God: Newly Discovered Secrets of the Shroud of Turin, Garza-Valdez - Anthony Cappello (reviewer) Books: The Christian Travellers' Guides: France, Britain, Italy, Germany - F.T. Long (reviewer) Events: Victorian Thomas More Winter School 2001 in Ballarat, 3 - 5 August 2001 Events: Cardinal Lustiger to visit Australia, 6 August 2001 Events: Second National Chesterton Conference, 30 Sept - 1 Oct 2001 Reflection: Clerical celibacy: Giving ourselves up completely to God and the people He loves - Fr Dennis W. Byrnes PP

I wish to reassure Australian readers of AD2000 that Archbishop Leonard Faulkner must be strongly defended in the BEC concept, hopes, aims and directives here in Adelaide.

Having been involved in its initiation "at grass-root levels," I can assure you that its aims have been totally in tune with Vatican II and Pope John Paul II's wishes, that it will lead to many strayed/careless Catholics returning to active parish life - and, especially, the Sunday Eucharist.

Many wonderful success stories are well documented here and I have been a personal witness to some of them.

People, such as Cathy Whewill, in its "co-ordination", deserve much praise and future encouragement towards reaching out to those whose faith needs regeneration.

Michael Gilchrist's article, on this occasion, perhaps gave the vibes of being too much of an opportunity for dissenters finding a further "rationalisation" for the promotion of a "priestless parish" agenda - or whatever.

However, in true balance, this "window of opportunity" is also being exploited - in some minority cases also - within the four walls of the Church itself.

Rest assured that the BEC "street-walking" here in Adelaide is producing many positive fruits - and, if run correctly, should be a real priority for all parishes in Australia, and around the world.

ERROL P. DUKE
Elizabeth East, SA

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 14 No 7 (August 2001), p. 13