Letters

Modernism

Don Gaffney

Contents - May 2006 - Buy a copy now Editorial: Benedict XVI: love and truth are inseparable Papacy: Benedict completes his first twelve months as Pope - Fr Ephraem Chifley News: The Church Around the World Satellite service: EWTN Australia Events: Carnivale Christi 2006 scheduled for Melbourne and Sydney in May - AD2000 Report Benedict's first twelve months: 'We Are Church' delivers its verdict - Michael Gilchrist Catholicism-lite's Church of convenience - Paul A. Wagner University: Students should challenge dissenting teachers - Dr Michael Casey Vocations: Can religious life be rebuilt in Australia? - Sr Mary Augustine OP Foreign priests - a tale of two Brisbane parishes - Bob Osmak Letters: Adoption - our experience - Bella and Leon Voesenek Letters: Bigotry - Maureen Federico Letters: Religious dissent - Kevin McManus Letters: Lay led liturgies in Rockhampton diocese - Jessie Roger Letters: Actions and attitudes - S. Chaston Letters: Liturgical abuses - Rosanna Sherman Letters: Inclusive language - John Daly Letters: Elites - Peter Gilet Letters: Conscience - Jerome Gonzalez Letters: Modernism - Don Gaffney Letters: Intelligent Design - Michael Griffiths Letters: Creationism? - Fr G.H. Duggan SM Letters: Phillip Adams - Frank Bellet Letters: Warning! Letters: Rosary beads request - Jim Smith Books: The Victory Of Reason, by Rodney Stark - Michael Gilchrist (reviewer) Books: On The Way To Jesus Christ, by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI) - Jacinta Cummins (reviewer) Books: Young Faces of Holiness: Modern Saints in Photos and Words, by Ann Ball - Jacinta Cummins (reviewer) Books: Stimulating reading from AD Books Reflection: Oneness in Christ: the heart of the priesthood - Fr John W. O'Neill PP

I refer to those valiant souls who have delated Cardinal Pell to Rome over his teaching on conscience. There are a few simple questions for this ginger group, and I suggest that their answer to each cannot but be in the negative.

Do you believe that Christ is truly God, and therefore cannot contradict Himself? Do you believe that Christ founded the Catholic Church and guaranteed it against teaching error? Do you believe that when the Pope officially proclaims a teaching, it can never be altered or denied?

If you maintain the positions you have publicly advocated, can you therefore logically call yourselves Catholics?

Incidentally, that throwaway sneer about the Pope "having a private line to the Holy Spirit" is not original. Fr George Tyrrell, "the Father of Modernism" used it against St Pius X exactly one hundred years ago, just before he was excommunicated.

DON GAFFNEY
Tarragindi, Qld

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 19 No 4 (May 2006), p. 16