Letters

Faith and reason

Peter D. Howard

Contents - Nov 2006 - Buy a copy now Editorial: EWTN and the secular media: fighting fire with fire Education: The Spirit of Generation Y: the challenge for Catholic schools - Cardinal George Pell Living the Faith: What distinguishes a practising Catholic? - Bishop Luc Matthys News: The Church Around the World England: British Catholicism's dark night of the soul Books: Is the Catholic Church in Australia 'lost'? - Michael Gilchrist Brisbane Archdiocese: inclusive language in the liturgy continues - Michael Apthorp Liturgy: US bishop sets out clear guidelines on celebrations of the Mass - AD2000 REPORT Television: EWTN: now affordable and accessible in Australia - Moira Kirkwood Letters: Missal translation - Pat Hurley Letters: Translation hang-up - Fran Swindale Letters: Accuracy needed - Carol V. Phillips Letters: Faith and reason - Peter D. Howard Letters: Narrow - Norm Yodgee Letters: Infallible teaching - Don Ford Letters: Education needed - Judy O'Reilly Letters: Early baptism - John Schmid Letters: Declining practice - Gerard J. Keane Letters: Chavagnes College scholarship applications - Ferdi McDermott Letters: Conversion by violence - Gregory F.J. O'Regan Letters: Generation 'Y' - Kevin Cains Letters: Common sense and married clergy - Errol Duke Letters: Poem's author - Valerie J.Staunton Letters: Anonymity - Michael Apthorp Letters: EWTN by broadband - Bren Scheiner Poetry: Sometimes Gladness: Collected Poems 1954 to 2005, by Bruce Dawe - Michael Gilchrist (reviewer) Books: St John Bosco, St Dominic and the Rosary, St Thérèe of Lisieux - Siobhan B. Reeves (reviewer) DVD: A Family Retreat, by Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen - Daniel Tobin (reviewer) Events: The teachings of the Catholic Church: an exploration Events: Second Annual Victorian Catholic Students Association Conference 25-26 Nov 2006 Books: Order books from www.freedompublishing.com.au Reflection: Catholic schools must proclaim the total love of Christ - Fr Sebastian Camilleri OFM

Alan Barron's concept of loving one another (October AD2000) is vital and true if we accept also Christ's command of loving even our enemies, but woefully inadequate in failing to include what Christ also taught that to love Him we must keep His commandments. He linked obedience and love - the basic rule of His own life and death.

The unfortunate implication that other truths are unnecessary or unknowable (one denomination is as good as another) ignores the Master's examples on how we fail to love God or neighbour in His warnings of sins which defile or befoul (Mk 7:21), in addition to ignoring His guarantees against error in transmitting His truths.

Despite the redemption, Christ knew that our fallen nature needs God's special help (grace) to do His Will - hence the seven sacraments, the priesthood, the Eucharistic sacrifice with His Body and Blood, and the teaching authority, all instituted by Him, for we have to make up for what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for His body, which is the Church (Col. 1:24).

Christ's truths which we have to believe and to live out, known as doctrine and dogma, are not mere opinions to be chosen at whim or to be ignored but based on His teaching and reason using the Church which He established and protected from error (Mt.16:16-19). St Paul calls it ‘the obedience of faith’ (Rom 16:26; cf. Rom 1:5; 2 Cor 10:5-6).

Thus Christ's Church has enabled the twin pillars of reason and faith to provide the basis for human salvation and progress, and she will continue to teach and guide until the end of the world.

PETER D. HOWARD
Springwood, Qld

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 19 No 10 (November 2006), p. 13