Abstract: McGavin, PA Mapping one's ignorance also has affective benefits. Wherever mastery of knowledge and skills creates professional status, especially in practices that give professional power over clients, there arises a natural pride that rests on what one knows, and a regrettable tendency for authority to develop arrogance. We know the effects: failure to listen, premature dismissal of relevant information, overreaching and overbearing professional conduct, mistakes and the denial of them, and so on. An explicit acknowledgement of ignorance may generate a corrective humility, a desire to see rather than presume understanding, alertness to unforeseen consequences, and openness to alternative approaches.
Abstract: Hill, John I intend, in this article, to outline an argument against the indiscriminate use of the word, 'clericalism'. I do not dispute that something answering to the word does exist, but I argue that it should be used more carefully; that we should aim for a reasonable precision in its use, avoiding confusion between connotation and denotation,1 on the one hand, and between the condition itself and its manifestations, on the other. It is with the last consideration that I begin.
Abstract: Lam, Joseph Since Pope John Paul II's visit to Australia, in 1986, the face of the Australian Catholic Church has changed dramatically. The once celebrated 'comfortableness at calling themselves Catholics', has given way to shame and calamity caused by hundreds of moral and sexual misconduct cases. The Australian Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse not only challenges the church's governance. It also questions certain practical aspects of ecclesiology, for example, the priestly celibacy or the seal of confession that might have contributed to and even aggravated the abuse of minors.
Abstract: Barker, Renae The current public debate about the role and place of religion in Australia's education system feels very much like deja vu. The Religious Freedom Review2 may be new, but we've been here before. Religious schools have regularly been at the forefront of the evolving relationship between the state and religion in Australia, from the creation and collapse of the Church and Schools Corporation in the 1830s, and the implementation of the dual board system in the 1840s, to the removal of all government funding for religious schools in the 1860s-90s, and then its reintroduction in the 1960s and '70s.3 The current debate about the extent to which religious schools will continue to be permitted to discriminate against students, staff and contractors in line with the religious ethos of the school is therefore just the latest reiteration of an ongoing narrative.
Abstract: McMullen, Gabrielle; Laverty, Martin Since 1994, eleven ministerial public juridic persons (MPJPs) have been established in Australia to take the education, health and community service ministries of the instigating religious institutes purposely into the future as ministries of the Catholic Church. Subsequently other ministries have been entrusted to established MPJPs, including some diocesan and parish health and aged care services. In the period from 2012 to 2016, representatives of the MPJPs explored means of fostering collaboration between the respective entities, leading to the founding of the Association of Ministerial PJPs Ltd in May 2016. These are historic developments for the Australian Church in relation to lay ecclesial leadership, and offer a canonically recognised means of expanding lay women and men's participation in church governance. Table 1, in the pages that follow, summarises details of the Australian MPJPs.
Abstract: Lennan, Richard Review(s) of: A priesthood imprisoned: A crisis for the church, by John E. Ryan, (Bayswater, VIC, Coventry Press, 2017), pp. 126, $24.95.
Abstract: Monaghan, Chris After the episode of the golden calf, in his anger Moses had smashed and broken the tablets inscribed with the Ten Commandments. Despite the shameful apostasy of the people, they were given another opportunity to enter into a covenant relationship with the living God. The first set of tablets God had given to Moses, and now it is Moses who must bring new tablets that God will inscribe. It is symbolic of the fact of the covenant relationship that humanity must do its part and not leave it all to God as passive recipients; no, we must become active participants. Centuries later, the prophet Jeremiah will speak of the law being written on our hearts (Jer 31:33). All of us are invited to bring our hearts into God's presence so that the process of conversion may continue. Moses' proclamation of the tenderness, compassion and kindness of God in the face of human frailty should never be forgotten.
Abstract: Moore, Gerard There is an ongoing tension between the spheres of religious education and of theological studies. It is somewhat evident in the academy, and often enough emerges when the inevitable university restructure places religious education and theology in the same school, or situates religious education within education at a remove from theology, or any range of permutations. The tension is also felt in discussions between clergy, with a theological education behind them, and classroom teachers and religious education coordinators, whose training is in education itself, and whose immediate concern is the children in front of them. This article is an attempt to set out some of the parameters at play in the interaction between the two disciplines, and to offer some areas where collaboration is highly desired.
Abstract: Pender, Graeme Two challenges facing Archbishop John Bede Polding after arriving in Sydney in 1835 were providing for the spiritual needs of Catholics in the colony and managing their affairs in a way that attempted to guarantee a good working relationship with the government. It became apparent to Polding that education was fundamental in developing both these areas. Polding regarded education as a means of social advancement, beneficial to those 'on the lower steps of the social scale'. He wanted a 'native race of priests and statesmen, of lawyers and physicians, of solicitors, and sailors, and artists'. He sought to emulate Downside Abbey's approach to education in Australia; specifically in the field of secondary education that would 'transcend the mere bread-and-butter preoccupations of the masses and prepare an 'elite' from among whom the offices of Church and state could eventually be filled'. Polding's goal was to create schools that would provide a Catholic education for its students founded on the principles of Benedictine ideals. But, as Francesca Fitz-Walter argues, it was the colonial conditions of the time that placed obstacles on Polding's expression of the Benedictine ideal in education. Given that the colonial conditions of the time imposed restrictions on the expression of the Benedictine ideal, Polding still maintained that a lifelong education was significant in developing in the student the ability to make an informed Christian response to whatever circumstance might emerge in the life of that person.
Abstract: Collins, John; Ormerod, Neil With greater sensitivity to the issues around sexual abuse, and keen to minimise potential pastoral damage and legal exposure, the church is finding an increasing number of ordained men unable to operate in pastoral ministry, on leave or with suspended faculties. However, the problem is not restricted to just criminal matters. The continuing shortage of vocations to the priesthood has led to an increasing willingness to overlook other personality issues that are serious impediments to the ability of newly ordained priests to operate effectively in their ministry settings. Often these problems emerge within a year or two of ordination, by which stage there may be no practical solution beyond a permanent suspension of priestly faculties.
Abstract: Collins, John Francis On 27 September 2018 Pope Francis addressed priests, deacons, and lay people at a formation course promoted by the Roman Rota. In the presentation, Francis reaffirmed the need for a permanent catechumenate for the sacrament of matrimony. The Pope noted that the permanent catechumenate for the sacrament of matrimony is a journey that is shared with priests, pastoral workers and Christian spouses. The Pope also stated that in the context of the sacrament of matrimony, a catechumenate concerns marriage preparation, the celebration of the wedding, and the initial period that follows the wedding.
Abstract: Tilley, Robert In the last few decades there has been no more controversial a papal document than that of 'Amoris Laetitia'. The controversy revolves around divorce, in particular allowing the divorced and remarried, with no annulment, to communicate at the Eucharist.1 The critics of 'Amoris' argue that Pope Francis, under the claim to be exercising mercy, is effectively undermining the truths of the faith. The defence of 'Amoris', however, is that in answer to the exigencies of the time mercy is being applied in such a way that it develops the truths of the faith and expands their reach and pastoral application. It is clear from the New Testament itself that from the very beginning of the church the issue of how grace operates to extend the reach and application of God's mercy is one that has given rise to much dispute and even division. It is a process that prompts reflection upon theological givens, and the disputes that arise are occasioned by the question: Is the development that flows from this reflection one of an organic continuity, or is it instead a corrupt imposition' It is no exaggeration to say that this is exactly what is at issue today in respect of 'Amoris'.
Abstract: Dunn, Geoffrey D As my time writing scripture reflections for this journal has drawn to an end, it is a good opportunity to reflect more theoretically about the nature of homiletic preaching today. My first peer-reviewed publication was on this topic. Since then I have returned on occasion to investigate preaching in the early Christian centuries both on its own terms qua preaching and as source material for theological expression. It is a matter worthy of fresh reflection, because in the twenty years since the publication of the article in 'Worship' there have been new documents issued from Rome, which in turn have given rise to fresh statements from bishops' conferences. The question is: has there been much change in the way the nature of a homily is understood over those past twenty years, and how does that align with the 'Worship' article' The argument advanced here is that these recent documents reveal a multiplicity of understandings of the purpose of the Sunday liturgical homily.
Abstract: Ryan, Christopher This article continues an historical overview of Australian Catholic youth ministry begun in the previous issue of the 'Australasian Catholic Record'.
Abstract: Kelly, Michael For euthanasia the case is deceptively easy to make. When the suffering of others is ended by death we often feel relief. Commonly we accept that animals must sometimes, as the saying goes, be 'put out of their misery'. And, while most people who advocate euthanasia do not rely simply on our revulsion from suffering as though there were no other considerations, the public appeal of their view probably does rest largely on it.
Abstract: Lam, Joseph Being questioned about the nature of Christian faith, Mark Twain famously declared it as 'believing what you know ain't so'. Indeed, the role of reason for faith is a matter of dispute. Jesus, some argue, was not a philosopher or a teacher of wisdom. Rather, he is the saviour because of his unassuming sacrificial death and resurrection. Not reason, but the leap of faith is the ultimate condition of salvation. The Enlightenment however epitomises a Copernican revolution in favour of reason. According to Charles Taylor, the dissemination of Jesus' message into Hellenistic culture contains within itself the risk of a secularisation of the faith. At the same time, voices opposing the overemphasis of reason have also been raised throughout the ages. Paul's speech to the Athenians was one such occasion that deals with the ambiguous relationship between faith and reason. Relying purely on divine grace and the Bible alone, Martin Luther rejected any form of speculative theology. According to the Reformer, it is a type of theology that trusts more in human reason than in God's revelation. In Luther's opinion, it also reverses the moral order because theological speculation justifies evil as good while professing as good what is evil. To such a theology of human glory, Luther prefers a theology of the cross ('theologia crucis') that 'calls the thing what it actually is'. For the former Augustinian monk only God's grace ('sola gratia') is good beyond reasonable doubt. Hence true theologians are lovers of the cross while theologians of glory misuse their reason for the worst. Luther's theology of the cross, Marco Barone claims, has its root in Augustine. Hence, Luther's Augustinism appears to have decidedly broken with Aristotelian scholasticism. In this context, Thomas Aquinas was criticised for his threefold failure. First, the Dominican friar's speculative theology lacks an experiential human dimension. Secondly, it gives too much credit to Aristotle. Thirdly, Thomas is reprimanded for his serious deficiency of a theology of justification.
Abstract: Daniel, Michael E Review(s) of: Reformation divided: Catholics, protestants and the conversion of England, by Eamon Duffy, (London, Bloomsbury Continuum, 2017), pp. 431, hardback, $39.99.
Abstract: Monaghan, Chris Many people wonder as they look at their newborn child about how this perfect child can be marked by original sin. This invites us to look more deeply at our understanding of human nature and our capacity to make choices that can give life to ourselves and others, or take life and diminish it. While we have tended to identify the sin of the first couple as some sort of sexual sin, this is not supported by the text of Genesis. The original sin is one of seeking knowledge, of overstepping the boundaries established by God, and grasping what is not ours. We are created in God's image, but that does not mean being equal to God-clearly not. God intimately and lovingly breathed life into the creature of the earth, but being so richly blessed is sadly not enough. The story is a complex one that leaves the reader wondering why God places the tree of the knowledge of good and evil right in the midst of the garden, where the first couple cannot avoid seeing it and continually have to confront the boundary that God has set. The role of the serpent prompts questions that will remain unanswered about how God allows the serpent to exist in the first place, let alone endanger the peace and tranquillity of the garden.
Abstract: Thornhill, John How is one to tell the story of a life without becoming lost in uninteresting details' I had lived with this question for some days, when the answer came - as has often happened - in the early hours of the morning. I should tell my story from the end, rather than from the beginning. Destination achieved, the stages of one's progress become more meaningful.
Abstract: McInerney, Patrick Review(s) of: World Christianity encounters world religions: A summa of interfaith dialogue, by Edmund Kee-Fook Chia (Collegeville, MN, Liturgical Press Academic, 2018), pp. 272, US$29.95.
Abstract: Green, Jack Review(s) of: Anselm of canterbury and the search for god, by John T. Slotemaker (Lanham, MD, Lexington Books / Fortress Academic, 2018), pp. 160, hardback, US$95.00.
Abstract: McNamara, Laurence J Review(s) of: Dawn to dusk: Towards a spirituality of ageing, by Noel Mansfield (Bayswater, VIC, Coventry Press, 2018), pp. 92, paperback, $19.95.
Abstract: Snoddy, Debra Review(s) of: The hospitality of god: A reading of luke's gospel, by rev. ed., Brendan Byrne (Strathfield, NSW, St Pauls, 2015), pp. 299, $29.95.
Abstract: Monaghan, Chris Proverbs 29:18 proclaims that without a vision the people perish; and history has proven this to be true. Part of the power of the great Nelson Mandela lay in his ability to articulate his dream for Africa and inspire others to commit themselves to make it a reality. His dream of a world where people of all races would work together in harmony captured the hearts and minds of his contemporaries. It did so with such power that the ground was set for healing the deep wounds inflicted during the years of apartheid, which had been so destructive for all South Africans.
Abstract: McEvoy, James Review(s) of: The truth will make you free: the new evangelization for a secular age, by Robert F. Leavitt, (Collegeville, MN, Liturgical Press Academic, 2019), pp. 319, US$34.95.
Abstract: Green, Jack Review(s) of: The mind of Pope Francis: Jorge Mario Bergoglio's intellectual journey, Massimo Borghesi (Collegeville, MN, Liturgical Press Academic, 2018), pp. 310, hardcover, US$29.95.
Abstract: Lucas, Brian Review(s) of: In god's image: recognizing the profoundly impaired as persons, by Peter A. Comensoli, edited by Nigel Zimmermann, (Eugene, OR, Cascade Books, 2018), pp. 243, paperback, US$31.00.
Abstract: Daniel, Michael E Review(s) of: Liturgy in the twenty-first century: Contemporary issues and perspectives, by Alcuin Reid, ed. (London, Bloomsbury, 2016), pp. xxvi + 367, paperback, GBP17.99.
Abstract: Plant, Geoff Review(s) of: The rosewood table: Sunday reflections for everyday living, by Patrick Richards (Strathfield, NSW: St Pauls, 2017), pp. 272, $27.95.
Abstract: Washington, Jenny Review(s) of: The miracle of love: A guide for catholic pastoral care, by Margaret Ghosn (Bayswater, VIC, Coventry Press, 2018), pp. 192, paperback, $24.95.
Abstract: Canavan, Rosemary Even today entering Neapolis, modern day Kavala, in Greece it is possible to imagine Paul stepping off a ship onto the landing. This is the craft of the author of Luke's Gospel and the Acts of the Apostle to engage the hearer in the narrative he constructs: in Acts, the birth and mission of the church is a story in which the audience have a role. According to Acts, Paul followed a vision, a call from a certain Macedonian to 'Come over to Macedonia and help us' (Acts 16:9). What would he have expected to find as he set out on a sea voyage from Asia to Macedonia, the home of Alexander the Great' Paul's landing is commemorated on a wall mosaic with ancient stone bollards and pillars slightly inland from the current promenade where the fishing boats line up around the bay. Paul's embarkation on this journey has all the hallmarks of mission. His journey will take him to Philippi and beyond. The focus here is particularly on his encounter with Lydia and the flourishing of this mission in a distinct and different place with new opportunities for the development and growth of leadership and community. In particular I will concentrate on the insights of this narrative for the engagement with new frontiers in our present day.
Abstract: Ryan, Christopher It is readily apparent to anyone ministering to Australian adolescents in the early twenty-first century that their efforts take place against the backdrop of a general decline in belief and practice among Catholics, and among young Catholics in particular. Rather than simply join the chorus of lament at the decline of young people's belief and participation in the life of the church, this article seeks to understand better the present 'face' or 'faces' of youth ministry by considering the historical relationship between secularity and the church's pastoral activity with young Australians.
Abstract: Rymarz, Richard A range of studies have pointed toward an overall decline in a series of measures of religious affiliation amongst a variety of groups. The most imperilled group, perhaps, are those younger people who display strong religious salience. Religious salience is understood here as the formative and ongoing influence of religion on beliefs, attitudes and behaviours of adherents. Strong religious salience is associated with high levels of commitment and self-identification and association with a religious community. An important study that distils much of the recent work on religion and younger Catholics was conducted by Christian Smith and his colleagues.4 While noting that minimal expressions of religious affiliation remain more stable amongst Catholics, what are imperilled, in particular, are expressions of strong salience.5 In their study Smith and his colleagues gave the example of a fictional character, Marinella, who encapsulates the type of younger Catholic who does express high salience but is increasingly difficult to find. Marinella practises her faith consistently; for example, she attends Mass regularly and is able to articulate church doctrine and differentiate Catholicism from other religions. She believes most of what the church teaches and is involved in some form of church ministry. After gathering data from a survey of a representative sample of younger Catholics, Smith and others sought to strengthen their analysis by interviewing randomly selected participants from the wider group. In the interviews Smith and his colleagues were unable to identify any participant who approximated the Marinella typology.
Abstract: Fleming, Daniel J On 19 June 2019, Victoria's 'Voluntary Assisted Dying' Act came into effect. The Act makes legal two interventions at the end of life. In most cases, it allows a doctor to prescribe a patient who meets certain criteria with a lethal substance, which it is supposed a patient will take at a time and place of their choosing to end their life. In rarer cases, where a patient is unable to ingest the lethal substance, it also allows for a doctor to administer such a substance to the same end. In the Victorian legislation these interventions have been given the umbrella term of 'Voluntary Assisted Dying' (hereafter, 'VAD'). In Catholic ethics, as in most bioethical frameworks, these acts are referred to as physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia (PAS-E).
Abstract: Meroni, Fabrizio Let me start by saying that on 1 December 2015, I left the university environment for the Roman Curia to become Secretary General of the Pontifical Missionary Union (PMU) and Director of the International Center for Mission and Formation (CIAM), in addition to my directing 'Fides', the News Agency of the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS). Much time is required of me to renew these institutions and to research, together with others in charge of the PMS, possible ways of reform for the future of these missionary societies that have arisen from faith, prayers, the charity of women and zealous pastors.
Abstract: Moloney, Francis J Addressing the National Directors of the Pontifical Mission Societies on 1 June 2018, Pope Francis advised: 'Your regular book for prayer and meditation should be the Acts of the Apostles. Go there to find your inspiration. And the protagonist of that book is the Holy Spirit'.1 It is widely accepted that the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles form a single work, highlighted by three distinct 'eras'.2 Each of them depends upon the creative presence of the Spirit.
Abstract: Connolly, Noel; Lucas, Brian At the beginning of his message for World Mission Sunday 2019 Pope Francis wrote:
For the month of October 2019, I have asked that the whole Church revive her missionary awareness and commitment as we commemorate the centenary of the Apostolic Letter Maximum Illud of Pope Benedict XV (30 November 1919). Its farsighted and prophetic vision of the apostolate has made me realize once again the importance of renewing the Church's missionary commitment and giving fresh evangelical impulse to her work of preaching and bringing to the world the salvation of Jesus Christ, who died and rose again.
Abstract: Biliniewicz, Mariusz Joseph Ratzinger has never produced one theological opus that would encompass his whole theological vision and its corollaries in particular matters. However, despite this, during his long and prolific theological career, in his many publications and interventions he has touched upon nearly every conceivable theological topic. Although these topics are often very diverse, they are also interrelated by the general intellectual framework on which Ratzinger operates. By analysing his insights about particular issues that, at first glance, may appear to have little relationship with each other, it is possible to find some interesting connections that point to the existence of a greater vision. This article will examine the questions of power, authority and truth in Ratzinger's theology and will link the notions of politics and liturgy to demonstrate the existence of such a single, holistic approach. Questions that will be asked in this short study include: How does Ratzinger understand authority and power in general' What are some limits of power that, according to him, both secular and ecclesiastical authorities must recognise and respect' What are some threats to the correct understanding of legitimate authority in the church and in politics today' How do all these issues relate to the main principles of his theology as a whole'
Abstract: McGavin, PA The hardest thing in appropriating [a] holistic natural law perspective is to recognise the invisible mean of judgement, which alone contains the limits of all things ... The notion of mean and limits - so fundamental to ethics - calls for inner understanding that the nature of the mean cannot be defined 'a priori', because it involves an exercise of judgement, ethical judgement.
Abstract: Kelly, Michael A It was a surprise to many to read that Vatican II's document on the priesthood, 'Presbyterorum Ordinis', declared that 'priests, as co-workers with their bishops, have as their primary duty the proclamation of the Gospel of God to all'. Most would have thought that the primary duty of priests was the celebration of the sacraments, the pastoral care of the people of God, and leadership of the Christian community. This had probably been the dominant thinking since the Council of Trent, which, while never articulating a theology of priesthood, did focus on the power ('potestas') of the priest to confect the Eucharist, to absolve the penitent and to anoint the sick and dying, but it did begin a renewal of Catholic preaching.
Abstract: Cooper, Austin The Oxford or Tractarian Movement (1833-45) and later Ritualists and Anglo-Catholics schooled numerous converts in elements of the Catholic faith. Foremost among them was John Henry Cardinal Newman (1801-1893), one of the original founders of the Oxford Movement. Converts numbered in the hundreds and included another cardinal, Henry Edward Manning (1808-1892), the second Archbishop of Westminster (from 1865), the religious foundress Cornelia Connelly (1808-1879), the priest novelist Robert Hugh Benson (1871-1914) and later literary figures such as G.K. Chesterton (1874-1936), Evelyn Waugh (1903-1966) and Mgr Ronald Knox (1888-1957). American historian, Patrick Allitt, has argued that on both sides of the Atlantic converts dominated Catholic intellectual life between 1840 and 1960. While such 'Tractarian' converts have indeed greatly influenced Catholic life, many 'Tractarians' who never converted have also had a considerable impact on English-speaking Catholicism. C.S. Lewis is an obvious example. But there have been others, including author Charles Williams (1886-1945), poet T.S. Eliot (1888-1965) and theologians John Macquarrie (1919-2007) and Michael Ramsey (1904-1988). The author Dorothy L. Sayers also deserves to be counted among their number.
Abstract: Young, Xavier Rene Girard developed an anthropological theory that at the foundation of all cultures are scapegoated victims and that the violence committed against these victims is hidden or justified in myths. In this article I re-examine some of the texts that formed the identity of Non-Indigenous (NI) Australians as well as texts written before NI identity was formed, and I use Girard's theory to uncover and understand the violence that developed and was hidden at our culture's foundation. Applying Girard's theory in this context provides some insight into effective ways of moving toward justice between NI and Indigenous Australians.
Abstract: Lucas, Brian The Seminary of the Good Shepherd commenced at Homebush in 1996, following the closure of St Patrick's College at the end of 1995.
In his quinquennial report for the years 1993-98, Cardinal Clancy made some comments on the move. He explained that the transition from one site to another provided a unique opportunity to examine past traditions. The timing coincided with the decision of the Holy See to commission a general review of seminaries, and that was undertaken by Bishop Geoffrey Robinson. His Eminence wrote.
Abstract: Trinidad, Julie In this article, I argue that the growing phenomenon of lay ecclesial ministry is a hope-filled work of the Spirit leading the church into deeper reception of conciliar renewal. The upcoming plenary council's consideration of future directions for the church in Australia will have implications for the development of ecclesial ministry models. The experience of lay ecclesial ministry points to the future of how emerging models might look and function. In this article, I draw on the pneumatology of German theologian Walter Kasper. For Kasper, the Spirit brings about the new, opens up the future and makes space for the flourishing of life. Kasper's theology of the Spirit can be illustrated in the changing face of ministry since Vatican II. In the light of this I propose a number of implications for deeper reception of lay ecclesial ministry in and for the life and mission of the Catholic Church in Australia.
Abstract: Dunn, Geoffrey D In chapter 14 of Luke's Gospel we have several stories about table fellowship put together and several sayings of Jesus that are added as maxims to conclude the stories, even though originally they were probably used in a different context. We find the first maxim about those who exalt themselves being humbled and those who humble themselves being exalted attached to different material in Matthew 23. We have just heard the first of those two table fellowship stories, which are found in Luke only, but the third is going to be left out of our liturgy readings entirely.
Abstract: McEvoy, James Review(s) of: Prophetic pastoral leadership: The Adelaide archdiocesan pastoral team, 1986-2001, by Paul K. Hawkes, (Calwell, ACT: Inspiring, 2018), pp. 138; paperback, AU$23.00;1 Kindle, US$7.29.
Abstract: Madigan, Patricia Review(s) of: Dialogue derailed: Joseph Ratzinger's war against pluralist theology, by Ambrose Ih-Ren Mong (Cambridge: James Clarke, 2017), pp. 325, paperback, 30; pdf, 26.50.
Abstract: Moore, Gerard Review(s) of: Lost in translation: The English language and the catholic mass, by Gerald O'Collins, with John Wilkins (Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press Academic, 2017), pp. 122, paperback, $29.95.
Abstract: Dunn, Geoffrey D As with the last two years' reflections, it is my intention to give a distinctly patristic flavour to what I write, drawing upon the rich tradition of the church in the youthful flush of its earliest centuries, a time also of great challenge, to see the enduring relevance and beauty of the insights of the earliest Christian preachers, commentators, and authors.
Abstract: Mellor, Anthony Melbourne trams are always an education. On a cool mid-winter evening, I travelled the short distance from the city centre to the Australian Catholic University precinct. I had already formulated my thoughts for this article, when I overheard the following conversation between three young people in their late teens or early twenties as we approached ACU's St Patrick's campus.
Abstract: Ekpo, Anthony Did anything happen at Vatican II' anything of significance' These and similar questions have been posed by the historian John O'Malley, who has offered a historical-theological reflection on the teachings of the Second Vatican Council and its attendant reception over the years. The council has certainly provoked remarkable commentaries and reactions from scholars who have approached it from various viewpoints, namely, theological, historical, ecclesiological, canonical, moral and pastoral. At the end of the council, what emerged as the Vatican II documents are far from forming a neat and tight theological treatise. Some theological issues were discussed briefly in the documents, but a richer theological interpretation and synthesis were left to be fleshed out by post-conciliar scholars. For any reflection on the council to be taken seriously, it has to feel the pulse and take stock of the church's selfunderstanding in today's world. Fifty-three years after the end of the council, the questions are no longer so much about what happened at Vatican II, but about what is happening now. 'How is the council being received today' Is the council, in its simplicity and depth, still relevant after fifty-three years''
Abstract: de Luca, John Review(s) of: Catholic worship book II, Australian Catholic Bishops Conference (Northcote VIC: Morning Star, 2016). Full music ed., 2 vols, $295.00; people's ed., $34.95.
Abstract: Gascoigne, Robert In his exchanges with French sociologist Dominique Wolton, Pope Francis constantly emphasises the imperative to build bridges and gives this a Christological foundation: 'We must build bridges in the image of Jesus Christ, our model, who was sent by the Father to be the Pontifex, the bridge-builder. In my view, that is where the foundation of the Church's political action is to be found'. Responding to the challenge to deepen networks of solidarity in a disconnected world, Christians find the foundation, model and inspiration of their commitment in Christ. Yet the specific invocation of Christ in this ethical task provokes a number of challenges: How does this appeal to a particular person and object of faith reconcile itself with universalist languages of solidarity and human dignity' How should it respond to those who argue that Christians have 'a conflict of interest' when they seek to contribute to debates concerning the common good' Does the appeal to Christ's particularity risk the degradation of Christian faith to a civilisational weapon in disconnected times, a form of closure against other traditions'
Abstract: Roper, Elissa The contemporary Catholic Church is experiencing a breakthrough into a fuller stage of self-understanding, and of self-appropriation as the Body of Christ, known as 'synodality'. It is an opening to the possibility of a new experience of transformation on all levels of being Church. Synodality is being promoted and provoked by the papacy of Pope Francis, which has been accompanied by the progressive uncovering of sexual abuse within the Church, prevalent and deeply wounding. Both synodality and the scandal of abuse demand the transformation of all members, processes and structures of the Church.
Abstract: Waters, Ian The Australian hierarchy was established by Pope Gregory XVI in 1842. Since then, there have been six national Catholic councils held in Australia. The first two, celebrated in 1844 and 1869, are known as the First Provincial Council of Australia and the Second Provincial Council of Australia, as until 1874 the Australian dioceses were all in the one ecclesiastical province with Sydney being the sole metropolitan see. In 1874, a second province - Melbourne - was established, and the national councils since then - four of them, celebrated in 1885, 1895, 1905 and 1937 - have been called plenary councils, the term used in the Catholic Church in recent centuries for councils whose participants are from more than one ecclesiastical province; in the past, terms such as regional councils or national councils have been used. As we all know, another plenary council for Australia is planned to commence in 2020.
Abstract: Edwards, Denis Amid the wide consultation that is essential to the Australian Plenary Council 2020, it is also important to ask what theology can offer. In my view, a fundamental part of theology's contribution is an understanding of the Holy Spirit that can encourage the practice of genuine openness to the Spirit. It is already clear that this council will be an event of the Spirit. It will be an event in which the Spirit is invoked and in which the Spirit acts. The question is: will we, who make up the church in this land, be open to the Spirit, and be faithful to the Spirit, in our contributions, responses, and actions'
Abstract: Fleming, Daniel J; Ryan, Thomas Three recent phrases of Pope Francis warrant attention and guide this article. First, there is his call for 'witnesses of God's love' in his tribute to modern martyrs. The second is 'the pedagogy of grace' and the work of the Spirit explained in 'Amoris Laetitia'. Third, from the same document, we find his discussion of accompaniment in the process of moral discernment within the church. With these as guideposts and drawing on recent studies in moral philosophy and psychology, this article unfolds in five steps: (1) setting the scene; (2) witness in relation to moral understanding and intersubjectivity; (3) intersubjectivity and conscience; (4) a pedagogy of grace: Holy Spirit and nonbelievers; and (5) a pedagogy of grace in relation to moral development.
Abstract: McNaught, Keith; Shaw, Geoffrey Organisations ubiquitously seek feedback from their customers, for a vast range of reasons. The data may assist in improving services, responding to concerns, celebrating excellent service, or determining that desired standards are being achieved. Australian hospitals utilise a range of techniques to collect patient feedback, and to use that patient feedback as part of continuous improvement. Whilst every hospital in Australia is expected to provide excellent medical care and treatment, private hospitals regularly purport to offer some form of 'distinctive care', and options for patients that do not usually exist in public hospitals. Most often, private hospital patients are contributors to private health insurance, which is expensive, and additional 'out of pocket' expenses are the norm. Patients, therefore, often have particular expectations of a private hospital, which may include their choice of doctor, surgeon or anaesthetist; a private room and ensuite bathroom; a high standard of food choices; being kept well-informed with regard to their treatment; flexible hours and arrangements for visitors; a longer stay; and personalised care.
Abstract: Cresp, Mary; Tranter, Janice Entanglements were part of Julian Edmund Tenison Woods' life from the time of his birth in London on 15 November 1832. His mother, Henrietta Tenison, daughter of a Church of Ireland rector, had several relatives in the Anglican clergy, including Thomas Tenison, Archbishop of Canterbury, and Edmund Tenison, Bishop of Ossory. Julian's father, James Dominic, was the son of a Cork businessman and studied law in Ireland. He was Catholic, but not practising during his working years. James and Henrietta married in London, raising their family there. James joined 'The Times' as parliamentary reporter; their home was a centre for Irish writers, newspaper men and those in the medical and legal professions. His brother, Nicholas, following duty as surgeon with the East India Company Civil Service, joined the Woods household with his two daughters after his wife's death. Stories of India and his uncle's collections of 'curiosities of various kinds' fascinated Julian and 'served to form [his] taste for natural history'.
Abstract: Collins, John Francis; Carroll, Sandra The publication of the 'Norms for the Formation of Permanent Deacons and Guidelines for the Ministry and Life of Permanent Deacons' by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, in August 2016 (henceforth 'Norms and Guidelines'), has renewed focus on the role of permanent deacon. This article uses a heuristic structure to discuss the role of the permanent deacon in the Catholic Church in Australia. It then provides a historical perspective and background on the worker priest movement from the mid-twentieth century to explore the possibility of its application to the contemporary role of permanent deacon.
Abstract: Lam, Joseph The election of Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio on the evening of 13 March 2013 stunned as many Vatican observers as had the resignation from the Chair of St Peter announced by Pope Benedict XVI during the ordinary consistory of cardinals at the Vatican on 11 February that year. While the Vaticanisti expected a younger pope, the seventy-six year old Archbishop of Buenos Aires emerged from the conclave as the 266th pope and successor of the ageing German pope. However, the real surprise was Bergoglio's choice of name, which also signalled a new direction for the church's government and pastoral focus. In calling himself Francis, he evoked the way of simplicity that derives from the Gospel. While Benedict's teaching draws much from the Augustinian well, Francis, however, is more attached to Franciscan spirituality and practice. A look at Francis's first apostolic exhortation, 'The Joy of the Gospel', where he quotes Augustine only twice may cement this view. Nevertheless, in spite of these minimal references, Francis holds the Bishop of Hippo in high regard. This is very evident in his homily at the beginning of the last Augustinian general chapter held in Rome, on 28 August 2013. Reflecting on Augustine's restless heart (cor inquietum), Francis pointed to two elements of the Augustinian heart. On the one hand, Augustine's restlessness was a craving for God's tender and forgiving love that can only be found in the encounter with Jesus Christ. On the other hand, the love Augustine found stirred in him a new unrest urging him to proclaim the Gospel of loving kindness with courage and without fear. It is not an exaggeration that Augustine was also the bearer of the honorary title, doctor caritatis. In this joyful unrest Augustine was spiritually close to St Francis, who became the disciple of God's humble love for the poor. As for Augustine, who to my knowledge was the first Latin author who designated God as humble (Deus humilis), St Francis's love for creation is grounded in God's humility. The central theme of Pope Francis's apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium is the proclamation of God's tender love, a love that constantly renews the lives of the faithful. Therein, Francis takes up the perennial divine quality. Yet, Francis would not be himself if he had not supplemented it with his own emphasis.
Abstract: Cooper, Austin More than a century ago The Australasian Catholic Record entered the Australasian scene, serving the church and over time quietly but substantially meeting changing circumstances. The journal was first established in 1895 by the then Archbishop of Sydney, Patrick Francis Cardinal Moran (1830-1911). With a typical Moran flourish it announced that this 'tiny barque' now departs the shore with the task of confronting the enemies of the church, 'Irreligion, Immorality and Anarchy'. The manifesto was something of a war cry. In undertaking this objective the journal intended following the example of publications such as The American Catholic Quarterly Review, The Dublin Review (UK) and The Irish Ecclesiastical Record.
Abstract: O'Brien, Odhran There was a significant monetary cost associated with establishing Catholicism in colonial Western Australia. The bishops and clergy funded the development of the local Catholic Church through donations from European benefactors, offerings from the congregation, and sponsorship from the Colonial and British Governments. As donations from Europe were variable and the resident Catholic population were largely poor, the government grants were the most reliable income for the Diocese of Perth. The government issued grants to support the establishment of congregations, schools, and social welfare institutions. The development of congregations in new settlements was the Catholic Church's core ministry and the government issued stipends to Catholic chaplains to administer spiritual care to settlers and convicts in particular districts. Government grants were based on the census results and the Catholic Church was required to establish local church congregations and recruit clergy, and demonstrate an ability to contribute towards the maintenance of both. From 1852 to 1886, Bishops Joseph Serra, Rosendo Salvado and Martin Griver took charge of establishing congregations, managing clergy and lobbying the governors and other civil officials to fund colonial chaplaincies. The government also expected that the chaplains would promote moral and social order among the ex-convicts transported from Britain.
Abstract: Hart, Sarah L Review(s) of: God's word 2019: Daily reflections, liturgical diary, by Strathfield, NSW: St Pauls, 2018), pp. 464, $16.95; 365 days with the lord 2019: Liturgical biblical diary, by Makati City, Philippines: St Pauls, 2018), pp. 400, $22.95.
Abstract: Fowler, Colin In an April 1892 edition of the 'Freeman's Journal' the editor wearily commented: 'The lecturing "ex-priests" are in Australia like Waterloo survivors. A fresh one turns up almost every month'. He was comparing the appearance in Sydney of yet another wandering and lecturing ex-priest to the seemingly endless parade of Waterloo veterans turning up since the 1815 battle. As for Waterloo veterans, in 1892 they were well beyond turning up-in February of that year, reporting from the Dublin 'Freeman's Journal', the Sydney Freeman's had announced that the last of the veterans had died, and then in May that the 'very last' had expired. In the April item the editor may have been hoping that the latest ex-priest would be the last, or better still, the very last. That latest, Michael McKernan, was the first local priest to hit the lecture circuit.
Abstract: Pender, Graeme This article will explore the musicianship of Bishop Charles Henry Davis, osb (1815-1854), coadjutor to Australia's first Catholic Archbishop, John Bede Polding, osb. It will focus on his musical contribution to the early Australian Catholic Church-his ability to improvise, compose, conduct and perform during his short time as bishop at St Mary's, Sydney (1848-54).
Abstract: McGregor, Peter John In his commentary on the first chapter of 'Gaudium et Spes', Joseph Ratzinger writes the following: '[The] organ by which God can be seen cannot be a non-historical "ratio naturalis" which just does not exist, but only the ratio pura, i.e. purificata or, as Augustine expresses it echoing the Gospel, 'the cor purum'. The question that this article addresses is: What does it mean to theologise with a cor purum' An answer to this question will be attempted via the work of Ratzinger. In order to arrive at an answer, three particular questions must be addressed: For Ratzinger, what is theology, what is the heart, and what is a pure heart'
Abstract: Lucas, Brian A future biographer of Cardinal Edward Clancy, Archbishop of Sydney from 1983 to 2001, will no doubt give some attention to his major property developments. These included the complete rebuilding of the school and presbytery at St Mary's Cathedral, restoration works at, and the completion of, the cathedral with the southern spires, and the renovation and redevelopment of the parish site at St Patrick's, Church Hill.
Abstract: Dunn, Geoffrey D It is not specified in Mark's Gospel where the ascension of Jesus takes place, although the last location specified is Jerusalem. Nor are we given a time frame for how long after the resurrection it occurred. In Matthew we also have no time frame, but the ascension is located in the north, in Galilee. In the second half of Luke (Acts of the Apostles) we are told that the ascension took place forty days after the resurrection, and in the first half (Gospel of Luke) we are told that it took place at Bethany, a small village just outside of Jerusalem. In the last words Jesus speaks to his followers he connects his ascension back to his death and resurrection. He also connects the mission of the church, in bringing the message of forgiveness to the world and the giving of the Spirit at Pentecost, to his death and resurrection.
Abstract: Connolly, Noel Review(s) of: Courage and conviction: Unpretentious christianity, by Anthony J. Gittins (Collegeville, MN: Liturgical, 2018), pp. 240, US$24.95.
Abstract: Cullen, Michael Review(s) of: Bridging troubled waters: Australia and asylum seekers, by Tony Ward (North Melbourne: Australian Scholarly Publishing, 2017), pp. xv + 252, $39.95.
Abstract: McEvoy, James Review(s) of: The church in the modern world: Gaudium et Spes then and now, by Michael G. Lawler, Todd A. Salzman, and Eileen Burke- Sullivan (Collegeville, MN: Michael Glazier, 2014), pp. 205, $24.95.
Abstract: Lucas, Brian Review(s) of: Australia: The Vatican museum's indigenous collection, by Katherine Aigner (Edizioni Musei Vaticani and Aboriginal Studies Press, 2017), pp. 396, $40.00.
Abstract: Plant, Fr Geoffrey Review(s) of: Disturbing the dust: Notes from the margins, by Tony Herbert, SJ (North Sydney: Jesuit Mission, 2017), pp. 256, $38.95.
Abstract: Daniel, Michael E Review(s) of: Continental ambitions: Roman catholics in North America: The colonial experience, by Kevin Starr (San Francisco: Ignatius, 2016), pp. 605, hardback, $59.99.
Abstract: Lucas, Brian Review(s) of: Regulating charities: The inside story, by Myles McGregor-Lowndes and Bob Wyatt (New York: Routledge, 2017), pp. 300, hardback, $221.00; ebook, $63.00.
Abstract: Baker, Frances 'Catholic identity' is a phrase with which we have become quite familiar in the last few years, not least with the development of the Enhancing Catholic School Identity (ECSI) collaborative research project between the Catholic Education Commission of Victoria Ltd (CECV) and the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven. Several tertiary institutions including Australian Catholic University and the University of Divinity offer a range of units and seminars that focus on enhancing Catholic institutional identity.
Abstract: Tobin, Bernadette Two years ago, a group of philosophers and bioethicists published what they called a 'Consensus Statement on Conscientious Objection in Healthcare'. The statement, called the Brocher Statement because the group met at a foundation of that name in Geneva, sets out ten points that should 'inform, at the level of legislations and institutional policies, the way that conscientious objections in healthcare is regulated'. The statement proposes a very low threshold for compelling the performance of a practice in violation of conscience, whether of an individual or of an institution, in healthcare. In so doing, it reflects the position advanced ten years earlier by the influential Australian philosopher, Julian Savulescu. Himself one of the group who proposed this 'Consensus Statement', Savulescu had claimed that '[a] doctor's conscience has little place in the delivery of modern medical care. What should be provided to patients is defined by the law and consideration of the just distribution of finite medical resources, which requires a reasonable conception of the patient's good and the patient's informed desires. If people are not prepared to offer legally permitted, efficient, and beneficial care to a patient because it conflicts with their values, they should not be doctors'. Such a policy would, I submit, fail to accommodate the legitimate scope for conscientious decision-making, which is at the heart of medical professionalism.
Abstract: Kildea, Jeff I am grateful to the Catholic Theological College for inviting me to give the Cardinal Knox Lecture for 2018, the centenary year of the end of the First World War, and to reflect on the way the Catholic Church in Australia related to and was affected by that war, a war that began in the same year that Cardinal Knox, in whose honour we meet tonight, was born.
Abstract: Longhurst, Christopher Evan At the forefront of almost all governmental and ecclesiastical policies on peace and war is the question of what to do about nuclear weapons. While this question remains unresolved in the world today, New Zealand's response in the 1980s has recently gained traction again as the new Nuclear Weapon Ban Treaty was passed in July 2017. New Zealand proposed its answer in 1987 when it enacted its 'Nuclear Free Zone, Disarmament and Arms Control Act'. The impetus for that legislation was the popular support for Prime Minister David Lange's Oxford Union address in 1985. Lange's speech moved the nation's position beyond the political sphere into social, ethical and religious circles. This paper revisits that speech and the rationale behind New Zealand's decision in light of fundamental Catholic moral theology. It highlights common moral ideals between the New Zealand Catholic Church and government, points of agreement between the Catholic Church's moral teaching and New Zealand's nuclear-free policy, from the time of New Zealand's nuclear-free movement as early as the late 1950s, through David Lange's Oxford Union address, and the government's enactment of its nuclear-free legislation in 1987, up until today. Specifically, it seeks to exhibit how the logic of Prime Minister Lange's position corresponds to Catholic moral thought, evidencing an example of political - religious unity and a common church - state purpose for those people who are interested in moral, social, and political - religious cohesion. No critical analysis of arguments for and against nuclear weapons is intended, but rather simply the evidence of a positive co-relation between New Zealand's government and the Catholic Church on the nature and potential use of nuclear weapons.
Abstract: Nagle, Cormac This article outlines the following concepts: beauty in a philosophical sense: why we respect persons, creation, the environment, even animals that externally present as ugly, noting their magnificent structure, their survival apparatus; why we are asked to look for integrity beyond the external and seek and value internal beauty in others and in the creation, leading to the theological question: what role does beauty play that so delights us in beautiful persons, beautiful creatures, and objects in forming our moral life'
Abstract: McGavin, PA In recent years a large component of my reading has involved difficult texts on theological method, epistemology, and neuro-psychology. What I present in this article in significant respects is a simplified conflation of this reading that contributes some original elements in a paradigmatic approach to 'doing theology'. For this reason, I generally do not engage in specific citations within my text, and instead include at the end of the article some remarks on some of my reading. My main purpose is to use a manner of speaking or writing - using extended metaphors - to make it more accessible to readers who want to 'do theology' in their own lives and in their ministries, rather than grapple with more formal presentations of what is treated.
Abstract: Ranson, David Review(s) of: A not-so-unexciting life: Essays on Benedictine history and spirituality in honor of Michael Casey, OCSO, edited by Carmel Posa, SGS (Collegeville, MN: Liturgical, 2017), pp. 426, paperback, $64.95.
Abstract: Zimmerman, Brandon The purpose of this brief study is to ascertain Peter Lombard's understanding of what the Christian doctrine of creation means and his judgment about whether pagan philosophers were able to reach this doctrine through the light of natural reason. Lombard's views on creation set the foundation for thirteenth-century discussions of creation, since all the scholastic masters of Oxford and Paris commented on Lombard's 'Sentences' and thus recorded their agreement or disagreement with him. Lombard's views are of especial importance for understanding Aquinas's teaching on creation, since Aquinas's first detailed discussion of creation takes place in his Sentences Commentary, bk II, d. 1, q. 1, in which he forcefully presents the essence of creation as demonstrable through philosophy, though knowable more perfectly through faith, and reinterprets the essential meaning of creation using Avicenna's metaphysics. My study thus complements the studies of Timothy Noone, Stephen Baldner, William Carroll, Mark Johnson, John F. Wippel, and Lawrence Dewan on how Aquinas's understanding of creation and of whether Plato and Aristotle taught the doctrine of creation differs from that of the immediate Latin scholastic tradition, though I will not be able to show here how Aquinas adapts some of Lombard's ideas and suggestions even as he moves quite far beyond them in metaphysical sophistication. Additionally, the medieval reception of Plato and Aristotle will be touched upon.
Abstract: Dunn, Geoffrey D We continue where we left off from last Sunday with Jesus establishing the ethical foundations of the new Israel. Hypocrisy is really one of the most distasteful of human characteristics and in today's gospel passage Jesus confronts it head on. Hypocrisy is the real 'fake news', for it is nothing other than a sham and a pretence that we are something that we really are not, a contrivance that we are better than others when we are not, a sanctimonious false virtue that we have the right to point out the faults of others while leaving our own failings untouched. When we are the victim of someone else's hypocrisy we feel the injustice and unfairness, we feel the betrayal and deception, we feel the put-down and rejection.
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