Letters

Catholic survey (letter)

Joe Lopez

Contents - Feb 2000 - Buy a copy now Editorial: Australian Catholic Bishops' Conference - Michael Gilchrist Legionaries of Christ: new order for a new millennium - Peter Westmore News: The Church Around the World The comunità: a new form of monastic life for Australia - Peter Westmore Defending the faith against secularism and relativism - Bishop Kevin Manning Sydney’s Centre for Thomistic Studies upholds Catholic truth - John Young Lay teachers: backbone of the Catholic system - Tom Kendell Tom Monaghan: the tycoon who sold his assets to serve the Church - Patrick Ward Books: 'Rome Reshaped: Jubilees 1300-2000' by Desmond O’Grady - Michael Daniel (reviewer) Books: ‘Darkness Visible: A Christian Appraisal of Freemasonry’ by Walton Hannah - Michael Daniel (reviewer) Books: ‘Hidden Way: The Life and Influence of Almire Pichon’ by Mary Frances Coady - Mary O'Neill (reviewer) Books: ‘Invisible Crown: A Story of Dorothy von Flue’ by Michael McGrade - Michael Davies (reviewer) Books: 'A Victorian Convert Quintet' by Michael Clifton - Michael Daniel (reviewer) Letters: Catholic survey (letter) - Joe Lopez Letters: Holy buck-passing (letter) - Arthur Negus Letters: Enneagram (letter) - Fr Reg Smith Letters: Missing ‘glue’ (letter) - Joseph Taylor Letters: The Jesuits (letter) - Felix Moore Letters: Rockhampton (letter) - Franklin J. Wood Letters: Conflicting views (letter) - Joseph Said Letters: Abortion (letter) - Patrick V. Healy Letters: God’s love (letter) - Louise Howell (Dr) Letters: Persecution (letter) - George F. Simpson Letters: New women’s magazine Canticle (letter) - Genevieve S. Kineke Reflection: Private revelations: "Keep to what is countenanced by the Church" - Fr Peter Joseph

A.J. Philpot of Sydney (December/January AD2000) makes a sound point, charitably put. I am astounded and angered that my money is being used for a 1996 Catholic Church Life Survey, whose complete findings will not be out till 2001. That means it will not come cheaply - but worse: what's the point? Any tyke worth his salt knew the problem and the solution, at least ten years or so ago.

Having been fed pap in various forms in place of Catholic teaching and devotions for the previous fifteen years, we had what we sowed. Going to PPs, bishops, parish councils, teachers, sacramental co- ordinators is a fruitless exercise; even the Apostolic Pro-Nuncio is sympathetic - but.

The Catholic Church Life survey is another pointless way of avoiding the issue that stares any Catholic, be he bishop, PP or whoever, in the face as each less full church is visited. What I object to is the waste of my money to cloud the issue. I am not positing bad faith on anyone's part; I am well aware I don't have all the answers: God alone judges. This is speaking objectively, as best as I can see it.

My dad used to say, no dough and bang goes the show. I think that's the answer; but I haven't worked out how to starve this kind of thing, and yet feed the worthy.

JOE LOPEZ
Warrimoo, NSW

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 13 No 1 (February 2000), p. 17