Letters

No laughing matter (letter)

Dr Lance Eccles

Contents - May 2004 - Buy a copy now Editorial: May: the month of Mary, Mother of God - Peter Westmore New liturgy document: Rome affirms right of laity to complain about abuses - Michael Gilchrist News: The Church Around the World Australian Bishops' ad limina: strong leadership needed to confront secularism Ethics: Denial of food and water to patients is 'genuine euthanasia': John Paul II - Michael Casanova Church in UK welcomes abortion documentary - Anthony Cappello Priesthood: Pope's World Day of Prayer for Vocations - Fr Paul Stuart Events: Brisbane Corpus Christi Procession - Josie Mangano Education: The religious character of Catholic schools: how can it be enhanced? - Br Paul Macrossan CFC Poetry: Come As You Are (revised version) - Bruce Dawe Art: Beauty is very much an attribute of God - Sister Wendy - Sarah Macdonald Liturgy: Cardinal George of Chicago examines post-Vatican II liturgical reforms - Michael Gilchrist Letters: God's house (letter) - Melanie Costabile Letters: Timely article on reverence (letter) - Name and Address Supplied Letters: Reverence at Mass (letter) - Shirley Vaughan Letters: Eucharistic reverence (letter) - Carmel Strong Letters: Vocations guide (letter) - Patrick Ryan Letters: 'The Passion' (letter) - Bob Denahy Letters: Catholic schools (letter) - Elizabeth Alderton Letters: No laughing matter (letter) - Dr Lance Eccles Letters: Personhood (letter) - Dr Brian Pollard Letters: Darwinism (letter) - Michael Griffiths Events: Wagga Wagga Seminary Open Day 16 May Books: Marriage and Family in the Biblical World, edited by Ken Campbell - Bill Muehlenberg (reviewer) Books: Why Must I Suffer?, by Francis Remler - Bill Muehlenberg (reviewer) Books: ANGLICANS AND ORTHODOX: Unity and Subversion (1559-1725), by Judith Pinnington - Tracey Rowland (reviewer) Books: AD Books - More new titles for 2004 - Anthony Cappello Reflection: Why the world needs Jesus Christ and Christian models - Fr Sebastian Camilleri OFM

Having read the brief report on the document released by Rockhampton Diocese's Commission for Environmental Awareness (April AD2000), I felt the urge to laugh at the idea of hugging trees and writing love letters to the earth. But it's really not funny. Perhaps the diocese thinks Mass-attendance rates are still not sufficiently low, and that too many souls are getting into Heaven.

LANCE ECCLES (DR)
Department of Asian Languages
Macquarie University, NSW

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 17 No 4 (May 2004), p. 16