Letters

St John Vianney

Maureen Wright

Contents - Mar 2006 - Buy a copy now Editorial: The challenge facing Pope Benedict - Peter Westmore Documents: Benedict's first encyclical 'Deus Caritas Est' speaks to the heart of the Faith - Michael Gilchrist News: The Church Around the World Archbishop Hickey: how to address the crisis of faith - Archbishop Barry Hickey Mass: How can differences over the Liturgy be resolved? - Fr John O'Neill Liturgy: Eucharistic faith: why the Mass needs re-enchanting - Alvin F. Kimel Jr Modernism: 'New Church' not true Church: what modernists believe - Pastor Remotus Vocations: Dominican Sisters: religious vocations continue to rise in Nashville - Tracey Rowland The distribution of Holy Communion past and present: an historical survey - Fr Sebastian Camilleri OFM Media: Archbishop Hickey presents the Christian message on TV - Daniel Tobin Letters: The Fortified School - Chris Hilder Letters: The Eucharist - Jim Howe Letters: Adore 2006 in Brisbane - Tim Wallace Letters: New Age - Richard Congram Letters: Intelligent Design - Peter Barnes Letters: Canadian Lectionary - Matt Walton Letters: St John Vianney - Maureen Wright Letters: Guitars - John Daly Letters: Elitism - Jeff Harvie Letters: Relic of the '70s - Don Gaffney Letters: Vaccines and abortion - Judy Law Letters: Gender neutral - P.F. Gill Books: 'The Case For Marriage' by Linda J. Waite and Maggie Gallagher - Kerrie Allen (reviewer) Books: Edith Stein Discovered: A Personal Portrait, by Pat Lyne OCDS - Michael Daniel (reviewer) Books: Black Robe And Tomahawk: Fr Pierre-Jean De Smet SJ (1801-1873) - Michael Daniel (reviewer) Books: Golden Priest, Wooden Chalice, by Fr Tim Norris - Michael Gilchrist (reviewer) Books: Stimulating reading from AD Books Reflection: Bringing Christ's love to the bereaved: a ministry for Catholic parishes - Fr Dennis Byrnes

I particularly liked the informative article on St John Vianney and the priesthood (December/January AD2000). As patron of diocesan priests, he must be turned to by all priests as a source of intercession and inspiration.

The new evangelisation that was so dear to John Paul II can only be successful when we have holy priests. Good priests are not good enough.

Many parishes these days are like sheep without shepherds - as their priests seem unable to care for our souls.

St John Vianney was driven by living for the glory of God, the salvation of his soul and of the souls for whom he was responsible. He burned with love for Jesus and through him Jesus ignited many flames of faith.

Why stop at priests? We should all be "putting on Christ" and radiating His joy and love to others. But how can we do this if we are not taught and how can we be taught if the teachers do not teach the fullness and beauty of our faith?

MAUREEN WRIGHT (MRS)
Lurnea, NSW

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 19 No 2 (March 2006), p. 15