Letters

Action needed

Dick Nolan

Contents - Dec 2011 - Buy a copy now Homily: Benedict XVI: From his Christmas homily - Pope Benedict XVI Ad Limina Visit: Australia's Bishops reaffirm their unity with Benedict XVI - Michael Gilchrist News: The Church Around the World Vocations: Do not be afraid: successful Young Men of God retreat - Dr Barry Coldrey Youth Events: iWitness Retreat and Campion Summer Program Religious freedom: The plight of Christians in Islamic countries - Babette Francis Schools: St Philomena's school: a beacon of excellence - Alistair Barros Religious education: Different worlds: being Catholic in Indonesia and Australia - Phillip Turnbull Tyburn world tour: A visually compelling new documentary on the monastic life - AD2000 Report Pilgrimage: Young disabled Catholics: new ministry initiative - Fr James McCarthy Catholic Literature: Robert Hugh Benson and Christ's Second Coming - Br Christian Moe FSC Summorum Pontificum: Latin Mass in Melbourne's St Patrick's Cathedral - Michael Daniel Letters: Homeschooling - Matthew Buckley Letters: Eucharistic confusion - John Royal Letters: Atheism - Paul Fitzgerald Letters: Vatican II - Peter Howard Letters: Natural law - Thomas A. Watkin Letters: Devotion to Mary - Cedric Wright Letters: Action needed - Dick Nolan Events: Advent and Christmas Liturgies - Extraordinary Form Books: WHY WE SHOULD CALL OURSELVES CHRISTIANS, by Marcello Pera - Elizabeth Lev (reviewer) Books: RONALD KNOX AND ENGLISH CATHOLICISM, by Terry Tastard - Michael Daniel (reviewer) Donations: Fighting Fund concludes Books: Order books from www.freedompublishing.com.au Reflection: Advent faith, Christmas and the Pope's call to evangelise - Fr Dennis Byrnes

In The Church Around the World (October AD2000) I note from the quoted letter from Australian Catholic Bishops Conference that Archbishop Philip Wilson advised of the "hands off" approach by the conference to the case of the recalcitrant Bishop Morris. What a disappointing read!

One would hope for some improvement in our Church when under present practices grave matters are left to drag along for years while those designated by the Vatican to lead us can remain inactive with all problems left for someone else to deal with.

I have heard of a case where the bishop in a diocese (not mine) said he could not deal with a reported breach of conduct unless he had a consensus of his priests! It reminds one of inaction of many bishops to the disastrous aftermath in church affairs following the Second Vatican Council.

It behoves the abovementioned conference, at a time of ever faster communication, to obtain from the Vatican the required authorisation to deal more promptly with such cases as that of Bishop Morris.

DICK NOLAN
Mildura, Vic

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 24 No 11 (December 2011 - January 2012), p. 14