Church issues 2011 (from weekly diary )
Recommended: start of bottom of this list and work your way up = follow articles in chronological order
- what
one 85 year old USA mother did for her daughter
- am I still
a Catholic?
- Bishop
Bill Morris: his reply to letter of Australian Bishops
(...standing up to bullying....) See
also: photos
of Bishop Morris Mass
- letter of
Bishop Pat Power in support of Bishop Bill Morris (see my comment)
-
Benedict's retreat from Vatican II (..excellent..)
- closing the
case of Bishop Bill Morris (and see comments!) and...response
from Bishop Morris
- Listen
to Tom Roberts....from Australia
- Fr
Anthony Ruff's comments re new translation
- lack
of women will harm church
- priests
are speaking out
- Australian
bishops in Rome discuss Bishop Bill Morris (see comments)
- how one
Scottish cardinal stood up to Rome re new translation ...lots of new
background info in this article
- you
can't go Rome again (see my comment, Oct 7)
- priests' call for disobedience
(paragraph 2 "woman Communion" should be "women priests,
Communion...")
- Indonesian bishop asks for "more space" re liturgy translation etc
- bishops
visit to Rome: reflection of Fr Daniel Donovan
- what
one parish is doing to create jobs and help the poor
- rising
atheism in America (.. applies to most other countries?...)
- bishop
bans Communion from chalice (this is a frightening article....shades of
what's to come....see my comment, Oct 1)
-
Italian bishops vote to keep "for all" rather than change to "for
many"
- Vatican
2: lost and betrayed (one of the best articles I've seen. Lots of info
- especially re Pope Paul VI - that I'd never heard before)
- altar girls? (in response to two
places in USA which have banned altar girls)
- what's more
important than correct teaching?
- Benedict
has "Putinised" the church ( Cardinal Meisner a German
George Pell?)
-
compulsory celibacy strangling church
-
remember Bishop Robinson's dream
- South
Africa and the new translation
Bishop
of Derry calls for end to celibacy in Catholic church (will
the bishop be fired like Bishop
Bill Morris?)
- new
translation muddies waters (and see my comment, posted Sep 8 HK time)
- beautiful
report on Bishop Morris Mass at Toowoomba, August 28
Overflowing cathedral, many priests, several bishops - "What a good
bishop he was"
Yet Benedict (encouraged by Cardinal Pell) fired him for being a bad bishop.
????????? (Someone has lost the plot?)
(and see Bishop
Bill Morris website)
-
Toowoomba farewell Mass for Bishop Bill Morris
People no longer silent....now speaking out (excellent assessment of
where the church is going...or not going)
|
Two petitions - I have signed both. I hope many friends also will sign Petition
One: In advance of the Australian Bishops' ad limina
visits to Rome, "Catholics for Renewal" have issued an
Open Letter to Pope Benedict and the Catholic Bishops of Australia
calling for action to address a number of concerns. The Open
Letter also asks for signatures to indicate support Petition Two: - petition to pope re Bishop Bill Morris |
- exchange
of letters between Vincent de Paul president and cathedral dean in Perth,
Australia (.."ouch"...)
- strong
comment by Fr Dan Donovan re criticism of Vatican by Irish prime minister
....with many references to Bishop Bill Morris
| The Bishop Bill Morris Story
(full page advertisement in Toowoomba Chronicle July 21, 2011) In the Toowoomba Chronicle of 28th May,2011, Cardinal George Pell was quoted as saying 'This Diocese was divided quite badly’ and regarding critics of the Pope's decision' there's a predictable chorus from a minority'. We would like to inform the readers of this newspaper that in our experience, this is not the case. The majority of Catholics in the Toowoomba Diocese do support Bishop Bill Morris and are concerned with the circumstances surrounding his forced retirement. There have been thousands of messages of support worldwide for Bishop Morris and at a local level, we are angry, sad and disappointed that Bishop Morris – a selfless, caring, just and compassionate human being has been treated this way. Over 18 years he has provided us with strong and effective leadership
as Bishop of the Diocese. A copy of the investigation into our Diocese, prepared and sent to Rome by Archbishop Charles Chaput has never been sighted by Bishop Morris. This is a denial of natural justice no matter what legal system is involved. We ask those concerned to join with us in communicating with the Australian Bishops to express the need to have an enquiry into this matter [details at website]. There will be a Celebration of Thanks and Appreciation for Bishop Morris on the 28th August at the Berghofer Recreation Centre at USQ. Further details will be announced closer to that time. [This Communication was proposed by a Group of Clergy and Laity under the Title of The Toowoomba Diocesan Leadership Group. This Group consists of all 6 Diocesan Consultors and other Priests, Heads of Diocesan Agencies and members of Bishop Bill’s Finance Board and Diocesan Pastoral Council] The Chronicle, Thursday, July 21 2011, page 29. |
- the
new missal, it doesn't sing
- Marx was
right - lessons for Australian church (applies to other countries too)
- winter issue of
"The Swag" (many articles refer to Bishop Bill Morris)
- new
missal translation 01
- new
missal translation 02
- Cardinal
sees 'no theological obstacle' to women priests
(see comments, comparing him with Bishop Bill Morris)
- Bill
Morris in exile (beautiful "lest we forget" article)
- Bishop
Bill Morris replies to article in West Australian "Record"
- Bishop
Morris case and infallibility re women's ordination
- USA
theologians' meeting (a beautiful,
positive article)
- Kung
urges peaceful revolution against Roman absolutism
- Matthew
Fox report (includes these words: "Be faithful to Matthew
25’s vision of compassion and remain true to the collegiality of Vatican II
rather than to an institution that Jesus never heard of")
- The
church is at her best at a funeral - beautiful article from USA
- Anglicans
now Catholics....an explosive device of Vatican (excellent article -
by former editor of Tablet)
- resisting
restorationism (excellent article)
- the sacked bishop
(ABC Compass interview with Bishop Bill Morris - "must read")
Observations about church of someone recently returned from USA
- bishops rarely speak "off the cuff",
even in informal gathering of priests. Must read every talk. Also must dress
formally at even informal gathering of priests....full black suit, even at
height of Summer (= instructions from Vatican?)
- people who want to "turn back the clock" are getting control of
parish music ministry (and then having nearly all Latin songs) and control of
Communion ministry (then not having Communion from the chalice)-
Morale
falters in Australian Church ("must
read" - really important article)
- whatever
happened to Bill Morris?
- Pope John 23 -
harmless old man? (and see my comment)
- Fr
John Dear s.j. treated like Bishop Bill Morris
- Matthew Fox on JP2 & B16
(too strong? but much truth?)
- Vatican out to tighten control over Caritas: report
1 report
2
- heard on grapevine: a petition is being prepared in Australia re sacking
of Bishop Bill Morris
(see items in this diary the past two weeks, and today's report, below) to
be sent to the Vatican
to express people's unhappiness at an act of great injustice. More details next
week if available
- Europe
letter of support for Bishop Morris
|
23/5/11 A Bishop that had to go ? (from Vincentian website) On May 18, the online version of The Record, a publication of the Catholic Archdiocese of Perth in Western Australia, posted to its website the item Editorial : a Bishop that had to go. Unlike a recent letter from the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, the Editorial saw fit to present what could be regarded as a very biased and inaccurate view of Bishop Bill Morris and the process that recently brought about his removal as Bishop of Toowomba Qld. This piece of writing, appearing as it did in the Catholic Media of an Archdiocese, initially stirred me to write some scorching comments concerning the bias and inaccuracies contained in it.. However, with further consideration, it seemed to me that if I responded in a tone similar to that of the Editorial, then I would be no better than the author of this Editorial who appears to find meaning in delivering trenchant criticism of Bill Morris. The Scripture Readings from the Fifth Sunday of Easter (Year A) offer some more positive thinking, and this is surely what our Church needs at the moment. The first reading (Acts 6:1-7) speaks of the difficulties confronting the early Church in regard to neglect of the Hellenist (Greek speaking) widows. The problem was resolved through initiative, adaptation to the real world, and concern for pastoral care. The Gospel (John 14:1-12) , among other ideas, speaks of Jesus as the Way, the Truth, and the Life. And so it is clear that a focus on Jesus Christ is essential in our Church. In much of the negative discussion concerning Bishop Morris (including the Editorial referred to above), the idea of the Church adapting to the real needs of the times, and a focus on Jesus Christ as the centre of the Church, have been put aside. Instead, authority, discipline, and orthodoxy have been dominant. So, we might well ask, while we reflect on the Scripture Readings of the Fifth Sunday of Easter : How important do we consider a focus on Jesus Christ and the needs of the times - as compared with a focus on authority, discipline and orthodoxy ? Tim Williams CM Note that the comments above are not made on behalf of the Vincentian Priests and Brothers, but are the opinion of the webmaster of this site writing as an individual. . 25/5/11 Is Christopher Pearson right about Bishop Morris ? SYDNEY: Recently, Journalist Christopher Pearson launched an attack on Bishop Bill Morris in The Weekend Australian (May 23-24 2011). He raised some serious matters that deserve closer attention. On May 23rd, Michael Whelan SM of the Aquinas Academy offered a further reflection on the Bill Morris Case. He questions the accuracy of some of the remarks made by Christopher Pearson, and comments on the Vatican's view of the the vision of the Church presented in the Second Vatican Council. [Read More] |
-
comment on statement from Australian Bishops' Conference
- Australian
bishops support Pope's decision to sack Bishop Morris
- Bishops'
statement
- Australia's
religious orders express distress at bishop's ouster
- trust at
stake in Toowoomba (I wonder if author intends "at stake" to
have double meaning...as in "burnt at stake"?)
(& see my comment - "comments" - May 16)
- bishops sad
not mad over Morris sacking
- removal
of Bishop Morris a long time coming (has info - re 1988 "Statement of
Conclusions")
- bishop Morris and
the Eucharist
- an open
letter of support to Bishop Morris from Judith Lynch
|
Mum
is one reason why I'm following the sacking
of Bishop Bill Morris with great interest.
Bill was Mum's parish priest on the Gold Coast for many years. He was
really kind to her and all the older people....as well as to everyone
else. I used to help him with Masses when I was on holidays. Had known him
before that in Brisbane when he was vocation director and secretary to
Archbishop Rush. Last time I saw him was at 2004 Villanova
re-union (he was some years ahead of me). Not forgetting Mum was from
Toowoomba. -
"You've got to stand in your truth" (and see links at
bottom of this article) "The
above situations will continue in our Church as long as the people who
make up that Church are willing to accept it. As a Bishop,
Bill Morris has spoken out - and paid the price. It is now up
to Lay People, Clergy and other Bishops to indicate their support for him,
and their dissatisfaction at the inappropriate and unjust way he and
the Diocese of Toowoomba have been treated". |
-
the hidden exodus: Catholics becoming Protestant (most of them before
they are 24 years old)
-Cardinal
Burke an object of ridicule (self-inflicted....and he is one of the
most important people running the church in Rome. Would that he cared about
climate change and world poverty etc as much as he does about his clothing)
- Fr
Michael Ryan says he will accept new missal
(but notice sentence at end - "and if it doesn’t, we will do our
best to make the best of it” ?)
- latest
from Australia re new missal
- rolling back
Vatican 2
- liturgical
translation at crossroads (an excellent article...)
- memo
to divided church: meet the Focolare
- Australian
Catholic church facing disaster?
- bishop's
urgent letter to pope - no reply
-Japan's
bishops trying to stop Neo-Cats
“When was the last time you entered a Catholic church and actually were
welcomed?” he asked. “Our churches and our liturgies are boring. That, I
think, more than theology, is what is driving our people away from our church.
“What you need is good music, good preaching, programs for kids and a
welcoming community,” he said. “If you have that, you will have a full
church.” He called the Catholic church today “a lazy monopoly” around
which evangelical churches “are running circles.”
- from excellent article "Bishops
are scared"
- Golden
Anniversary reflections (this article was
censored/removed
from CathNews website)