MELBOURNE (AUSTRALIA)
The Age
March 10, 2019
Elevating women and lay people to positions of power in the Catholic Church may help drag the institution into the modern world but will not address the heart of the sexual abuse problem (“Call for Catholic female voice”, The Sunday Age, 3/3). Only when male and female clergy are free to enjoy healthy sexual relations and marry will sexual misconduct begin to be solved. Imposed celibacy and denying the inherent sexual drive of men and women is an archaic practice providing fertile ground for sexual abuse and other psychological illness.
Dr Paul Mulkearns, Mount Macedon
Empower women and reclaim the church
How refreshing to hear “The view from the pews” (Comment, 7/3) as Jim Barber speaks up for the many committed Catholic people who continue to support their church, damaged and publicly disgraced as it is. His pragmatic attitude balances the conflicting tensions of critical analysis and ongoing allegiance. Along with Pope Francis, he calls for an end to clericalism and he rightly urges the church to empower women to exercise their God-given gifts, and for committed lay people “to reclaim their church”.
Father Kevin Burke, Eltham
Bring the Eucharist back home
Jim Barber is right to say that now is the time for Catholics to reclaim their church. We should begin by taking back the Eucharist. In the early church this was celebrated over a meal with family and friends, following the simple directive of Christ that it be done in memory of Him. We Catholics should return to our roots and bring the Eucharist back home where it belongs.
Sssan Glover, South Melbourne
Christ showed the way to follow
Catholic parishioners are less acquiescent than a few years ago, but of those who go to Mass, many do not speak up about matters of concern in the church.
Priests, by the very nature of their training and because of church culture, at times seem subservient to church authorities and they can be treated badly by them. There are a small number of priests who are notable exceptions to the ordinary priests and they are amazingly brave and compassionate.
A priest asked last weekend what was God on about with all that has been going on in the church. My answer was that I thought he wanted Catholics to reform the church, to be a better, kinder, more understanding church with more people following Christ’s example of how to live in the community.
Mary Lane, Mornington
While terrible, abuse not the only issue
A thoughtful reminder from Jim Barber that most Catholic clergy were naively innocent while the abuse scandal bubbled away outside their gaze. I believe this is mostly true and they deserve our understanding. However, while he is still there in the pews the abuse issue was just one of the end points for many ex-Catholics. The faith no longer provides a useful narrative to us of why we are here and where we are going.
Peter McCarthy, Mentone
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