Friday, February 12, 2010

Catholic Voices

The Catholic Union - I am not quite sure what is - is setting up a group of 20-25 Catholics, called Catholic Voices, "drawn from a broad spectrum of the Church who will prepare for Pope Benedict XVI’s visit later this year, and make themselves available to the media before and during that time". David Barrett in the Catholic Herald gives a little more information.

I think it is a brilliant idea!


I would hope though that it would become the core of a larger group, not only of Catholic writers and thinkers, but also doctors, scientists, artists, musicians, media personalities, even sportsman and ad. execs. Looking at the Catholic Unions website it would be good to involve Catholics involved in what the Pope calls "electronic technology" too.
I think in someways it is regrettable that this initiative is merely "approved" by the Bishops rather than actually being under their auspices, I think every diocese should have such an organisation, providing those responsible are able to "recognize dissent for what it is, and not to mistake it for a mature contribution to a balanced and wide-ranging debate".
Wouldn't it be wonderful to have The Tablet onside -the Catholic side- for this project

9 comments:

Antonio said...

The only problem being is that it is set up by Jack Valero and Austein Iverleigh. The former will undoubtedly use it ultimately as means to recruit more middle class Catholic professionals to Opus Dei and the latter hardly has a track record of orthodoxy writing for the Tablet.

George said...

So Antonio - you could do better, huh???? What is your track record in the defence of the Holy Father and Catholic Faith? We're all dying to know so we can support you, but don't sit on a fence and throw stones my friend.

This is about supporting the Holy Father and Holy Mother our Catholic Church, at a time when it is so desperately needed.

Hurrah for Opus Dei! - if they can spear-head a Catholic Voice for England and Wales I can tell you I'll be 110% behind that!!!!!

Who better in fact than the Pope's Personal Prelature to... "prepare for Pope Benedict XVI’s visit later this year, and make themselves available to the media before and during that time".

May God Bless this 'apostolate' abundantly and let it bear much fruit.

gemoftheocean said...

I don't know about that "broad spectrum." I take that it can mean "Catholics who think the pope is nuts regards humanae vitae, blah, blah, blah."

Now if they had said "Broad spectrum of PRACTISING non-cafeteria Catholics...."

I'd be of the same mind as Groucho Marx on this one.

Fr. Brian said...

This is one voice that will be important in the run up to the Pope's visit

http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/proginfo/nations/northern_ireland/nipiwk07.pdf

berenike said...

Opus Dei have their mockable points, as does every "movement" in the church from the horrors of parish life to the horrors of monastic life :), but they are a Very Very Good Thing indeed. They're not for me as my community/association/concrete way of living out the ole baptismal consecration, but various of their apostolates (publishing, their chapel in the centre of DC, ...) and their priests have been very very helpful. Laugh at the funny bits, and give thanks for their existence!

Richard said...

Let's hope they are Catholics.

Dominic Mary said...

Perhaps the solution would be to make all potential members of this group take some sort of exam to ensure their theological orthodoxy ?

I'm sure that Fr Ray and Fr Tim could come up with something suitable.

Alternatively, just leave it in the hands of The Pill, and work on the basis of doing/saying the opposite of what it decides !

George said...

'Laugh at the funny bits'? Berenike. Surely you would be better tasked to try and understand what it is you perceive to be 'funny bits' and why.

Tell us what are these 'mockable' points. Far better to ask what you can do to assist this initiative (in fact we should all ask what can we do to help).

God Bless Opus Dei.

berenike said...

George, I'm a fan :) Nothing to poke fun at? Unlike the Carthusians' singing, the Franciscans' holy simplicity, what a Jesuit is thinking, the sadly extinct good idea (OPs), the number of women's congregations, "le cafe des bonnes soeurs" (among the French clergy, apparently) ...

Father: "I think it is a brilliant idea" - wasn't it your idea?

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