|
It is delightful and uplifting to read so many of the stories in The Catholic Weekly.
I have been particularly encouraged by articles referring to Bishop Patrick Dunn of Auckland (CW 22/4).
The concrete care of his commitment to support mothers, women expecting children and women who have had abortions brings me great joy and hope. I admire him, the man and as the Bishop of Auckland.
Did you know that other bishops have made similar commitments?
Cardinal John O'Connor, Archbishop of New York, made a similar commitment in 1990 to women facing the option of aborting their child.
The
Sisters of Life have been established since then to carry out the ministry of care and to conduct seminars and retreats.
In 1997, Cardinal Tomas Winning, Archbishop of Glasgow, offered financial and whatever
support a women would need to choose life over death for her unborn child.
The Sisters of the Gospel of Life have now been established in Scotland to provide the care these women require.
Readers
might like to know about these two new Orders and how the Catholic Church can and does provide life-giving solutions, even in the middle of the Western culture of death.
Their addresses are:
The
Sisters of Life, 198 Hollywood Avenue Bronx, New York, USA 104T65.
The Sisters of the Gospel of Life, Our Lady and St Joseph's, 106 Dixon Avenue, Glasgow, Scotland G42 8EL.
Mark Whybrow
Wagga Wagga, NSW
SACRAMENTS, PLEASE
I am the live-in carer of a frailaged parent who belonged to that body of Catholics who have been the lifeblood of the Church
over the last century, being on every committee and organisation which kept the Church going and who, as well, contributed financially, regularly, when they were least able to do so.
Now scarcely mobile, my mother is virtually housebound.
A caring GP comes a considerable distance once a month to check on her physical welfare.
But what of her spiritual welfare? Our priest considers
that she “is unable to commit a sin”, which excuses him from visiting or delivering to her the sacraments of Reconciliation and Anointing.
Thus, for her peace of mind, twice a year I arrange an appointment
elsewhere at a welcoming religious house.
We are hearing on all sides now that Australia has an ageing population and gearing towards keeping as many as possible in their own homes.
How is the Church
serving them in their own homes with these sacraments?
With due respect to conscientious clergy, how are you accountable for your hours in the day?
Name and
address supplied
GIVE POLICE POWER
The Carr Labor Government and the proponents of the drug injection room at Kings Cross seem to think that merely having a safe haven for people to ‘shoot up’
is helping people.
When will we consider curing people rather than feeding their addiction?
Curing people of their addiction to illicit drugs can only occur away from cities and in isolated areas
throughout NSW.
Relative isolation allows people to get away from the source of their downward spiral and into the care of professionals such as Fr Chris Riley.
To remove society from the addiction to
illicit drugs begins with providing police with appropriate powers.
The Wran Labor Government abolished the Summary Offences Act and it seems by sheer coincidence that society’s obsession with drugs has
accelerated since that time.
The ability to “shoot up” was made so easy.
Previously loitering in laneways was a summary offence and police had appropriate powers to act.
Why do Catholics in
such large numbers slavishly vote for the Labor Party when it is so clearly anti-family?
Labor introduced the Family Law Act and abolished the Summary Offences Act and is currently regulating local
communities to allow brothels to operate next to schools as well as allowing injecting rooms to operate legally.
Victor Taffa
West Ryde, NSW
BURNING QUESTION
You covered the installation of Archbishop Pell comprehensively and well (CW 20/5).
Thank you from one who would love to have been there.
But, why was a
smoking ceremony included (outside the cathedral, I gather) to “purify this sacred place”?
I feel uneasy not knowing the implications of including in Church ceremonies what appears to be a traditional
spiritual rite of a non-Christian culture.
Have the origins and purposes of smoking ceremonies been analysed by Church authorities? Are they in any way compatible with Catholic practices?
Or are they
just included to show empathy with our indigenous people?
If they are not symbolic, what in the already sacred and consecrated place is being purified and why? Will a learned someone explain it, please?
Greg O’Regan
Canberra, ACT
|
