CRIS Newsletter - Winter 2010.pdf - Catholic Archdiocese of Adelaide

34 Pages·2010·2.35 MB·English

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You will show me the path to life

Fullness of joys in your presence
Ps 16:11

CONTENTS ADVANCE NOTICE
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C.R.I.S. will be closed

for CEO Staff commitments on:
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OPENING HOURS:
The Sound of Listening : A Retreat Journal
from Thomas Merton's Hermitage
John Dear S.J.
Wipf & Stock, Eugene, Oregon
269.643 DEA

Fr John Dear S.J. is well known to many Australians as an activist against nuclear weapons, instruments of war, violence,
the death penalty, racial equality and the arms race. His many books have had wide circulation in Australia and his
lectures and workshops have spread his message. He has been arrested over seventy times for acts of civil disobedience
and spent months in prison. He has travelled the war zones of the world and has given many lectures on Thomas Merton.
“The Sound of Listening” is different in that it is John Dear‟s personal retreat journal written from Thomas Merton‟s
Hermitage in the grounds of the Gethsemane Trappist Monastery, near Louisville, Kansas. The Hermitage is a mile from
the Monastery, on a hill in the middle of woods. In the 1960s Thomas Merton lived, reflected, wrote and spent his final
years here.
John Dear comes aside from his demanding, busy life to make an eight day silent, reflective retreat. He reflected on
Merton‟s life and books and spent hours in silent prayer. He struggles to slow down, be still, to come away on his own
with the Lord. The book is an account of his personal prayer, reflections, interaction with monastic life and several
monks living there. It is easy to relate to John Dear‟s fears, interior struggles, humility, dependence on God and
successes and failures. Merton plumbed the spiritual depths of the truth of human unity by entering the solitude of his
heart, safe in this hermitage and the surrounding woods. John Dear relives these spiritual depths thirty years later in the
same Hermitage. Dear feels a new inner peace and freedom. The peace of God‟s own presence descends on him in the
silence but not without struggle. St Francis‟s Peace Prayer is a framework for his preparation to receive the Sacrament of
Reconciliation.
Waking at 3.00 am and stumbling into the Abbey Church at 4.15 am starts the day of sung psalms, readings, Eucharist
and the rhythm of community prayer. The Abbot, Fr Timothy Kelly welcomed him and Br Patrick Hart who had
originally invited him to make such a retreat, looked after him. John Dear found Patrick so caring, full of life, gracious
and knowledgeable about Thomas Merton as he has spent years editing and publishing Merton‟s writings. John Dear
shares with us the insights from the books he read. He delighted in the walks in the wood, the log fires, and the white
frost and on occasions the clear blue sky. As John Dear says his teachers were the rains, the house, the green valley, the
warm hermitage, the solitude, the psalms, the Gospels and spirit of peace. He writes touchingly of God‟s love and
compassion.
The title of this book, „The Sound of Silence‟ is challenging and inspirational to Dear and us. As the days come to an end
the thoughts of leaving and returning to his busy, demanding schedule, weigh him down. In the Chapter on Friday, John
Dear returns to the Peace Prayer of St Francis - Updated. This is a reflective, personal, prayerful summary of his life‟s
ministry of non-violence. In the final chapter called „The Apostle‟s Creed Updated‟ John Dear brings together his beliefs
and prayer regarding his ministry. The book encourages us to renew our journey of nonviolence and in our silence to
quicken our desire to live simpler, more generous and more engaged lives.

Br Michael Flaherty cfc
.
Armchair Mystic: Easing Into
Contemplative Prayer

Mark E. Thibodeaux S.J.
St Anthony Messenger Press, Ohio Mark E. Thibodeaux, S.J.,
248.32 THI is a spiritual director, retreat
director, teacher and priest.
He holds a Master of Divinity from
Weston Jesuit School of Theology.

Not another book on prayer! Armchairs, Mystics and Contemplative prayer – how can they mix? Such were my initial
thoughts as I picked up this book. I was in for surprises. It is a book about prayer but written in a challenging way, based
on the author‟s own long experience as a pray-er. As each chapter was written it was enriched by ongoing multi-dialogue
with a diverse circle of critical readers. As the author says holiness comes in all shapes, sizes and walks of life.
Contemplative prayer is not only about monks and monasteries. All everyday people can pray contemplatively. Prayer is
a discipline and an art and requires a regular commitment of quality time. The first chapter considers the what and the
where for contemplative prayer. We are assured that “to reach for God is to reach God.”
The four stages of the evolution of prayer – Talking at God, talking to God, listening to God and God talking to us – are
considered with examples from practical experience. Prayer is a relationship with our God and various relationships in
life resemble my relationship with God. God can be my parent, spouse, teacher or friend. The book enlarges on these
relationships. How does God talk back to us? The notion of hearing God‟s voice is only an analogy for the way God
communicates with us. Fr Mark gives two examples. Firstly as a young man and young woman start a friendship they
speak often to each other and express their love frequently. As they grow and possibly marry less and less conversation is
needed to express their love and to know what each is thinking. In fact in old age they can communicate deeply with
each other and just know what the other is thinking without the need for words. Secondly a man and his dog can
communicate very well with each other even thought they don‟t speak a common language. They anticipate the wishes of
the other. Each senses what is going on with the other. These two examples are analogies of how God can communicate
with us.
So in prayer I can sense certain moods or insights within myself and recognise a common strand or theme running
through a series of prayer times. God is communicating with me. The scriptures are used e.g. the Martha and Mary Story
and the big catch of fish story. Martha‟s kind of prayer is in being of service, of doing things for others. Mary‟s kind of
prayer is more listening in silence and stillness in contemplation. Father Mark has the ability to write about real deep
prayer with humour, clarity and a wealth of helpful examples. He shares with the reader his struggles with distractions
and dryness in prayer and how he tackles the problems. There is a mixture of personal anecdotes and practical exercises
to overcome difficulties.
There is also solid instruction for the pray-er. This user-friendly book has a blend of theory and practice. The necessary
details regarding times and places to pray are given hence the reference to „armchairs.‟ The reader is gently and
concretely led through the steps to contemplative prayer. Father Mark‟s experience as a spiritual director, teacher, Jesuit
priest, tertiary scholar and prayer-er and made available to the reader. Positive encouragement is given to pray and to do
it regularly.
The importance of reviewing prayer and how to do the review are given. He advises against reviewing prayer during the
actual prayer time. This should be done afterwards. Five ways of reviewing prayer on a regular basis are set out: placing
the grace on the altar, journaling, sharing the grace with a friend, sharing the grace with a spiritual mentor and sharing
the grace with my faith community. A final chapter is about putting prayer into action. Prayer is note just about God and
me but as a result of my prayer I should go out to others by helping to feed the hungry, visit the sick, prove shelter for
the homeless and care for prisoners.
This book is for those who wish to deepen their prayer life and who are prepared to give the needed time to their prayer.
This can lead to contemplative prayer even in an armchair.
Br Michael Flaherty cfc
.
Ted Kennedy : Priest of Redfern

Edmund Campion
David Lovell, Melbourne 2009
200.92 CAM

Edmund Campion has written widely and wisely about the Church in Australia. As a fellow priest, he was sympathetic
to the experiences of Ted Kennedy at the time of the Vatican Council. It was a time when many priests saw their role in
a different light.
Ted Kennedy was born in 1931. His parents were devoted Catholics who, as he wrote to Cardinal Gilroy, saw
Catholicism in a far more liberal and less regimented terms than its standard in this diocese. It was a characteristic that
he inherited. Ted entered the seminary at Springwood and proceeded to Manly where the training was very much
enclosed. He was ordained in July 1953. Like other young priests he was influenced by the writings of Suhard, the
founder of the YCW, and by others who emphasised the community nature of the Church. The possibilities of the
worker-priest movement attracted him. Then followed a succession of curacies that he found difficult. Finally, he was
appointed to Elizabeth Bay. Living in King‟s Cross loosened him up from being a non-drinker, critical of other priests
who seemed too easygoing, to become a free spirit himself. Cardinal Gilroy made him chaplain to the University of
Sydney. It was a task that he revelled in. He made many friends who remained with him throughout life. He continued
to contact them frequently by telephone. With the blessings of the Cardinal, three priests, Ted Kennedy, John Butcher
and Fergus Breslean set up a group parish in Redfern which they wanted to be a hospitable and welcoming place. After
three years, John and Fergus moved on to other things. Ted Kennedy was alone as parish priest of Redfern where he was
to stay for thirty years.
For Ted it became a lifelong love affair with the Aboriginal people, an affair that took over his consciousness swamping
other interests. Campion described this aptly as he wrote. “He loved them as they were – alcoholic, dissolute, broken
and beaten and he did not try to better them as people from a social worker‟s milieu might do”. For him there was no
categorising them into deserving and undeserving poor. They were all God‟s children deserving of love and respect.
An example of this is that when Mother Teresa of Calcutta had wanted to set up a convent of her nuns in Redfern her
offer was rejected because she had not waited to be invited by the community. However, Ted had a multitude of friends
and many of them were welcomed. The best known of them was Shirley Smith, Mum Shirl, an aboriginal woman who
was tireless in her efforts to improve the lives of her people. They were kindred spirits and were deeply loved by the
people of Redfern. Many of his friends were called on for financial assistance and they responded generously. A
number of religious offered their services. Sister Ignatius, a Sister of Charity, played an important part in the founding of
the Aboriginal Medical Service which became Australia wide. Ted was the common inspiration.
Ted‟s style of being parish priest sometimes brought him into conflict with higher Church authorities. When he was
younger, he had started writing a life of Archbishop Polding. He never completed it. Towards the end of his life, he
sought to be reconciled with anyone he may have offended.
Campion used a friend, John Burnhein, to best describe how people thought about Father Ted. “He had a conviction
central to his mystique that the world is saved by suckers. Jesus is the ultimate sucker, taking it all and not fighting
back.” This is what endeared him to Aborigines. Everyone else saw them as problems, he responded to them as people.
Aborigines would certainly canonise him. We wait to see if a great, unique Australian will be recognised for his
holiness. Reading this book, you may be coming to know the second Australian saint.
Br John McGee
About Angels : Companions in our search
for God

Michael Trainor
St. Paul‟s Publications, Strathfield, N.S.W. 2009
235.3 TRA

In our tradition we have grown up with the concept of Angels – perhaps beginning with the
personal “guardian Angel” of our childhood as well as the Angels of Christmas. The
renowned Adelaide theologian, Fr. Michael Trainor, has given us a clear understanding of why and how these angelic
figures fit gracefully into our pattern of belief.
For Trainor, the simple truth is that “Angels exist because God exists”. He traces pre-biblical and biblical motifs in
literature and art which demonstrate an ancient communality. Indeed, the three monotheistic traditions, Jewish, Islamic
and Christian, “speak about God. They also speak of angels” (P.12).
As a consummate historian, Trainor has worked on archaeological sites, in particular that of ancient Colossae, (Chonae).
As a biblical scholar, he shows how the powerful images of Angels have been woven into both First and Second
Testaments, perhaps with roots reaching far back to other Near Eastern beliefs and folklore. Post-biblical artworks,
particularly those of the Byzantine “school”, demonstrate deep faith in the reality and power of these “companions” on
our journey.
Because the transcendent God is also “imminent” - close to us – angelic messengers act as intermediaries – mirroring to
the world “God‟s kind and loving attitude” to all. They reveal, but do not exhaust, “the many – faceted nature of a God
who loves us” (P.22).
In many Biblical stories, Angels have names ending in “EL”, - one of the Hebrew names for God. Hence “Gabriel” –
“gabri” is Hebrew for strength ; “Raphael” – “repa” (rapha) means “heals”. The Hebrew word “mica” translates as “who
is like”, to give us “Michael”. Each of these Angels, including a vast host unnamed in Scripture, is “the tangible
presence of God‟s self-communicating love that seeks to embrace human beings” (P.21).
To help our understanding of their role in our life, Trainor examines a range of fitting titles for Angels. Drawing perhaps
on the belief systems of Mesopotamia, the ancient Israelites conceived of the “Angel of Darkness”. The evil they saw
around them could not come from God. Some other force, or “adversary” (hence, “Satan”) must be at work. This was
not yet envisaged as a demonic force, yet it seemed to test God‟s people. The Book of Job is a prime example. Despite
his tribulation, Job remained “staunchly loyal to God”. The Greek of the Second Testament gives us the word,
“diabolos”; we say “devil”. This figure is more divisive, seeking to draw people away “from their source of goodness,
God” (P.24). The story of Jesus‟ temptation given in Luke‟s and Matthew‟s Gospel, demonstrates this.
After this triumph over the Angel of Darkness, we read the consoling words that “angels appeared (to Jesus) and looked
after him” (Matthew 4 : 11). The same consolation is available to us, when we, too, are tempted to lower our standards,
to give way to self-doubt or criticism, to leave God out of our dealings with others and so harm them by our attitude.
Trainor shows us how to recognise other Angels, who can guide us out of such darkness. Our Biblical forebears show us
the way.
The “Angel of the Journey” accompanied the exiles during the dark but exciting time of the Exodus – pillar of cloud by
day, pillar of fire by night. They were never alone on their quest. Abraham and Sarah also experienced such angelic
visitors. Spontaneous hospitality led to unexpected blessings. The “Angel of Curiosity” attracted Moses‟ attention to the
burning bush for an encounter with God. The “Angel of Courage” greets Mary at the Annunciation. She bravely accepts
the challenging invitation which “is communicated through Gabriel, the Angel of wisdom and courage who gives
strength” (P.35). The “Angel of Healing”, Raphael, appears powerfully in the story of Tobit, Tobias and Sarah to reveal
the healing presence of God (Tobit 3 : 17).
Trainor admits that if we look at other stories in the Bible, we could also describe “the angel of fruitfulness, of joy, of
discernment, of life, of freedom” (P.40). His own name – saint is Michael – “The Angel of Truth and Wisdom”, but for
Trainor, that name, “who is like God”, encompasses all angelic titles. Many icons of this Archangel depict him with
sword in hand. “This is the sword of truth, wisdom and protection, revealing God‟s protective care for all humanity”
(P.40) – an image much needed today. Trainor devotes several pages to the account of St. Michael of Chonae, finding in
the preserved legend both theological and psychological truths still important for us to remember. He uses a beautiful
11–12th century icon depicting this story to illustrate his thoughts.
This amazing book is of small format with only 48 pages. But what a treasure of information it contains. It is beautifully
presented, with inspirational art-works to accompany the text. As a bonus, at the end of each short discourse, we are
given a page of reflection on what we have read – in the meditative spirit of St. Ignatius. Thus Trainor‟s work becomes
spiritually practical – drawing us to see the influence of angelic companions day by day. It is one thing to be “attracted”
to Angels – as Trainor believes we are. But, perhaps more importantly, it is vital that we recognize their presence when
we meet them in the guise of daily experience. Trainor guides our thoughts toward such blessed recognition.
A myriad of Biblical narratives – from Genesis to Revelation – depict the presence of Angels and their interaction with
earthly concerns. Trainor offers us the key for interpreting these stories in a new way – or rather in the way they were
intended. And so, in our daily life, in our teaching or preaching, we are enabled to absorb and pass on a vibrant tradition,
still relevant to the 21st century. “We are always looking for angels”, writes Trainor, “for the personal touch of goodness,
kindness and security where much seems bad, unhappy and insecure” (P.9). Angels are not some quaint, fanciful
imagining. The form part of a serious, theological reality, constantly assuring us that the transcendent One is also
“Emmanu-EL”, God near us, with us, every step of the way.
This book is a delight to read – and re-read. I recommend it heartily to everyone. Thanks again to Fr. Michael for such a
clear, refreshing and persuasive sharing of his wisdom and insights. We need to be reminded that “God‟s loving gaze” is
turned towards us constantly. Strong, protective, encouraging Angels are always at hand to ensure us of this wondrous
truth every moment of our life.
Kay Stringer
Field of Compassion: How the New Cosmology
is Transforming Spiritual Life
Judy Cannato
Sorin Books, Notre Dame, Indiana. 2010
231.7 CAN

„Field of Compassion‟ examines the intricate connection between the physical, scientific
world and the spiritual, religious world in other words the Universe Story and the Christian
Story. As the Preface says this book is for mature readers only. The purpose of the book is to
invite us firstly to take up the challenge that is ours in this particular moment in human
history the invitation to transformation that will change the way our species live. And secondly the book suggests ways
that we may walk through this new terrain together. We must engage the new vision that is emerging within and among
us with urgency. The time is now and the turnaround will come not from an extraordinary rescue by an extraordinary
deity but from us. Karl Rahner said that we are “pressured” from within to evolve. That pressure is what we have always
called the Holy Spirit. And the Spirit is creatively at work in this moment, urging us to evolve, to become a new kind of
human being. Jesus empowered his disciples to love, to be communion with one another, to become free, to live with
great passion and compassion. Each and every one of us is invited to be an essential component of one Earth community
– a Field of Compassion that embraces all.
This book is not easy reading. It helps to read and reread carefully the Preface, the whale story p.1 and account of
Morphogenic Fields pages 6 -9. Making consistent choices out of ever-growing awareness creates a spirit, a field of
energy that catches others up and invites them in. Creating a field of kindness or care allows us to move out of our
egocentric and fear-based behaviour and into freedom which is at the heart of what Jesus means when he says, “I came
that you might have life, and have it to the full.” Life to the full is possible but not without our choosing it one small
action at a time. Field of Compassion rests on the conviction that we can become increasing aware of whom we are and
how we influence our environment, and that we can and must make choices that are life-giving for all. Jesus constantly
spoke of the „kingdom of God‟, the „realm of God‟. Jesus never ceased inviting anyone who would listen into this realm
that was clearly not intended to be here-after but here-now. In other words God‟s love/compassion is gratuitous, divine,
indiscriminate and unconditional. We need to recognise that the only possibility for salvation of the whole planet will
come from a ground–swell of compassion that changes destructive systems into life-giving communities in which all live
life to the full. As we resonate with care and compassion, others do as well and together we become a force to be
reckoned with, a transformation that gives life to the whole of creation.
We understand our lives in and through stories. Spoken or unspoken stories are powerful containers for the energy of our
lives. During the last few decades, a new story has emerged, a new cosmology that brings matters of science and matters
of faith into a space where they no longer need collide but can complement each other and render the fuller picture of
what is true. The overarching narrative that has emerged as a result of modern scientific discoveries is called the
Universe Story which is a story of the origin and development of the universe that began with the Big Bang. The
Universe Story offers us great hope as a species. The universe is a single evolutionary process, dynamic and organic and
all life is fundamentally connected. In scientific language it all began with a bang. In theological language it all began
with a Creator. While the Universe story is grounded in empirical science, the Christian story is rooted in the experience
of human subjects who have acquired self-reflective consciousness, and as a result have meaning-filled insights
regarding a dimension of life that falls outside the parameters of empirical science. Chapters 3 and 4 show the resonance
between the Universe story and the Christian story, particularly through the work of Karl Rahner. Judy Cannato‟s
previous book „Radical Amazement‟ covers this very well. The Christian story speaks of God‟s love for all creation: the
Universe story brings us to awe and wonder. In the Christian story we locate the moment of evolutionary history in the
person of Jesus, the Christ, and we celebrate it in ourselves as well. Jesus was an evolutionary first, a cosmic event that
ushered in a new era of profound awareness of how the Holy is woven into the fabric of our lives.
A return to Chapter 2 after reading this book helps to explain the four characteristics of Morphogenic Fields and Holons
i.e. self-preservation, self-adaptation, self-transcendence and self-dissolution. Chapter 7 is on Meditation and how it
helps in all of the above. Pages 124 – 131 cover very simply the practice of meditation. Each chapter ends with
suggestions for a contemplative pause and a prayer which helps to bring together the content of the chapter just read.
This book begins with the story of the rescue of the whales and it ends with a story (commencing p.185)
from Judy‟ life. In many ways this story sums up in a personal way the content of the book.
Br Michael Flaherty cfc
The future church: how ten trends are
revolutionizing the Catholic Church
John L. Allen, Jr.
Doubleday. New York, 2009.
282.09 ALL

For so long we have been enlightened by the writings of John Allen – his essays in The
National Catholic Reporter and the four books before this one. He is a journalist of great
integrity. His work is objective, factual and well researched. He has no axe to grind, but is
not averse to making incisive commentary, drawing on the material he presents. His output has been described as “crisp
writing”. This is indeed his trademark.
With this latest volume, Allen astutely deals with what he sees as ten “trends” which will revoluntionize the Church of
the 21st century. These are: A World Church; Evangelical Catholicism; Islam; The New Demography; Expanding Lay
Roles; The Biotech Revolution; Globalization; Ecology; Multi polarism; Pentecostalism. He also speaks of 25 “Trends
that Aren‟t: - a variety of suggestions which he received when he widely canvassed ideas for this book. They are
presented for our consideration, but most do not measure up to the strict criteria he sets for his current thesis. One
contributor insisted that the author “name the illegitimacy of every Pope since Pius XII as a Catholic trend.” (P415).
Allen copes well with all this – displaying his usual wry sense of humour.
Allen supports his world view with a wealth of anecdotes, pertinent examples and (never boring) statistics. Open the
books at random – as I did – and at every sub-heading of any chapter we will find a reflection of the author‟s stated
purpose: “I suppose I‟m trying to strike a balance between leaving readers free to decide what to think, but at the same
time encouraging them to thing big”. (P6).
Allen constantly reminds us that “catholic” means “universal”. We are untrue to this concept if we attempt – or prefer –
to escape into a kind of comforting insularity. As “Church in the World”, we have a duty to be aware of global reality.
This is true for those in authority and for the majority of us who form the “grass roots” of the Church. Allen cites
enough ecclesial reactions to current “trends” to defuse somewhat the old adage attributed to the Vatican: “Talk to us on
Wednesday and we‟ll get back to you in 300 years”. (P428). But – as in every era – there is now a pressing need to
examine issues which impinge on so many aspects of our life. Not all of these influential “trends” are inherently
“religious”. But their pervasive implications call for a mature, well-balanced response from the Church at all levels. All
of us, indeed, are called upon with some urgency to “think big”.
Here is a great example from history – dated 1659. It is a ruling from Propaganda Fidei, the Vatican‟s top office for
missionary work. Missionaries are instructed that in spreading the faith, they must not attempt to transport Europe to – in
this case – China, because, “What could be more absurd? ….. It is the nature of men (sic) to love and treasure above
everything else their own country and that which belongs to it. There is no stronger cause for alienation and hate than an
attack on local cusoms, especially when these go back to a venerable antiquity”. (P444). Now, there was a perceptive
global insight, a strong attempt either to cope with a current “trend” or to create a new one. However much this
injunction was observed or sadly ignored, its wisdom rings true centuries later.
It is encouraging to read in the great chapter on Ecology that Catholic environmental movements are backed by official
Church teachings – many examples provided. Allen asserts that such movements are “likely to generate a comeback of
natural theology”. (P 332). Many brave souls have tentatively – or boldly – used the term, “THEOLOGY OF
CREATION”. Good to see that this expression comes from Pope Benedict XVI, 2008. We re-read the memorable
words of Pope John Paul II that for Christians, care for the earth is “an essential part of their faith” (P301) – “not
something optional, but a core aspect of what it means to be a follower of Christ”. This reflects well on those who work
tirelessly and globally for eco-justice, especially where the option for the poor is closely linked with their spirituality. A
gentle reminder also to the nay-sayers who may see Care for the Earth as some “New Age Fad”, or worse, “pagan
pantheism”. (P5).
One of my many reactions to this book – probably never intended by Allen – is to re-think our scriptural heritage. From
Genesis to Revelation, no Biblical teaching arose out of a social vacuum. The wisdom of the authors reflects a
theological mind-set faced with the political, cultural and religious “otherness” around them – the “trends” of those
historical periods. People had to adapt constantly to an ever-changing “universe” as they experienced it – whether
influenced by Chaldea, Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Macedonian Hellenism or the military might of Rome.
The writers of both Testaments worked from within what they saw as the orthodoxy of the centuries-old beliefs which
had formed them. Yet they could not avoid or ignore the “world” as it impacted on them – with its variety of
philosophies, moral and legal codes, social practices and exchange of ideas. They responded to each new challenge and
proclaimed their theology accordingly, developing fresh insights as the need arose. Often this took a great amount of
courage.
John Allen firmly believes that “The twenty-first century will call forth another kind of courage, one that will challenge
all Catholics, regardless of which ecclesiastical tribe they presently inhabit. What this century will demand is the
courage to be GLOBALLY Catholic, moving out of the parochialism of a given language, ethnicity, geographical region
or ideology, and embracing membership in a truly „catholic‟ Church”. (P453).
Fair enough, we might say. But isn‟t that a job for the Bishops? Allen will not allow us to pass the buck so easily. He
replies: “The real question is not whether the bishops are up to the challenges of the twenty-first century. The question is
whether the rest of us are”. (P452). He points to the sad truism that Catholics today are almost expected to belong to
some ideological groupings – liberal or conservative, charismatic, Pentecostal or traditional, horizontal or vertical (Don‟t
be alarmed – he DOES explain the last two). Diversity can be healthy, but when this turns into unfriendly division –
with each group claiming the moral high ground – then, as Allen says, “division is impoverishment”. It runs counter “to
one of Catholicism‟s core theological claims about itself: that the Church is the sacrament of the unity of the human
family”. (P455). Allen argues that “too many Catholics have been evangelized by the psychology of secular politics,
seeing the Church as a terrain upon which interest-group battles are fought, rather than as the common table of the Lord
around which these differences dissolve”. (P454)
For all of this, Allen is ever optimistic. At so many stages in a continuum of 2000 years in Church history there may
have been some temptation to despair. “Yet at that very moment, new life was also stirring that would carry the Church
in new direction. … Today, as always, there is a basis for hope, regardless of the content of our desire as, if we have but
eyes to see – and if we‟re willing to accept that satisfying half a desire is better than none”. (P456)
John Allen‟s own writings always contribute to a much needed contemporary “stirring”. He never claims to be a
theologian, yet he draws us towards that ideal which recent popes and theologians have called “the ecclesiology of
communion”. He admits that the “trends” he discusses so lucidly, “will be a mixed bag for everyone, but they are also an
invitation to adventure, to the hope that bold souls will always feel at the beginning of a journey whose outcome is
unknown”. (P456)
To support us on that journey, John Allen offers us the gift of “awareness”. As he says, “This book may not be
prescriptive, but it is an invitation to perspective”. (P7) Like all true prophets, he skilfully reads “the signs of the times”,
reflecting on them seriously and providing wise advice. He even senses our reaction to a rather large book. “Readers
who just can‟t wait for the bottom line may want to read the conclusion first, then work backward”. (P3) A smart idea
which I followed. Starting at the end, of course, lured me so cleverly into the need to delve into every page of this truly
remarkable text.

Kay Stringer
May 2010
Holiness and the feminine spirit :
the art of Janet McKenzie

Susan Perry, ed.
Orbis Books, 2009
759.13 PER

A personal reflection …
from a CRIS borrower
I. There are three images from this book that speak to me strongly.
The first one is the painting and story of ‘The Visitation’.
I am Mary in this painting, and Elizabeth represents my Mother and all
of my Italian Aunties and Italian Elder women.
Until they died, they were always there for me – passing on their
wisdom, guiding me in my life, supporting me and loving me.
They are all now gone – died – and I miss each and every one of them,
especially my Mother.
Only after they had gone, did I fully appreciate how fortunate I had
been to have had this „tribe‟ of loving elder women to support and
accompany me in my life.

II. The second painting which is significant for me is
‘The Keepers of Love’
The elder women of my „tribe‟ or community have all died. I
have a grown up son and grown up nephews and nieces.
They look to me to take up the „guardianship‟ role. I am now the
guardian of my Italian culture, language, traditions, recipes etc.
I did not want to step into this role. I didn‟t feel ready. I wanted
to go on being supported not become a primary supporter.
But I did step into it. I took it up – alone and hesitantly. I am still
there.
I suppose it will become more comfortable as I get older. I will
have to wait and see.
The fact is – it‟s my turn now.