Not all of them have been approved for publication. - Originally reported 29 May 2015.

Feed-back we have received would lead us to believe we are not alone in our discomfort.

In the year 197 Tertullian imagined pagans looking at Christians and saying "Look how they love one another (for they themselves [pagans] hate one another); and how they are ready to die for each other (for they themselves [pagans] are ready to kill each other.")

We wonder if a searcher for the truth coming across the comments in CathNews New Zealand and Pacific would say the same thing.

At CathNews New Zealand and Pacific we work hard to provide a broad range of news items, comments, features and opinions.

We select items from all parts of the faith spectrum, in the hope that knowledge might lead to understanding and understanding to bridge building.

It is not a matter of agreeing, but of seeking to get inside the skin of another person so as to understand why they think and act in the way they do.

Without this understanding, a genuine exchange of ideas is impossible.

No one changes their mind by being shouted at, let alone being labeled as evil.

Polarisation is a bad thing. Conflict need not be, and in fact in human affairs it is often vital for growth in truth.

The opening of the Good News to us, the Gentiles, depended in no small measure on the conflict between Paul and Peter in the early Church.

Pope Benedict XVI repeatedly stressed the compatibility of faith and reason, and there is a lovely phrase in the Declaration of Religious Freedom in Vatican II that says, "Truth cannot be imposed except by virtue of its own truth, as it makes its entry into the mind at once quietly and with power."

So in the words of Barack Obama can we:

• Find a way back to civility empowered by faith
• Step out of our comfort zones in an effort to bridge divisions
• At least be civil, by relearning how to disagree without being disagreeable

A rule of thumb could be, "If you can't speak the truth with love, then it is better to remain silent."

In 1997 Cardinal Joseph Bernardin, who was the Archbishop of Chicago, wrote:

"American Catholics must reconstitute the conditions for addressing our differences constructively—a common ground centred on faith in Jesus, marked by accountability to the living Catholic tradition, and ruled by a renewed spirit of civility, dialogue, generosity, and broad and serious consultation."

Here is a summary of seven principles for dialogue suggested by Bernardin:

1. We should recognise that no single group or viewpoint in the church has a complete monopoly on the truth.
2. We should not think of ourselves or any one part of the church a saving remnant.
3. We should test all proposals for their pastoral realism and potential impact on living individuals as well as for their theological truth.
4. We should presume that those with whom we differ are acting in good faith. They deserve civility, charity, and a good-faith effort to understand their concerns.
5. We should put the best possible construction on differing positions, addressing their strongest points rather than seizing upon the most vulnerable aspects in order to discredit them.
6. We should be cautious in ascribing motives. We should not impugn another's love of the church and loyalty to it.
7. We should bring the church to engage in the issues of the day, not by simple defiance or by naive acquiescence, but acknowledging, in the fashion of Gaudium et Spes, both our culture's valid achievements and real dangers.

Called to be Catholic in a time of peril

There is always a fair degree of editorial judgment in allowing and not allowing comments. In general the editors' choice is governed by several factors:

At CathNews New Zealand and Pacific, in deciding whether or not to approve a comment we ask ourselves:

• is the comment spam?
• is the comment offensive?
• is the comment libellous?
• is the comment ad-hominem?
• is the comment a put down?
• is the comment a "cheap shot"?
• is the comment on topic?
• is the commenter repeating themselves?
• has the point been been already made by someone else?
• is the comment adding to the discussion?

We hope comments on CathNews New Zealand and Pacific will be expressed in a manner befitting the followers of Jesus Christ who said, "Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven." Luke 6:37

DenisO'Hagan

Denis O'Hagan is the editor of CathNews New Zealand and Pacific

Image: ovenantaldivide.com

"All religions are paths to God. I will use an analogy, they are like different languages that express the Divine … There is only one God, and religions are like languages, paths to reach God. Some Sikh, some Muslim, some Hindu, some Christian. Understood? Yet, interfaith dialogue among young people takes courage."

The obvious concern with the above statement is the appearance of false religious pluralism—the idea that all religions are equal or relative and therefore there is no one true religion (Christianity).

Of course, the pope is Catholic and does not espouse such an idea, not least because he has previously said, for example, "the door by which to enter the sheepfold is Jesus. There is no other … One cannot enter into eternal life through another way."

Yes, Jesus is the Way and there is no other way by which we can be saved (c.f. Act 4:12).

Nevertheless, there are still countless (subjective) ways by which countless souls come to participate in the (objective) Way, including through baptisms of desire.

This can apply not only to those who sincerely follow other religions which "reflect a ray of that Truth which enlightens all men," (Nostra Aetate, 2) but even to those who have no religion!

Cardinal Ratzinger (later Pope Benedict XVI) was once asked, "How many ways are there to God?"

Quite surprisingly, his response at the time was, "As many as there are people."

Neither he nor Pope Francis meant that religion is merely a matter of personal preference.

Far from it.

Instead, they were recognising, even reverencing the diverse and unique ways in which each human person actually participates in God's saving grace in the depth of his or her soul.

So, there can be no doubt that the interfaith statement made by Pope Francis, when rightly interpreted, is in harmony with Catholic theology.

Needless to say, the pope is more than theologically literate enough to know the risk of being misinterpreted.

Therefore it does not suffice to merely defend the orthodoxy of his statement; we must also ask what salutary lesson might have been imparted by the Holy Father (or the Holy Spirit).

Christian doctrines, supreme though they might be, are not an end in themselves; instead, they are a means to an end, which is the person of Jesus Christ or the mystery of the Holy Trinity.

For this or a similar reason, Benedict XVI once wrote, "Being Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction." (Deus Caritas Est, 1)

What is the measure of a true Christian?

Intellectual assent to doctrines is certainly a constitutive factor but what is of utmost importance is authentic communion or actual participation in the substantial reality of divine love, without which we will be told in the end, "I never knew you" (Mt 7:23).

How easy is it for Catholics to become complacent, conceited or tribalist, due to a sense of superiority which does more harm than good, even fatally at times.

Catholics who have been privileged with access to the substantial reality of God's love in the Eucharist ought to be the humblest. After all, "Every one to whom much is given, of him much will be required" (Lk 12:48).

They also ought to be the first to show reverence wherever God's inspiration manifests itself, including through those who are different, so as to become true experts in the art of actual participation, as well as its most courageous practitioners.

What wins souls for Christ? Not doctrinal or liturgical purism, which can externalise the faith to the point of bypassing the human heart.

We already know the answer: the beauty of holiness which radiates from those who fully participate in the substantial reality of Divine Mercy, starting from the depth of their soul—the saints.

This is a hard teaching from the Holy Father but entirely appropriate for those who belong to the one true religion of Catholicism.

• Fr Peter Kwak is parish priest of Regina Coeli parish, Beverly Hill. First published in The Catholic Weekly. Reproduced with permission.

"It is the pluralism of cultures and ethnic groups that makes Malaysia a 'miniature Asia'" the cardinal says.

"The coexistence of different components allows the Catholic community to experience the interaction of differences that takes place in diversity" says Francis, who is the bishop of Penang.

Malaysia's cultural and religious diversity is "reasonably healthy" he says.

"The Malays are protected and are only Muslims, as enshrined in the Constitution. But a democratic nation like ours cannot today choose to be completely monocultural or monoreligious.

"Our country is characterised by an interesting pluralism that makes it a truly Asian country, a microcosm in which one can experience the constituent dimension of Asia."

Ethnic mix

Ethnic Malays make up about 60 percent of Malaysia's estimated 34 million people.

About 24 percent are Chinese, seven percent are Indians and ten percent are indigenous non-Malay communities.

The ten percent Christian Malaysians are based mostly in Sarawak and Sabah.

Synodality and diversity

"Synodality" and "dialogue" are keys to overcoming differences, the cardinal says. They are also key to forming a society based on the richness of diversity.

Francis says despite ethnic and cultural differences within Catholic communities in Malaysia, the Church is always available to serve everyone.

As an example, the Church there celebrates the liturgy in four official languages. Traditions from diverse Catholic immigrant groups add to the varied mix.

Pastoral opportunities

The cardinal says that, although Catholics are a minority, the Church has the resources for pastoral life.

Missionary religious orders compensate for Malaysia's paucity of priestly and religious vocations.

Faith formation and empowering the laity are important, Francis says.

"We care about the Christian life of the laity and after the Second Vatican Council we have emphasised the formation of the laity, especially through training courses or continuing education events in the parishes."

Political change in Malaysia has however had negative impacts on the Church's mission.

"Our influence in the field of education has decreased enormously because the Government has taken control of education in public schools, both state and private" says the cardinal.

"If we want to be present in the field of education, we must act as private actors, but the Government also controls private education, decides on the curricula and pays teachers their salaries.

"We own the real estate and the land on which the schools are built, but it is the Government that controls school life.

"So technically we own the buildings but not the system. We contribute, but we cannot give concrete shape to the education system."

Source

• UCA News

Today's Europe, where pluralism and secularism have changed the dynamic between Europe's citizens and their relationship with one of the continent's oldest institutions.

What do you think it means to be Catholic in Europe today? What are the core values that a Catholic should represent?

We must remember that for centuries Europe has been a collection of Christian countries.

After antiquity, a Christian culture was established in Europe.

From the 17th century and during the Enlightenment, particularly during the French Revolution, little by little the Church found that Europe was no longer an entirely Christian society.

It is a pluralistic society, a secular society, where there are also other beliefs.

I believe that being a Catholic in modern Europe means being part of this scenario.

It is the desire to live together while respecting others.

The Church is not here to "reconquer lost ground". This is not its mission.

To be Catholic is to be faithful to one's convictions in an environment that has changed to a pluralistic society.

This implies respect for human being and his or her beliefs.

We must always be respectful of each other, to accept the person as he or she is, without wanting to impose ourselves on an individual person or on society.

However, we have a mission inside this society.

We have convictions and values that we want to defend.

It must also be noted that there is interfaith solidarity and this is the mission of the Catholic Church.

We stand in solidarity with all those who strive for a more just and more fraternal society.

If we fight for the respect of freedom of religion, it is because we agree with secularised society, but within this society, we have values to defend.

The Catholic Church does not oppose a secularised society.

Citizens have the right to believe or not to believe and I stand for that.

What are the challenges that the Catholic Church is facing nowadays in terms of its role in Europe?

Perhaps the biggest challenge for the Church in Europe, and it's also an opportunity, because it helps us to rediscover our roots and our mission, is to wholeheartedly accept secularised society.

It must be understood that Christianity was, for a long time, the cultural religion in Europe.

Today this is no longer the case.

And it would be dangerous to go back because it is always dangerous to have one religious tradition that obtains a monopoly.

This is true for Christianity, for Islam…for any religion.

The Catholic Church must accept these new cultural circumstances.

It requires a certain conversion from the Church.

For me, personally, and I believe that also this is the case for many bishops in our Church, I see this as an opportunity as this forces us to rediscover ourselves and meet each other.

Some people say that the Catholic Church is looking for power, as in the past.

This is not true.

What we claim is the right to be who we are.

This applies to everyone, to all religions, and to non-believers too.

For us, for the Catholic Church, it was The Second Vatican Council that signalled a fundamental change regarding openness. Before Vatican II, the Church had trouble accepting modernity, but Vatican II said "it's over, a dead end.

It's fruitless and it's not the truth".

This is no reason to condemn the past, it's just that the historical circumstances have changed. It's not good to live life through nostalgia and for a past that is no longer possible. Continue reading

• Image: New Europe

They are:

• Existential security (you have enough money and food)
• Personal freedom (you're free to choose whether to believe or not)
• Pluralism (you have a welcoming attitude to diversity)
• Education (you've got some training in the sciences and humanities).

If even one of these factors is absent, the whole secularization process slows down. Read more

German Cardinal Reinhard Marx, a member of the Pope's council of cardinals, spoke at a conference in Dublin, Ireland.

The cardinal later told CNS, "When you see the institutions and the organisation of the Church, there must be a new relationship between laypeople and clerics."

Cardinal Marx said he had told Pope Francis on a several occasions, "We have to de-clericalise the curia and bring in more competent laymen and women and make the Church professional".

In his conference speech, the cardinal said he believes the Christian faith is "the religion of the future".

It is not a religion dealing in "magic" things, he said.

"It is instrument for a better world and that must be shown, and so it is very important that the Church has a positive view of the modern world," he said.

Cardinal Marx said the Church must provide formation to its members to deal with the complex issues in pluralist societies.

But this must be "without forgetting" their faith sources and principles.

In his speech, Cardinal Marx admitted there were episodes in history "when the Christian faith wasn't on the right side".

But he stressed that "in the future we want to be there in the development of a society which is based on values and responsible freedoms" based on the Church's social doctrine and Christian anthropology.

He said that Church teaching could help the economic world "think beyond capitalism" and challenge an outlook which assesses results only in economic terms.

After his speech, Cardinal Marx suggested the Church should not oppose civil unions.

But he said "marriage is another point".

He said that the "history of homosexuals in our society is a very bad history because we have done a lot to marginalise them, and so as Church and as society we have to say, ‘Sorry.'"

On Sunday, Pope Francis was asked about Cardinal Marx's comments about an apology to homosexual people.

The Pope said there are plenty of other groups who probably also deserve a Church apology.

Sources

• Catholic News Service
• Crux
• Image: Catholic News UK

At the official "religious freedom" event during his U.S. visit, Pope Francis never mentioned the U.S. bishops' "Fortnight for Freedom" campaigns, nor their battles over alleged religious discrimination on Obamacare provisions and conscience protection issues.

The bishops have certainly made this a priority.

Here was Archbishop William E. Lori last June asking the faithful to support their efforts:

"Religious institutions in the United States are in danger of losing their freedom to hire for mission and their freedom to defend the family."

... Endangered is the freedom of church ministries to provide employee benefits and to provide adoptions and refugee services in accord with the church's teaching on faith and morals.

"It is one thing for others to disagree with the church's teaching but quite another to discriminate against the rights of believers to practice our faith, not just in word but in the way we conduct our daily life, ministry and business."

Perhaps a detailed analysis of these matters was never in the cards for Pope Francis.

At the White House the other day, he did offer generic backing for the bishops, encouraging the defense of religious freedom from "everything that would threaten or compromise it."

And he made a brief, symbolic stop at the Little Sisters of the Poor, a religious order that is suing over the Obamacare provisions on contraception coverage.

If the bishops were looking for something more explicit in Philadelphia, the pope went in a different and more philosophical direction: "Uniformity."

It's a word that's popped up more than once during the pope's U.S. visit.

Clearly, the pope doesn't like it.

As he said at the 9/11 Memorial Friday, religious leaders should be "opposing every attempt to create a rigid uniformity."

But what exactly is he talking about?

Today in Philadelphia we got some explanation.

Citing the French Jesuit scholar Michel de Certeau, the pope said the big threat to religious liberty today comes from "a uniformity that the egotism of the powerful, the conformism of the weak, or the ideology of the utopian would seek to impose on us."

The pope then explained how this uniformity emerges in the modern age, going back to a concept he expressed in his encyclical on the environment, Laudato Si.

"We live in a world subject to the 'globalization of the technocratic paradigm,' which consciously aims at a one-dimensional uniformity and seeks to eliminate all differences and traditions in a superficial quest for unity," he said.

To resist that movement, he said, religions have a duty to promote a healthy pluralism in which differences are respected and valued.

The pope evidently sees such pluralism as the antidote to the push for uniformity.

"In a world where various forms of modern tyranny seek to suppress religious freedom, or try to reduce it to a subculture without right to a voice in the public square, or to use religion as a pretext for hatred and brutality, it is imperative that the followers of the various religions join their voices in calling for peace, tolerance and respect for the dignity and rights of others," he said. Continue reading

Sources:

• John Thavis is a journalist, author and speaker specializing in Vatican and religious affairs. He is known in the trade as a "Vaticanista," a calling that became clear only after a circuitous career path.
• Image: Salt&Light

Archbishop Diarmuid Martin was speaking to a group of diocesan communications officers, ahead of Ireland's referendum on legal same-sex marriage on May 22.

"There can be an ethic of equality which is an ethic of recognising and respecting difference," he said.

"A pluralist society can be creative in finding ways in which people of same-sex orientation have their rights and their loving and caring relationships recognised and cherished in a culture of difference, while respecting the uniqueness of the male-female relationship."

The archbishop acknowledged the Church had, at times, used "harsh", "insensitive and overly judgmental" language to present a message of love.

He said that the Church had given "harsh" treatment to gays and lesbians in the past - "and in some cases still today".

It had also presented rational argument as a dogma everyone must accept.

But this was no justification for people today to replace dogmatism with "sound-bite-ism" as a way of avoiding rational debate, he said.

He was critical of politicians on this score.

Nonetheless, the Church still needed to learn to voice its criticism "clearly and without fear", but in language that "which respects her Master".

He chided people who say the debate is not a religious one, yet selectively quote the Pope.

"I find it interesting that many of those supporting the yes campaign object to the use of religious language, but they are not shy in quoting Pope Francis in support of their arguments, although I feel that their knowledge of Pope Francis' repertoire is somewhat restricted," he said.

The "complementarity of men and women, of male and female, in the nature of humanity" is a fundamental philosophical concept, Archbishop Martin said.

"That we exist as male and female is not a marginal dimension of being human," the archbishop added.

The Church's teaching on marriage and the family and its relevance to social ethics will remain the same, whatever the referendum result might be, he said.

Sources

• The Tablet
• Irish Times
• Dublin Archdiocese
• Image: Irish Catholic