Vitriolic attack on lay Catholics dims hopes for church renewal

While busy with robust attacks on “bomb-throwing” Catholics, Greg Craven tosses quite a few himself (“Catholics are under fire in battle against ‘woke’ church”, 9-10/7). Nor is he free from the self-righteousness for which – in almost feverish language – he so vigorously denigrates them.

He seems to forget a number of important things. The Second Vatican Council declared that by virtue of our baptism we all become “the people of God” (and there are no sub- or super-classes of that condition) and further that previous Catholic councils were not (nor expected to be) “harmonious”. The history of Christianity has, unsurprisingly, been otherwise.

It was also ironic that his contumely was placed under a detailed discussion of the national census that revealed that nearly 40 per cent of adults responded that they have no religious faith.

John Carmody, Roseville, NSW

It is hard to fathom just what Greg Craven is trying to achieve by penning his vitriolic attack on the large number of Catholics hoping for, working for, Catholic Church renewal. He has unleashed an avalanche of florid language and sarcasm against so many who dare to think more openly than he can bear. His is more an essay in creative language than anything based on the truth. These people are, in his eyes, a “radical gang of lay bomb-throwers”, “religious Bolsheviks”, the “smug left”; they “mercilessly condemn the current governors, the bishops”, and do not want “a resurrected church but a woke church”. There is more, much more, along those lines.

There are some 19 groups in the ACCCR (Australian Catholic Coalition for Church Renewal) that have been working for a change of church rigidity and rules. On July 6, there was a motion voted on at the Plenary Council for recognising full equality of women and men in the Catholic Church. The motion was dismissed by a small majority of bishops (later amended). With condemnatory attitudes such as Craven’s and by those who hold power one could despair of any change to the status quo.

Jan Coleman, Glen Iris, Vic

Greg Craven’s article on the Catholic Church’s recent Plenary Council does a serious disservice to the more than 250 people who attended this important meeting as members. The article does not faithfully convey the respectful and genuine dialogue that occurred between Catholics representing the wide diversity that exists within the church in Australia. The members may not have agreed on all the issues but the discussions were an excellent example of a style of constructive discourse that is so lacking in what passes for much of the current public debate and commentary in Australia.

Gavin Keating, Campbell, ACT

Silence on voice

Now that it has slipped out that the details of the proposed voice will not be revealed before we vote, it is clear that the government wants us to swallow a poisoned pill without knowing what is in it (“ ‘Keep it simple’ on voice vote”, 8/7). What will the voice do? Who will be entitled to stand as a candidate or vote in its elections? In fact, will there be any elections at all? Will it just be advisory or have executive or legislative powers? If so, what will they be? Will it pay its own way? Will it be subject to the courts and the ordinary law like anti-racism and anti-discrimination laws? Will it be subject to the ombudsman? Will it exist forever or have a fixed term?

Surely we are entitled to know the answers to these questions before we vote. It would be so easy to have an explanatory memorandum setting out the main features of the voice and sent to all electors. But if none of this happens, voters are entitled to say the whole thing is deceptive and it will be very tempting to vote against it.

Neil Brown QC, South Yarra, Vic

The considered writing by Paul Kelly (“Out of sight, out of mind”, 9-10/7) and Janet Albrechtsen (“Not bad manners to ask for more than ‘vibe’ of the voice”, 9-10/7) should be made compulsory reading. Having been in farming communities since the mid-1960s I witnessed at close proximity Aboriginal disadvantage and sadly racism.

On returning to farming some 15 years ago I had expected to witness vast improvement in outcomes given white fella changes in attitude and the billions of taxpayer money spent. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. The local town had a cohort of younger men who had no respect for their elders, police or white fellas. Communities like Wadeye, Yuendumu, Tennant Creek, Aurukun, Moree, Walgett, Brewarrina and Wilcannia suffer identical problems. It is time for elders current and emerging to take control back, then it may be time to consider the voice to government. A trip to the local supermarket involved being threatened with assault unless cigarettes were purchased for a couple of working-age young adults.

Geoff Bushby, Milsons Point, NSW