A Dissenting Online Journal to Close

What a surprise it was to see this in yesterday's email:

Dear Subscribers,

Online Catholics Journal to cease publication after 20 December 2006

The Board of Online Catholics Limited has decided to cease publishing the current weekly e-journal after 20 December 2006...Hopefully we can come up with another avenue in the future to promote renewal and free discussion in the Catholic Church. Our commitment to a revitalised church and open dialogue remains undiminished.

Translation: There are not enough people to support our dissent, we are all growing old and dying off, because we chose contraception instead of life - we have no children to replace us...But as our corpses lie here rotting, we have hope that we can come up with yet another way to fight against the Catholic Church in an effort to change it based on our own beliefs and desires.

This is not to say that there have been no articles worthy of reading - there have been. However, when one mixes good food and drink with poison, should one eat or drink of any of it? And after I received the good news of the closure of this Australian effort in futility, the e-journal comes out with another update:

Women – past and present – have a central place in this week’s ONLINE CATHOLICS, edition 133.

While our lead article DISCONNECTED CATHOLICS focuses more broadly on the summary report of major research that has been commissioned by the Australian Catholic Bishops on why Catholics no longer come to Mass, the uncomfortable relationship of many women with the Church is picked up in comment by PAUL COLLINS.

VACY VLAZNA says that “a small number of courageous religious dissenters take the lead in denouncing injustice, take the lead in incarnating Catholic social justice teaching by their very breath and actions”. She writes of Josephite Sr Susan Connelly, a woman of “blunt uncompromising honesty and incisive perception”, in PROPHET OF THE BLEEDIN’ OBVIOUS.

Jesuit RICHARD LEONARD reviews the book, PITCH YOUR TENTS ON DISTANT SHORES, the story of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd in Australia, New Zealand and Tahiti over the past 143 years: “Both this book and the sisters are tenacious, expansive and not afraid to hold several things in tension at the same time.” BOOKS ETCETERA also features the launch of the book, AN ACORN GROWS AMONG THE GUMS, the story of the Presentation Sisters in Tasmania – the first foundation of the congregation in the southern hemisphere.

In this time of Advent, ANDREW KANIA reminds us in WRETCHED OF THE EARTH that none of us is free if our brother or sister lies in chains and the death recently of Tonga’s King Taupa‘ahau Tupou IV brings back vivid memories of the “feudal” Methodist kingdom for ALAN GILL.

This week’s editor’s desk features an OPEN LETTER to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in which the writer objects in the “strongest possible terms to the ignorance, blatant homophobia and eschewal of reason manifest in your document, ‘Ministry to Persons with a Homosexual Inclination: Guidelines for Pastoral Care’.”

The letters and news briefs also offer interesting insights and information as ONLINE CATHOLICS continues, at least for another couple of editions, to enlighten, encourage and inspire you.

Blessings. Penny Edman (editor)

Let us not forget that we are to pray for the conversion of souls, especially those of our confused brothers and sisters who have lost their way and who have left the Church, if not physically, at least in mind and spirit.

Perhaps, the good Lord will continue to bless the faithful with more good news on the demise of other publications which are in battle against His Church?