Defiant Birth
A crown of thorns
How Australian mothers resist medicine’s persuasions
The illness that dares not mention its name
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Jesus
Despite individual’s sins, it’s impossible to separate Christ from the Church, says Pope Benedict XVI as he begins new series of catechesis VATICAN CITY, (Zenit.org) - Benedict XVI has begun a new cycle of catecheses at the general audiences, dedicated to explaining the “mystery of the relationship between Jesus and the Church.” “Between Christ and the Church there is no opposition: They are inseparable, despite the sins of the people who make up the Church,” the Pope told the 30,000 people gathered for the audience in St Peter’s Square. “Therefore, there is no way to reconcile Christ’s intentions with the slogan that was fashionable a few years ago, ‘Christ yes, the Church no,’” he continued. The Holy Father based his meditation on the third chapter of the Gospel according to St Mark in which he presented Jesus’ calling of the Twelve Apostles. “The Church,” Benedict XVI explained, “was initially established when some fishermen from Galilee met Jesus; they allowed themselves to be won over by his gaze, his voice and his strong and warm invitation, ‘Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.’” After concluding on February 15 the cycle of catecheses on the psalms and canticles used in the Liturgy of the Hours, Benedict XVI announced that he now seeks to delve into the objective that Pope John Paul II had set forth for the Church at the start of the millennium: “To contemplate the face of Christ.” “Moving in this direction, in the catechesis I begin today,” Benedict XVI said, “I would like to show that precisely the light of that Face is reflected in the face of the Church, despite the limitations and the shadows of our fragile and sinful humanity.” “The individualist Jesus is a fantasy,” the Pope insisted. “We cannot find Jesus without the reality that he created and through which he communicates himself ” - the Church. Continued on Page 2
Survey finds Catholic attendance down by 13 per cent ■ By Sylvia Defendi
Acknowledging a higher power: Augustine Choge of Kenya reacts as he crosses the finish line in the men’s 5,000 metres in the 18th Commonwealth Games in Melbourne on 20 March 2006. Choge won the race with a time of 12 minutes 56.41 seconds - and blessed himself as he crossed the line. Photo: AFP Photo/Toru Yamanaka See PAUL GRAY’S story on faith at the Commonwealth Games - Page 2
The latest report to surface from the National Church Life Survey (NCLS) Research Centre has concluded that the Catholic Church in Australia is in dire need of rejuvenation, especially if it plans to offset the estimated 13 per cent decline in Church attendance it has encountered from 1996 to 2001. The NCLS report, titled “Inflow and Outflow Between Denominations: 1991 to 2001”, compiles the information obtained from over 19 Christian denominations, who participated in research surveys in 1991, 1996 and 2001. “Church growth or decline is a widely used measure of overall church health and vitality,” comments the report. Yet, NCLS Continued on Page 5
New JPII sex values program spreads ■ By Mark Reidy
A new sex education program founded on the teachings of Pope John Paul II will be included in a number of Australian Catholic dioceses by the end of the year. The Values Based Sex Education (VBSE) program, also known as “It’s Your Choice”, is the innovation of Jonathon and Karen Doyle, National Directors of the Melbourne based business, CHOICEZ.COM.AU. The idea for the program developed during their work within the Masters of Marriage and Family Studies post-graduate program
at the John Paul II Institute in Melbourne. Inspired by the teachings of the late Pope, the couple developed their VBSE program to incorporate Catholic moral theology and sexual ethic and make it available to teachers and young people in a contemporary and dynamic way. Mr Doyle told The Record that the program was not designed to replace existing school curriculums but rather to augment and support them. Within the Facilitator’s Manual the Doyles state that they have significant concerns about the adequacy of the sexual formation and
education that Australian teenagers are currently receiving and they believe that those in the 15-19 year age group are most at risk. Despite an increase in sexual information for teenagers over the last two decades, unplanned pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections and sexual violence have continued to rise. The Doyles believe that those in this age group are most vulnerable because they receive inappropriate information in the most critical years of their sexual development. They suggest that the damage has been exacerbated by a culture of peer pressure, sexually
INDEX
WHERE ARE YOU DAD? The Record continues its serialisation of a policy document aimed at promoting the importance of dads in a father-absent legal and political culture like Australia.
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Letters I say, I say The World Catholic TV, Radio Classies, Panorama
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Offering another perspective: the new program is aimed at schools.
THE GIFT OF TEARS - Page 6 - VISTA 4 - Pages 8 & 9 - Page 7
KATE CLEARY looks to the Desert Fathers and Mothers of the early centuries of Christianity who fled to the desert seeking repentance - and the face of Jesus.
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