Sharpening their claws

The Mouse was a tad late this morning, but was assured by those who take their church going much more seriously that before Mass today Clesio Mendes, accompanied by his assistant Joe Pelle, made a pronouncement to the effect that there were to be no statements made in the Church by community members unless they had been vetted by the clergy. He clearly stated that violation of this edict would be punished by cancelation of the Mass.

Furthermore, Mendes and Pelle are now making noises about taking control of the community’s informal liturgy group.

The Neocat clergy have never been … Continue reading

Mural under threat

The iconic St Vincent’s mural is under serious threat from the poor adhesion to the wall of the original painted surface beneath the mural. Unfortunately, the circumstances under which the mural were painted precluded the wall from being adequately prepared.

The condition of the wall has been exacerbated by the parlous state of repair of the church’s roof, guttering and drainage allowing the ingress of water during several periods of heavy rain earlier this year, and accelerating the separation of the mural from the wall in numerous areas.

Running repairs were performed as recently as last Friday evening, so the … Continue reading

Cutting through all the crap…

T

he Catholica Australia website is worth a visit (or two).

Here is part of today’s newsletter.

Dear friends,

Well we’ve heard the rumours for a few days that Bishop Geoffrey Robinson’s new book, Confronting Power and Sex in the Catholic Church, was going to be provocative. Linda Morris in today’s Sydney Morning Herald calls it "explosive". Here’s a couple of quotes from her article: "In an explosive critique of the church to be published tomorrow, [Bishop Geoffrey Robison] has directly criticised both Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI for Rome’s reluctance to … Continue reading

Does the Vatican listen?

Several months ago the community wrote to a selection of cardinals in the Vatican in an attempt to inform them about the appalling behaviour of the Neocats in Redfern. There was an infinitesimally small hope, but no delusion, that the letters might have had some influence on the recent Vatican review of The Way’s status.

Each letter was copied to the Australian Apostolic Nuncio, the Most Reverend Ambrose de Paoli, and finished with the following postscript:

  • Please visit our website, https://church-mouse.net for extensive supporting documentation. The findings of the Tribunal of the Catholic Church of NSW and the … Continue reading

Come and Listen

It would appear that the Redfern Neocats have started recruiting in earnest. Just how this is meant to be compatible or consistent with the Archdiocese’s assurances that St Vincent’s is not a Neocatechumenate parish remains to be seen.

About 2 weeks ago posters and cards were distributed around parts of Redfern, and a small band of self-styled Neocat troubadours, led by a guitar strumming parish priest, processed through the streets, luring the odd unsuspecting local (and quite a few more of the less naïve who were simply interested in a free feed) to a barbecue in Redfern park to launch … Continue reading

Redfern parish at war with its priests

In this morning’s Sydney Morning Herald Religious Affairs Writer Linda Morris writes:

The head of Sydney’s Catholics has lashed out at an inner-city parish for treating church like an unruly political branch meeting.

Archbishop George Pell has accused the parishioners of St Vincent’s Catholic Church in Redfern of "sad and shameful attitudes" and mounting a "program of intimidation, harassment and disturbance" on holy occasions.

But parishioners say Cardinal Pell has appointed conservative priests insistent on "imposing an alien and hostile form of religion and liturgical worship" and has ignored their pleas to intervene.

Parishioners have taken their … Continue reading

The shepherd caring for his flock

Back in June of last year Sister Dom wrote to the Cardinal about the unacceptable behaviour of the clergy of the Neocatechumenal Way that he had appointed to the parish of St Vincent’s Redfern. She received the following response:

Sister Dom has only recently replied to the good Cardinal with this letter:

18th May 2007

Your Eminence

I was deeply offended by your response to my letter dated the 15th June regarding the Neo-Catechumenate Priests of St Vincent’s. As a Vicar of Christ, … Continue reading

Eucharist Wars

Last Sunday there was a brief exchange between Marnie and the new pp, Mendes, after Mass. She suggested that now that there was a new order in place there might be an opportunity to start afresh (the Church Mouse’s words, not Marnie’s). His curt response, before turning his back on her and rushing off, was something to the effect that there would be no dialogue until the Community “showed respect for the Eucharist”.

The ongoing abuse of the Eucharist by these Neocat priests is a soul-destroying business. They use their control of its distribution virtually as a weapon against the … Continue reading

More support from Toukley

Back in October last year, our friends in Toukley on the Central Coast of NSW (see Church Mouse Journal) were shocked by a letter from our dear friend and caring pastor, Cardinal George Pell. In due course they replied with the following:

Small Church Community Toukley
Postal address c/o. PO Box 278, BUDGEWOI NSW 2262

27th November 2006

His Eminence
George Cardinal Pell
Polding House
133 Liverpool Street
SYDNEY NSW 2000

Dear Cardinal Pell,

We have taken some time to assimilate your letter to us of 6th October last.

Continue reading

Save Black Fella’s Dreaming

The Blackfellas’ Dreaming Museum (and here) is a large and overwhelming testimony of Australian History through Aboriginal eyes. And it easily moves people.

Gathered by an Aboriginal man, Gordon Syron, an urban Aboriginal art pioneer, it is one of the largest Aboriginal owned collections that is not connected to any institution. The art works are currently being catalogued for a Bonhams & Goodmans auction with a date set for 9 May 2007. This collection should not be spilt up and sold off to private collectors overseas. It should be a National Treasure, placed safely in the … Continue reading