Category Archives: The Community

Another message from San Francisco:

Hello St. Vincent’s, Redfern Parishioners:

In the U.S., Roman Catholics have plenty of problems caused by Roman Catholic priests selling out to clericalism. The situation at St. Vincent’s, however, surpasses the worst U.S. parish mess.

In fact, in the U.S. the worst clericalism results in the closure of the parish and the sale of the church buildings. The land under most urban U.S. Roman Catholic churches has usually appreciated greatly in value.

It would be very unusual in the U.S. for so much effort to establish a community, Neo-Catechumenate, that a diverse group … Continue reading →

In earlier times, one of the most common hidden heresies was to reserve the name of Church to only part of it, a sort of sacralised power – ‘the body of pastors with the Roman Pontiff’. Vatican II reacted against this concept by changing the order of Chs. 2 and 3 of Lumen Gentium, placing the chapter dedicated to the people of God ahead of the chapter dedicated to the hierarchy. Unfortunately Vatican II’s outlook has not affected the mentality of many Church people. One fears that today many ministers believe themselves Church, not for being Christians, but for being … Continue reading →

Paul Collins spoke today after Mass. How refreshing it was to hear this man of intellect, integrity and breadth of outlook speak optimistically about the Church, and why he has remained a part of it, despite the "discourtesies" he was subjected to by the Vatican inquisitors. You can find a copy of Eddie Campion’s review from Online Catholics at {rdlc id=360}.

The Church Mouse received this email today:

Hello St. Vincent’s, Redfern Parishioners:

I have acquired a copy of Mum Shirl an autobiography with the assistance of Bobbi Sykes.

Coming from a family that has lived in San Francisco since 1870, Mum Shirl is the only person I’ve ever heard of who when visiting San Francisco went to visit San Quentin Prison.

Hold onto St. Vincent’s parish. If you keep your church, you can keep a place of future pilgrimages of future conferences on Mum Shirl’s path of Justice.

Keep the Faith.

Kathy H.

Many thanks, Kathy.

The challenge of Redfern would fill a book. The historical situation is that Fr Ted Kennedy sided with the Redfern Aborigines around Mum Shirl and became a close collaborator in her work. His genius was to privilege the excluded in such a way that they became friends. His deep and profound love of the Aborigines in Redfern and all their relatives around Australia was expressed in his extraordinary memory of names and places and where those names belonged. He could identify where each family was based geographically and knew members of visiting Aborigines’ families. This practical knowledge was matched with … Continue reading →

Tom, a Redfern original (in most senses of the word), came from Mittagong for Mass today. He totally eclipsed Fr D’s enervated Neocat homily with an impassioned reflection on the practical theology of embracing the outcast that Ted Kennedy practiced and instilled in others. He was thanked with a hearty round of applause.

After Mass he urged the congregation to follow the example of Jesus and Ted and speak out and be critical of those who would lead us down the wrong road.

PS The writing was back on the wall after Mass.

A milestone may have been reached today. For the first time, Frs G and D and the Neocatechumenate members of the congregation stayed for a community activity after Mass, when Jeremy read some of his moving Gallipoli / anti-war poems, with music from Helen.

This is about two curiously intertwined examples of the inability of Pell’s Neocatechumenates to connect with the community upon which they have been imposed.