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"People who leave the Church are not leaving because they are rejecting the teachings of John Paul II or Pope Benedict. Most do so because they go to Catholic schools and they think that the kind of warm secular humanism with Christian gloss that they get in Catholic schools is in fact the Catholic faith and it hasn't captured their imagination, their love or their intellect so they are walking away from something that they do not know." - The Catholic Herald
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Featured Website - First Things
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Film Review - Kung Fu Panda
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OPINION
Beyond knowledge to wisdomI believe this is one of the crisis points for contemporary Christianity. Put bluntly, its representatives do not seem wise. Yes, those representatives can give you any amount of information, some of them can even speak knowledgeably of Christian teachings. Wisdom is another thing altogether. - Fr Michael Whelan [More] - Aquinas Academy
FEATURE
Connected across bordersIt is time for leaders of nations to see their national interests as connected with the interests of people on the other side of the globe. We have reached the point where human existence is at stake and our destiny is inextricably linked. If we are to overcome this crisis of climate change we need to think beyond the confines of national states. - Just Comment [More] - Edmund Rice Centre
FEATURED CATHOLIC WEBSITE
Catholic Education Diocese of ParramattaReturning to our education theme, we shine the spotlight on arguably the most innovative Catholic education website in the country. In addition to all the standard features of any CEO site, Parramatta's includes some interactive opinion polls and a competition for students to attempt to ''Become the Executive Director for the day''. The site is also well regarded for its RE and curriculum resources.
- www.parra.catholic.edu.au
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New Age: Conference affirms need for new analysis/response
VATICAN CITY, JUN 21, 2004 (VIS) - An international conference on the New Age celebrated in the Vatican on June 14-16, an initiative of various dicasteries interested in studying sects and new religious movements, has come to a close. Delegates from episcopal conferences from twenty-two countries, members of the Roman Curia and a representative from the General Union of Superiors participated in the study session.
During the conference, the episcopates' answers to questions on the document, "Jesus Christ, the Bearer of the Water of Life: A Christian Reflection on the 'New Age'" (2003), were examined and, in addition to the summary of these answers, two fundamental aspects were studied: the discernment of the techniques and finalities of the New Age, and the comparison between Christian spirituality and the mystical experiences proposed by the New Age.
With respect to the techniques of the New Age, certain criteria to identity them, in nature and religion, specifically in Christianity, were highlighted. The need for new analysis was reaffirmed.
In terms of spirituality, the workshops were focused on perspectives that offer the New Age with respect to the expectations of men and women in our age. In particular, "the solid richness of the spiritual, ascetic and mystical patrimony of Christianity, which many Catholic do not know adequately," was highlighted.
At the end of the discussion on these aspects of the New Age, a summary was presented of the doctrinal and pastoral evaluation, enriched by the contribution of participants in the plenary sessions and in particular in the linguistic groups.
The workshops concluded with pastoral indications where are considered important and urgent about the foundation of the elements that came up during the conference in order to put them at the disposition of the episcopate in response to their requests.
"The utility of continuing an exchange of information" was reaffirmed, "in order to respond in a rich and articulate way to the silent request for help made by so many people faced by the phenomenon of the New Age which is so complex in its ideas and manifestations."
SOURCE:
VIS – New Age: reaffirmation of richness of Christian spirituality
22 Jun 2004
