Ponder
Being an atheist does not mean I know anymore about Buddhism than a non-atheist. I am no expert on Buddhism, although I like aspects of some of its teachings gleaned from basic reading.

I was more talking about homogeneity within the religions/belief systems not arguing that all religions merge ie. intra-faith rather than inter-faith. That would be too much to hope for. :)

Otokonoko
I do get your point. Basically if you join a club one assumes you accepts it's rules, doctrines, philosophies and rituals. If you don't like it you don't join or you invite debate and discussion within the Church hierarchy.

The issue of a modern day reformation begs the question: Why? Surely this battle has already been won by Martin Luther and consolidated in the Enlightenment.

The Church has always rooted out, often by violent means, what it terms to be "heretics" and father Kennedy is a modern day example (except he may be excommunicated, not burnt at the stake).

The point is we should stop worrying about weather or not the Church will reform and start opposing its influence in Secular society especially in regards to issues such as gay rights and birth control.

The brouhaha caused by maverick Priest Father Kennedy is nothing new. Parishes all over Aust are fraught with dissident priest and congregations who are at loggerheds with the Establishment, the Papacy and the Vatican in Rome. Revisionist, heretics and liturical misfits have been trying for centuries to change the status quo - making Oz non-subservient to the CC in Rome,making up their own brand of rules and regulations,and enticing the parish to join in their unorthodox behaviours. Our very own Mary MacKillop renounced her sisterhood to start her own, thereby inviting excommunication by Papal decree. Like Kennedy she was a maverick. Definitly a non-conformist. Much has been written about clans, sects, cults and secret cabals - David Koresh's, Charlie Manson, Maharishi Yoga, Hare Krishna, LittlePebble, Jonestown etc.

The 71 year old pariah has bucked the system for nigh on five decades. Suffering mid life crisis, he has a history of civil diobedience which if he was not a man-of-the-cloth, would have been jailed, fined and criminally recorded. By his own definition his 45 years in the ministry has been one of continual rebuttal of diocese orthodoxy and bishopric authority. Moreover,his constant clashes with " totalitarian church authorites,accusing Pope John Paul II and Benedict XVI of being tyrants.

Priest take the vowels of charity and obedience ? Obedience to the Megisterium of the Church and it's visible leader the Pope. Flagrant disobedience becomes schimatic when he disregards the authority of his bishop. Clearly, the Bishop is in the Church, and the church is in the bishop, and quote: " he who is not with the Bishop is not in the church ".

Schism ( Greek " shisma ", rent,division ) in theology and canon law. Described as the rupture of ecclesiastical union and unity. Catholics have an obligation which binds them to the social organisation of the church, and makes them members of the mystical body of the Catholic Church.

Anyone becomes schismatic who rebels against the legitimate authority of the Church. Those who desire to remain in the church, without going so far as the rejection of the

Church Authority as a whole, is guilty of the crime of apostasy. This applies to the parish of St Mary's, and every other parish.

Schism and heresy - rebellion against the Devinely constituted Hierarchy. Denial of Papal primacy. Excommunication is the de rigueur. Ipso faco. QID.

The honourable priest should fall on his sword. Taking out an injunction in Court confuses the issue and purloining church funds to a protracted Supreme Court battle is disingenuous. Would his parishioners stick by him hiring a QC Barrister or two ?

This self serving spectacle is harming the Church and religion at hoc. It does injustice to all Christian Communities, especially when Oz has ecome so divisive and xenophobic since 9/11. Muslims, Hindus and others are at pains to witness Christianiy washing it's dirty linen in public. The stolen generation debacle,the priesthood paedophilia saga, the Word Youth Day kafuffle, the sordid embezzlement of church funds in parishes, and Vatican corrupt Swiss Bank accounts, Madoff's scandal, etc.

In the final analysis, Pope Benedict XVI's four year reign has not endeared him to the faithful. Alienating himself from the larger part of the CC and Christainity. He is oblivious to the real world, only focused on the Vatican world. His latest gaffe welcoming 4 Bishops, members of a sect opposed to the 2nd Vatican Council 1961, who were ignominously excommunicated by Pope John Paul II,1988. All members of St Pius Society founded 1970 by French Arcbishop Marcel Lefebvre who opposed reforms, and for taking part in unsanctioned ceremonies. UK born Bishop Williamson - denying 6 million Jews perished in Nazi gas chambers, and debunking the Holocaust.

In 2007, he approved Latin Masses hitherto banned by his prdecessor. He angered Muslims by alleging Islam brought things " evil and inhuman " into the world. Almost mimickng Bush's " axis of evil syndrome ". In the dying days of WWII, he served with the Hitler(Jugan) Youth who were responsible for some horrific atrocities to the civilian German population.

Jacinta,

While you are correct in noting that Pope Bennie was a member of the Hitler Youth, I think the inclusion of this in your post is a bit misleading. Membership at the time was mandatory, and he did hold out for some time before joining. He also failed to attend meetings and activities. As such, I doubt that he committed any atrocities against the German people, as could be inferred from your post.

George,
It wasn’t my intention to ‘pigeon-hole’ your mode of Catholic belief but your posts certainly reveal your strong Catholic identity, which I respect. The pill all ‘good’ Catholics must swallow is the charismatic and ‘mysterious’ papal ‘infallibility’, (certainly not to be confused with ‘impeccability’). The ensuing doctrine and Church magisterium can be quite problematic. With the issue of ‘birth-control’ for example, the CC must “… preserve the chastity of the nuptial union from being defiled by this foul stain…and those who indulge in such are branded with the guilt of a grave sin " (Pope Pius XI ). A modern Catholic mind may indeed have considered this archaic, but in 1968 Pope Paul VI in Humanae Vitae reiterated the anti-birth-control stance, despite a Papal Commission voting 30-5 to relax these birth control concerns.

Any Catholic dissent is taken to be schismatic and, as I pointed out, some 8 out of 10 will probably 'bend' Catholic dogma to conform to what they believe as being more practical in ‘reality’. If Jacinta’s definition is correct most Catholics are, in principle, apostates through their non-allegiance to Church teaching. Because of his prominent leadership role and obvious undermining of Church authority, Father Kennedy is certainly singled out and ‘prosecuted’ for his insubordination. The burden of being a ‘good’ Catholic would therefore be beyond most – if not, all. Recurring visits to the confessional really don’t ‘cut it’.

So yes, if Father Kennedy wishes to be a ‘good’ Catholic he needs either to repent or fall on his sword and leave the Catholic faith. Choice seems a bit stark when, afterall, Fr. Kennedy seems to emulate the finest example upon which the Church believes it has based herself.