Clearly God is not, in human language, a “single separated individual” but rather three persons in deep eternal relationship – a community! And, further, our God invites and draws us into the deep ongoing relationship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and with each other.

This quarterly magazine goes to well over 3000 ordained priests in Australia and many hundreds more in New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. It goes out with that same God-given invitation to be drawn into a deep ongoing relationship with each other, while respecting the particular gifts and insights we have as persons. While published by the NCP of Australia, The Swag offers respect, challenge, encouragement and affirmation to all ordained priests.

In this issue we pay tribute to priests who have recently died – among them a legend in his own life-time, Cyril Hally. What an inspiring life?

There are articles and other references to the scandal of sexual abuse by ordained priests and religious and the grossly inadequate response to the victims in so many cases. The victims of abuse suffer not only the very personal, physical, psychological and social hurt but also the consequences and loss of faith that flow from being betrayed by “men of God”! The whole Church, not only all the innocent ordained priests and religious, is called to carry the resultant cross.

The cross that Jesus was made to carry, a sign of profound embarrassment and shame was in His case, TOTALLY undeserved. He was called to carry it and to die on it with pain and derision and with patience, submission and forgiving love. The experience, like it or not (and, surely, we don’t like it) is at the heart of the following and being one with Jesus, it is the only path to resurrection and new life: for every ordained priest and for the Church.

There is also excitement in the air in anticipation of the 2010 Convention in Parramatta next month 12th – 16th July. That will be a renewal experience for all of us.

Finally – have a thoughtful read of the editorial comment in “World News” sourced from the 22 May The Tablet. There are some significant new directions in Pope Benedict’s addresses during his recent visit to Portugal. Thought-provoking to say the least!

Hal Ranger, co-editor

Ministry – the ability to listen

Sr Maureen Cusick, the current president of the International Union of Superiors General (UISG), met in Rome recently with 800 women religious leaders from around the world. She said she was deeply saddened by the present crisis in the church and the way women religious are effectively silenced in the church. She lamented the fact that the Vatican officials insulted American religious women by the method and secrecy of their recent “review” of their activities. She was also saddened that the gathered religious women superiors were not offered a message of hospitality from Pope Benedict during their visit, let alone a moment of his time to join them to offer support for their ministry in the church. She noted, “We feel it too, in the way we women Religious are silenced, we’re not allowed to say things openly and, especially as superiors general, that can be very divisive, so words remain unsaid. How can we speak the truth with compassion for the mess that our Church is in?” (Philippa Hitchen, We Feel Silenced, Tablet, 15/5/10) .

The present crisis in the church is one of leadership and clerical power as well as sexuality. But all these must be addressed if we are to come to terms with this crisis. As Sr Maureen says, it is the culture of silence and silencing for a “greater good” that must be challenged. What women religious know from their experience is that they are not valued in a patriarchal church where their action and presence is viewed with suspicion.

Leadership is about drawing people out to see and understand their own reality, not being bullied and oppressed into someone else’s. Pope Benedict XVI has called the clergy sex-abuse crisis a “really terrifying” reminder that the “greatest persecution of the Church does not come from enemies on the outside, but is born from sin within the Church” and “to learn on one hand forgiveness but also the need for justice”.

There are many things that need doing to address the scandal in the church today but without a radical removal of the culture of silence how can there be an honest approach to the “sin” to which the Pope points and the forgiveness and justice that is needed for healing? It requires deep listening and a radical critical reflection on the church’s structure, who counts and who is heard, sexuality, celibacy and obedience.

Sr Maureen alerts us to the true meaning of obedience as “a sense of alertness to the Word and an ability to really listen to how others are exercising their ministry”. Maybe we should be listening more to the voice of Catholic women rather than silencing them.

We can look forward to more on this at the Convention in July in Parramatta. This edition of The Swag also raises many issues for listening critically. I hope you enjoy it as a preparation for the Convention or just a good read. Thanks for the feedback on the first edition of which I have been co-editor and to all who have contributed to this issue.

Peter Maher, co-editor