A Catholic Social Conscience: Can it be Reclaimed in our Time ACMICA Symposium ACU, North Sydney, 10

1
A Catholic Social Conscience Can it be Reclaimed
in our Time?ACMICA SymposiumACU, North Sydney,
10 June 2004

• Sandie Cornish

2
OVERVIEW

• Positive signs of the times
• Challenges barriers
• Lack of formation in CST
• Gendered development of CST
• Western perspective agenda of CST
• Credibility of the Church
• Strategies for renewal

3
POSITIVE SIGNS OF THE TIMES

• diversity of social justice organisations
  groups
• Acknowledgment plaques, welcome to country used
  at major venues events
• Recycling in schools, parishes homes
• Catholic participation in civil society groups
  actions Sea of Hands peace protests asylum
  seeker groups

4
CHALLENGES BARRIERSLack of Formation in CST

• Run down human capital since VII
• Few opportunities for systematic study of CST in
  Australia
• Limited reach of adult faith formation
• Formation of seminarians neglects CST
• Homilies largely fail to address social issues in
  a way that is grounded in CST

5
CHALLENGES BARRIERSGendered Development of CST

• Focus on Episcopal Papal documents privileges
  mens views experiences
• Under representation of women in drafting
• Social construction of complementarity as
  subordination
• Absolute prohibition on only one life issue
• Inconsistent teachings about women

6
CHALLENGES BARRIERSWestern Perspective
Agenda

• Agenda priorities set by West
• Under-representation in curia, councils etc
• Multi-faith contexts, Christian minorities
• Non-western ways of doing being not reflected
• Need for lateral and vertical dialogue between
  local universal teachings

7
CHALLENGES BARRIERSCredibility of the Church

• Clergy sex abuse, breach of trust
• Racism sexism within the church
• exploitation of exemptions from anti
  discrimination legislation
• Fixation on sexual morality and bio-ethics
• Tactics that encourage discrimination

8
STRATEGIES FOR RENEWALFormation

• Wholistic approach
• Affirm diversity of existing efforts
• mainstream social justice in pastoral planning
  adult faith formation
• Include CST in professional development for
  clergy
• Develop centres of excellence in CST education

9
STRATEGIES FOR RENEWALInclusiveness

• Include experiences perspectives of minorities
  the marginalised
• A truly consistent ethic of life
• Womens nature is human nature
• EEO access equity programs
• Dialogue respectful listening within the Church