Putting ourselves "out there"

Should I go into a monastery now I’m 74 and never have anything to say on TV or radio?

I got a call late one night last week from “concerned of Werribee”. He’d just seen me on TV pontificating on Gordon Ramsey’s coarse language – you know the Brit chef who swears a lot during his cooking show.

“A Current Affair” had rung earlier to tee up an interview. A South Australian church official had advised a ban on the Ramsey show. I didn’t know about it. No matter. You don’t have to know much but you have to settle on a quick “grab” favourable to the cause, do no harm, do a little good.

I decided before the TV crew arrived, to make the point that coarse language is a matter of manners, not morals – in most cases, that is.

I used a Latin proverb to sum up the point – “de gustibus non est disputandum” or “in matters of taste, there’s nothing to argue about”.

We all have likes and dislikes. You can’t order someone to like this or that.

You don’t have to use coarse language yourself or encourage it to be able to live with it.

The bloke who rang me said he was ashamed to be in the same church as me. “You’ve exceeded your use by date. Retire or go to Tasmania!”

That shook me. Maybe he thought because there’s “devils” in Tasmania it must be Hell. Anyway just to share with you a day in the life of an inner urban parish priest.

People say “Why do you do it?” Some are convinced I’m an egotist at best, a narcissist at worst. They say “showing off”, I say “putting in”.

I like people to know that Catholicism is a broad church. Most disputes among catholics are about matters of taste, not morals.

What the celebrant wears to Mass, how many bows to make before receiving communion, whether to talk among ourselves before the service begins or to observe a reverend silence to get in the mood – these are all recently revived matters of taste. There’s no good or bad in them.

Church bosses may well, from their acknowledged elevated vantage point, advise us, rank and file, on disciplinary matters. That’s part of their job. And they must alert the general membership to the clear and present public danger generated by the moral viruses of affluence, abortion, lousy prison and illegal migrant detention systems, just to name a few.

But even in these indisputably serious matters, there must be a new language, a better “style” of discussion, so all members of this hard fought for pluralised society can share, with respect, different, even opposite views without risking social disharmony.

Church people should be actively engaged in building civil society, without fear or favour. We should put a substantial amount of regional and local church resources, including real estate and parish personnel, at the service of the neighbourhood.

Putting ourselves “out there” would be a good practical way of saying sorry to the alleged tens of thousands of victims of abuse by catholic officials over seventy years. (This figure is quoted in the press 8/5/08. Would Australian Catholic HQ check that figure for us rank and filers?  It’s us who’ll cop the flack up to the Pope’s visit and afterwards!)

Like Daniel Grollo and his developers, local churches, synagogues and mosques could offset whatever socially toxic imprint they have left in a neighbourhood by providing goods and services for the local poor e.g. food distribution outlets, safe houses for abused women and children, 24/7 one stop “shops” for troubled teenagers – all without “convert to our religion” small print clauses.

The local synagogue, mosque or church could pilot such a breath taking initiative until a cluster of like minded partners got their act together.

I guess that what this parish and this foundation are doing as a coalition of the willing continuing a 150 year old tradition of service to the poor, deserving and undeserving. Not “showing off” but “putting in”.

RJM

Comments

[Jeremy]

I'm impressed Father Bob. More of the religious fraternity should be like you and not be so up tight about everything. I think increasingly it's not religion itself, but the attitudes of people involved which are responsible for the declining numbers of churchgoers.
thanks
keep it R.L.

[Bronwyn]

Well, if I may borrow a word from Gordon Ramsey, "f***!" (OK, I know Ramsey wouldn't modify the f-word at all like I've just done, but this is a public blog and all).

Who is the twerp from Werribee saying stuff like that? Who divined that he should be your moral guardian anyway?

Again, f***! F*** him and all the rest who are so self-righteous they lose sight of what REALLY matters.

[chris s]

As Mr Ramsey might say... for f***'s sake! This is exactly why people like you Bob but will say that they don't like "the church" or people like your accuser. You have the ability to distinguish between morals and manners. I've had some very well mannered people saying some very hurtful and immoral things to me with out using any swear words. And like you I've met many say words of love, compassion and gratitude littered with swearing. So my advice is find your self a monastery and invite your accuser to go live there. :)

[Mariana Green]

Dear Bob,

Try not to let these fussbudgets get you down. You are super!

Of course being tolerant of other choices/respecting their right to choose their behaviours (as long as they don't harm others) is not the same as condoning or agreeing with them.

Keep on keeping on! You are doing great work.

Mariana

[John McGuinness]

The holier than thou's of the world would do well to remember one of the most important biblical lessons

'Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.....'

The only person qualified to Judge anyone left the planet nearly 2000 years ago.

Go fr Bob, luv ya work :)

J