As
agents of hope in the world, the Catholic Church must continue to challenge the
non-religious world to look beneath the surface of the secular, said Bishop
Greg O'Kelly SJ at the Jesuit Lenten Breakfast in Melbourne earlier this month.
Around
95 people turned out for the breakfast organised by Hawthorn Catholic Parish at
the Kooyong Tennis Club on 4 March, listening as Bishop O'Kelly spoke about the
ongoing importance of religious voices in a month that has also seen the first
Global Atheist Convention in Melbourne.
Bishop
O'Kelly said that the Church offers the world a vision of what it is to be a
human being, challenging those who want to stay at the surface of secularism to
look more deeply at their motivations and values.
‘People
of little or no faith know that education without values, and knowledge without
ethics, is a false education', he said. ‘If they agree with that, then what are
they being invited to contemplate more deeply beneath the surface of the
secular?'
This
year's Jesuit Lenten Podcast Series has explored the role of the Catholic Church
as ‘Voices of Hope' in an increasingly secular society. Bishop O'Kelly said the
topic is an especially relevant one at a time when many are pointing at
declining church attendances and vocations as evidence of religion's decreasing
influence.
‘We've
got people dancing on our grave', said Bishop O'Kelly, pointing to the work of
popular atheist writers and commentators. ‘But I think dancing on our graves is
no problem to us Christians, because the grave has never been a difficulty for
Christians from the time of Jesus himself.'
He
said Christians have a way of living that draws on their sense of God's
presence in the universe, and His love for all of creation. It gives
organisations run by the Church a stronger sense of mission, and allows
Christians to live through love in God's presence.
‘What
we must offer our brothers and sisters of the non-religious world is a
conviction of human beings in God's likeness', said Bishop O'Kelly. ‘We must
challenge any shallow description of humanity, because human nature was not
made to be seduced or be restricted to economic rationalism.'
While
some have sought to distance the Church from the secular world, Bishop O'Kelly
said the basic tradition in the Catholic faith has been one of integration -
that God loved the whole world, not just part of it.
‘The
world is a theatre of God's presence, and the secular is the place of the
incarnation', he said.
One
challenge the Church faces is how it deals with those who have different views
on issues such as abortion and euthanasia. Bishop O'Kelly said the Church
cannot bully others into sharing its views.
‘Is
it too much for us, as a Church, to expect that proponents of views other than
ours are acting in good faith? They may not have the whole story - we must do
everything we can to educate and give our vision of life - but we must respect
the fact that Christ proposed, always. He never imposed.'
The
Lenten Podcast Series has so far explored the role of the Catholic Church in
important sectors such as education and social services, and among young
people. Podcast series organiser Michael McVeigh thanked Bishop Greg O'Kelly
and the organisers of the breakfast, saying the morning provided a successful
accompaniment to the podcasts at www.jesuit.org.au.
‘Thanks
to Berny Kirwan, Fr Des Dwyer, and all the staff at Hawthorn Catholic Parish
for their work in putting together a very enjoyable morning', he said.
Listen to Bishop
O'Kelly's talk.
Read a transcript.