tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-641832955811669058.post6273159424741772662..comments2023-10-05T10:29:39.439+01:00Comments on Catholic Collar And Tie: The Year Of Faith ... Thoughts and Tips -amendedAndrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09049074568745678686noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-641832955811669058.post-9954499326741020862012-10-08T18:02:38.489+01:002012-10-08T18:02:38.489+01:00I see from the press and elsewhere on the web that...I see from the press and elsewhere on the web that it is being suggested that we should study in depth the documents of the Council. Dare I suggest that, if this had been done nearly 50 years ago, a lot of the intervening confusion and misery would have been avoided?<br /><br />Your own spiritual suggestions strike me as immensely valuable and I shall endeavour to put them into practice. I write as one who was baptised as a Catholic but not brought up as one, spent all his adult life until last year as an Anglican and was put off the Catholic church by the almost omnipresent bad liturgy, bad preaching and general air of not being bothered enough. Blessings on your joint labours!AndrewWShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00196842185913965725noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-641832955811669058.post-59008194477883710422012-10-08T17:20:07.848+01:002012-10-08T17:20:07.848+01:00Reply to anonymous 2 whose comment I have not publ...<b>Reply to anonymous 2</b> whose comment I have not published simply because I want to bring this exchange to an end:<br /><br />1. I suggested Anon.1 was lacking in charity because of his/her statement that Andrew is ‘narrow minded’ which seems to me to constitute a personal attack on a named individual. I have altered my reply so as to show that I am speaking from my personal feelings rather than from objective data about the commentator, whose sincerity in asking the question about Andrew’s education I do indeed recognise. <br /><br />2. While we try never to be disrespectful of persons on this blog, we do aim at giving critical appraisal of opinions and activities/actions. I stated that I felt there was a lack of charity in the comment by Anon.1 only because s/he had not given either their name or identifying information and as such, no personalised attack could be made or construed. If Anon.1 feels personally attacked, I sincerely apologise; I simply wanted to defend the good name of a well respected young man whose love for the Church and the Faith is sincere.<br /><br />3. I add that what is described as ‘narrow minded’ can be seen in a positive light as ‘committed’ or ‘focused’; this is a re-labelling skill used in some forms of relationship counselling to help provide spouses with a more positive understanding of one another.<br /><br />4. I am surprised that anyone should ask Andrew’s educational qualifications since every Tom, Dick or Sally is entitled to an opinion and as a service-user (as we say today) of Youth Services, Andrew’s opinions are as valid as those of any other individual. As I am often heard to say, “what we really need is not educated people but wise and spiritually attuned people; those who have ‘the wisdom that sits by God’s throne’ ” (Wisdom 9). However, to give a response to the question without equating intelligence with education (which many fail to receive simply through lack of opportunity) Andrew was educated to A level in a catholic School and is currently study for a Diploma.<br /><br />For Andrew’s sake, I feel I should end exchanges on this subject at this point; we are here simply sharing experiences, opinions and ideas with anyone who is interested while trying most sincerely not to get into personal attacks. <br />Fr Dicksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11702725497183621855noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-641832955811669058.post-45476803856212425112012-10-08T17:18:41.150+01:002012-10-08T17:18:41.150+01:00This comment feels to me to be lacking in basic Ch...This comment feels to me to be lacking in basic Christian charity, for which reason alone I ought not to publish it. However, it also misses what Andrew has said: it is from his experience of school Masses and the like that his comment about youth Masses arose, not education in youth ministry. So let the facts speak for themselves: of the thousands of youngsters who have passed through our oh-so-successful youth missions, youth Masses, schools etc, over the last 40 years, very few are attending Mass. Sadly, they are engrossed in the attractive distractions of the world. <br />Further, it is recognised by more and more prelates around the world that education and catechesis have failed over the last few decades. Andrew is therefore correct to ask for something more solid; more Catholic –more true.<br />Finally, I would ask all anonymous commentators to step out of the shadows and use your name: personal attacks from 'anonymous' are always, I think, a little cowardly<br />Fr Dicksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11702725497183621855noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-641832955811669058.post-13158770449574755512012-10-08T12:46:37.826+01:002012-10-08T12:46:37.826+01:00Can I just ask who Andrew McDowell is? Where was...Can I just ask who Andrew McDowell is? Where was he educated, in fact was he at all educated. Another thing if he believes that youth ministry consists of only hand-clapping, dancing and pop music Masses then it is obvious he has very limited experience, again if any at all, in youth ministry. I would suggest he educates himself before he gives his narrow minded opinions on such matters.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com