Today, there's an 'overload' of post-visit developments... Here's another:
First 'Catholic-Humanist
dialogue' held in London
October 27, 2010
The first of a series of 'Catholic-Humanist dialogues' took place last night between the Central London Humanist Group, part of the Protest the Pope coalition, and Catholic Voices, which was created to put the Church’s case during the papal visit.
Some 14 Humanists and eight members of the Catholic Voices speakers’ team met in a room in Commonwealth Hall in Bloomsbury for two hours of discussions on contentious issues.
Catholic Voices patron Fr Christopher Jamison and its coordinators, Austen Ivereigh and Jack Valero, put the Church’s case on Aids/condoms, faith schools, and same-sex adoption. A frank exchange of views then took place, aiming at clarifying areas of disagreement.
Among the humanists present was Alan Palmer, chair of the Central London Humanist Group; Josh Kutchinsky, a British Humanist Association trustee; and Paul Sims, news editor of New Humanist magazine.
One member of the humanist team and one member of the Catholic team were delegated to summarise the views of the other side, in order to ensure that both sides listened carefully to each other’s views. The group then enjoyed further discussions in a pub.
The meeting was agreed following the raucous Conway Hall debate on September 1, organised by the British Humanist Association. Both the Central London Humanists and Catholic Voices were keen to organise a smaller, more respectful meeting.
Further meetings are now being planned.
Jack Valero said: “This has been an unexpected fruit of the papal visit – sitting round the table with people who were protesting the Pope to clarify where we agree and disagree. The atmosphere was respecful and attentive, but there was no attempt to suppress real differences. Everyone felt afterwards that they had learned from the experience.”
Austen Ivereigh said: “We are currently making plans to extend and expand the Catholic Voices project. After Tuesday night we think that this kind of exchange should be part of what we do in the future.”
A comment from
Oct. 28, 2010
Protect the Pope welcomes this excellent initiative from Catholic Voices and encourages future dialogue as an important way of challenging the ignorance and prejudice about the Catholic faith and Catholics in our society. Well done Jack Valero and Austen Iveriegh.
However, Protect the Pope has a number of questions:
- Who has appointed Catholic Voices to represent the Catholic Church in this dialogue?
- How are they accountable to Catholics in this country about these dialogues?
- How are Catholic Voices going to enable their fellow Catholics to have access to what is exactly said at these ‘dialogues’?
- These questions are in no way intended to challenge the credibility of Catholic Voices in this dialogue, but are a genuine attempt to understand this important fruit of the papal visit.
However, the Catholic Voices blog that was started two weeks before the papal visit has been inactive since Oct. when it posted this message:
Monitor takes a holiday
Oct. 1, 2010
The reporting on the UK papal visit now all but over, Monitor is taking time out to ponder its function and future. Judging by the many emails we have received, the demand for it to continue monitoring press reporting of the Church, pointing up the good, the bad, the marvellous and the mythical -- and offering expert briefings on key points -- is very great.
We are certain to be back, once plans for the future of Catholic Voices are more clearly defined. Comments and suggestions to info@catholicvoices.org.uk are, as always, very welcome.
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 28/10/2010 17:15]