THE Church has been busy apologising to others in recent months.
It is part of every Catholic’s Jubilee Year call to reconcile with those who may have been wronged by us.
Yet, how can we apologise to others if we continue to bear grudges against those within our own Church?
Although the Church is a communion rather than a democracy, this does not prevent its members from having differences of opinion about the Church’s direction.
Unfortunately these differences of opinion have at times led to clashes which have proved to be damaging to the Church.
Bishop Michael Putney of Brisbane spoke about this issue when he presented the inaugural Bishop James Cuskelly Memorial Lecture on May 3. He called for a mea culpa from each side. This is certainly an idea that merits further consideration.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the same sense of reparation that has characterised the Church’s apologies to other groups, could occur among Catholics in this Jubilee Year?
