A Tale of Two Cities

“1 And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. 2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. 3 And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar. 4 And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. 5 And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children built. 6 And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do; and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. 7 Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech. 8 So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. 9 Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.”

This is a story about St Marys.
This is a story about the Roman Catholic Church.

I was baptized Catholic and did the whole communion, confession, confirmation thing – even played the organ on Sundays and sang in the choir. From a young age I asked questions, was always in trouble with the nuns, invariably kicked out of religion class and could never join the dots between history and the church mythology. Consequently I rejected the whole thing like millions of others like me. I attended my goddaughter’s baptism at St Marys in 2007 and have returned sporadically ever since as I have appreciated the language, value and expression of this community. My questions and beliefs have developed and expanded but fundamentally still disagree with the traditional “marketed” dogma however for me St Marys is a reflection of the world as I see it – and I “get” something every time I visit. I am free to “be” without question.

In observing the battle between RCC and St Marys, it seems to me that it all boils down to a battle about language. What is language after all? Every species has the ability to communicate – animals, plants and humans. We are unique in that we have created variants of a symbolic communication system that is learned instead of being biologically inherited. As we know, Language evolves in response to changing historical and social conditions. This can happen over a hundred years or in one generation. Think about it – 10 years ago, Googling and Texting was not part of our everyday expression was it?

Is the foundation issue between the RCC and St Marys about a difference in values and language and expression?
From the research, it would appear that the key issues are:
• Church Artwork including indigenous art and a perceived Buddha type image (monk praying)
• Incorrect language used during baptism
• Women preaching
• Homosexual couples blessings

Ok – so let me get this straight. The Catholic Church is experiencing dwindling attendance figures all over the world and is struggling to retain value within the global community in the 21st century. One tiny little community in South Brisbane manages to attract record crowds, bring people BACK to the “church”, updates its language and expressions of art to relate to its people and is now faced with excommunication. Mmm…….

In business, this very organic evolutionary practice is what keeps business moving and alive – current and able to compete – this is one of the steps in the constant cycle of service.

However the RCC is not a business is it? Is it a brand? How about St Marys – is it a business or a brand? Mmm……

The first place to begin is to ask questions. The hierarchy of these values – (Spiritual, Business, Relationship, Mental, Social, Physical and Financial) whether we value our family higher than we value our social standing – this hierarchy dictates what drives the decisions that we make – how we live day to day. Asking questions - Language is how we express our value systems. Someone focused on business will more than likely throw a few “benchmarks, markets and brands” into their word inventory while another focused on fashion and physical aesthetics will express themselves in those terms.

St Marys holds a high value on Social Justice. The RCC holds a high value on Branding – i.e. –a specific theology, belief, structure and language. St Marys are all about the people. The RCC is all about the brand.

Ooh that’s quite a statement to make isn’t it? So let’s ask the questions, where is St Marys all about their branding – theology, belief, structure and language? Where is the RCC all about Social Justice and the people? What does Justice mean to each party? What does community mean to each party? What does this current issue mean to each party?

What is the St Marys branding? How does the indigenous claim of attachment to the land connect to this branding? What is the RCC branding? Where is another indigenous claim of attachment to the land connect to their branding? Where is Social Justice not spiritual? Where is theology not Social Justice? How do each of these entities hold the ground of their deepest values?

Whatever happens this coming weekend, we are witnessing history in the making. This St Marys issue is not about the Catholic Church or Peter Kennedy – it is a reflection of humanity – this is about each of us. Look at the times in which we live. Barack Obama recently elected president of the US delivered speeches that inspired millions of people. How much did he sound like a preacher or one of those Personal Development gurus that are currently working in one of the fastest growing global industries this decade? Many people that previously went to church are now attending seminars with gurus like Anthony Robbins, Dr John F Demartini and Magicians Way. The church numbers may be dwindling but the self mastery personal development numbers are swelling. Nothing has changed – people are doing the same thing that they always did – now it’s in a seminar room instead of a church.

People all over the world are asking questions. St Marys is giving the people what they crave – a voice, currency and a place to discover answers. Where is the RCC also doing that?

Humanity develops and expands by asking questions. Look at your everyday life. Using a computer, you ask questions in all of the software programs via a series of filters, drop down lists and formulas. Google, Wikipedia – setting up My SPACE or FACEBOOK – all are a succession of questions. In your business or job, you ask your customers about their needs so you can serve them. Our lives, earth and bodies are driven by questions. The stomach asks the pancreas “Can you take over digestion for me today – I’m a little tired?” The bee asks its mate “Will I fertilise the Rose or the Dandelion today?” The earth asks the ocean “Do you need a little extra salt this month”.

St Marys has been asking questions and making changes accordingly. Where has the RCC been asking questions and making changes accordingly? Well, the letter from the Archbishop is your first clue. In the threat of resignation or retirement, where does St Marys make similar threats? Where does St Marys throw 30 pieces of silver?

If a community grows organically, should it be limited to the confines of a structure or can it be allowed to flow and grow naturally? Where does a hierarchical structure support natural flow and growth? Well just look at nature and your physical body for this answer. Where does St Marys employ a structure? Where does the RCC grow organically?

What valuable feedback do the language, values and expression differences that St Marys has adopted provide to the RCC? In business, this situation would be regarded as incredibly fruitful feedback and in every intelligent HR system, allowances are made to manage, refine and redefine in accordance with this feedback accordingly. For the best example, look at the human body and where it uses symptoms of disease as feedback for a transformation opportunity.

We all have a story. What is St Mary’s story? What is the RCC story? We all have a mythology about who we think we are. This is reflected in our values, patterns and how we ask questions and live our lives. We are all on our own Heroes’ Journey (see Joseph Campbell). There are times to be a victim, times to be a hero and times to be a perpetrator. To appreciate each character in a story is to see that each have a role to play – this role is a critical step to take in this particular journey. There is a time for peace and a time for war. There is never a time when we have only one or the other. Like the Yin and Yang that pulse through our bodies, the electric and the magnetic fields in our natural world, there will never be a time when we will not have peace and war simultaneously. This is human nature.

St Marys and the RCC each have their own story and each is writing another chapter expressing language in their own value systems. Seeking a world of absolutes is human. However our physical bodies and surrounding nature are certainly NOT absolute. We ebb and flow, produce positive and negative charge and experience night and day – in a never ending natural cycle. Imagine if we could all see that the opposite of our story was also true? Imagine if the St Marys and the RCC’s in our lives saw that they were the same as the other?

When both parties see that they are beautiful mirrors of each other, love and appreciate themselves and each other as they are without changes, then this challenge will shift.