18th Eastern Link - Province 20 Catenians of Western Australia

EASTERN LINK
The Catenian Association Strengthening family life through friendship and faith
PROVINCE 21
From. . .
Brother Robert Butler
GRAND VICE-PRESIDENT
The Catenian Association
Kathy and I are very much looking forward to our first visit to Australia next year. In the
meantime, there is much to be done to move our Association forward, and I am hoping for a
considerable input from you all before September. The Rules Group of Grand Council were
asked to review our Rules and Regulations, which we have done, but we also considered the
conduct of meetings, admissions process, dress code, small Circles, and the status of Groups.
In tackling these, we bore in mind several quite separate key points, and constantly referred
back to them;
1. The world and the Church will move on, with or without the Catenian Association.
2. We must not become a curiosity, a dying relic of past times, irrelevant in the modern world.
3. There is an irreducible minimum standard below which we cease to be the Catenian
Association and become just a Lads’ Night Out.
4. We must keep our identity, which marks us out as the Catenian Association.
On the Catenian website under Downloading Information, you will see ‘Moving On’, which
contains our discussion papers. We looked at who we are, what we do, and how we do it. The
emphasis has moved from Grand Council to members and Circles. Our Circles will have more
freedom to choose how they admit members, how they run their meetings, what they wear, and
what insignia they use.
In discussions with Kevin Doherty and others from Australia, I am encouraged by the way you
look beyond the obvious, and see the potential of our Association for contributing to the future
strength of the Church. In the England of 1908 the Church was strong and confident. We were
a minority, but we were united in our unshakeable faith. In 2013 the Church is marginalised,
Mass attendances are falling, and the clergy do not have the aura of invincibility of previous
years. The Catenian Association stands out as a potentially powerful body which can have an
important role, as long as we are willing to engage with fellow Catholics. Instead of rejecting
men whom we consider to be unworthy, we could try to encourage those who are clinging to
their faith and offer support and friendship. As my daughter tells me, “You only look down on
someone when you are offering your hand to help him up”.
In Australia you do not have the weight of a century of Catenianism. Your oldest Circle dates
from 1971, and many are of quite recent origin. Your nation looks to the future, and I am
hoping that you will contribute to moving our Association into this century. You have much to
offer.
JUNE Page 10 2013