catholics@dragon.com (06/15/91)
Re: RFD - Free Catholics I am sending this announcement to news.groups, news.announce.newgroups, soc.religion.christian, talk.religion.misc, soc.culture.jewish, talk.religion.eastern, and related groups. I currently moderate a mailing list known as FREE CATHOLICS. Given the amount of traffic in the various religious groups, I feel there is sufficient interest in making the topics discussed available to a wider audience. Therefore, I propose a formal RFD on the creation of soc.religion.christian.catholic a moderated newsgroup to discuss matters related to the Catholic approach to Christianity. The name of the proposed new newsgroup is: soc.religion.christian.catholic The guidelines for the mailing list will form the basis for the group. Therefore, I have extracted relevant parts of the mailing list guidelines as I propose they apply to moderation of the newsgroup. FREE CATHOLICS GUIDELINES FREE CATHOLICS is a forum for Catholics who wish to discuss their discipleship to Jesus Christ in terms of the Catholic approach to Christianity. Free Catholics are Catholics who wish to discuss Catholicism and important issues related to Catholicism without casting anathemas or aspersions on those who are not connected to the See of Rome, the See of Canterbury, the Eastern Patriarch, or any other base. Free Catholics who wish to express their Catholicism _in terms_ of their relationship to their home base (agreement with papal doctrine, Eastern doctrine, Prayer Book doctrine, etc.) are FREE and encouraged to do so. We wish only, by our name, to maintain a flame-free environment with regard to these issues. We realize that discussions on these issues (apostolic succession, etc.) are crucial to discussions of ecumenism, thus polite discussion is actively encouraged; it is only when anathemas or aspersions are cast on the character or Catholicism of other individuals/groups that FREE CATHOLICS wishes to reaffirm its name. In a general sense, then, a Free Catholic is a disciple of Jesus Christ who expresses his or her Christianity in a way that accords with Catholicism. Catholic, meaning "universal," was first used by St. Ignatius of Antioch (d. 107) writing to the Smyrnean Church: "Wheresoever the bishop shall appear, there let the people be, even as where Jesus is, there is the Catholic Church" (Smyr. VIII, 2). St. Pacianus, bishop of Barcelona (c. fourth century), wrote, "Christian is my name; Catholic is my surname." As used by the Church Fathers, Catholic means the true Church consisting of the body of the faithful who recite the same creeds, belong to the same Church, have the same institutions, clergy, and hierarchy and who follow the same teachings of Christ as given to his apostles. Clearly, many Churches fall within this broad definition of Catholic. In keeping with our name, FREE CATHOLICS wishes to extend membership in this forum to non-Catholics who are interested in Catholic beliefs and practices, however, full-blown debates between Catholics and those who choose other methods of expressing their Christianity are best carried out in soc.religion.christian or talk.religion.misc Internet newsgroups. We hope that the availability of this mailing list will not diminish the contributions Christians make there. The reason is simple: we Catholics simply want a place where we can kick up our feet around the fireside and discuss what it means to be a Catholic in a relaxed atmosphere. These guidelines are not intended to be restrictive but to help the list fill its intended purpose. Comments and suggestions for changes to these are welcome from all members. I am willing to serve as moderator; my site is registered on the Internet and is reasonably well connected. END OF GUIDELINES If anyone wishes to change the guidelines, disagrees with the intent of the group, the name, or anything else, I'll be happy to make modifications subject to majority agreement. I'm trying, in creating this forum, to make everyone as relaxed and comfortable as possible. This is intended to be a place where Catholics can be Catholics. On soc.religion.christian or talk.religion.misc, it is sometimes difficult to discuss praying the Rosary or devotion to the saints, Catholic evangelism, Mass, Catholic Action, etc., without encountering heated opposition. This forum is intended to provide an atmosphere where Catholic beliefs and practices can be discussed without this interference. On a personal note, my name is, again, Cindy Smith and I'm volunteering to serve as moderator for this group. I am a lay Catholic and a member of Saint Bede's Episcopal Church. I am a lay reader and lay chalicist (licensed). I am a wife and mother of three young children (7, 6, and 3). I was raised in the Roman Catholic Church but became a Catholic Episcopalian for various and sundry reasons I won't go into here. I am a member of the Episcopalian Society of Mary and am currently a member of the Mother of Our Saviour Ward in the Diocese of Atlanta. The Society of Mary is ecumenical and is open to members of all Churches; there are Wards in the Anglican Churches (mainly), the Roman Catholic Church, the Lutheran Church, and the Baptist Church (really). I am a Philosophy/English major at Georgia State University whose goal is eventually to attend Candler, a theology school located on the Emory University campus. I'm an occasional computer consultant. I look forward to hearing from all of you. Cindy Smith Moderator, FREE CATHOLICS Mailing List
cms@dragon.com (06/22/91)
I forgot to mention: Discussion on the creation of soc.religion.christian.catholic should be directed to news.groups. Thank you. -- Sincerely, Cindy Smith emory!dragon!cms cms@dragon.com A Real Live Catholic in Georgia