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 Listcms@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