The genesis of Position Papers

Like every living thing Position Papers has developed over the years since 1973 when the first planning meeting took place. In fact it is fair to say that it has metamorphosed in recent times into a very attractive format, with a content that keeps one abreast of goings-on in Ireland, but always with an eye on the wider world.

If memory serves me correctly, we met for the first time in November or December 1973 in Nullamore where I was acting chaplain. The ‘we’ in this case was (with apologies to anyone whose name is omitted): Michael Adams RIP; Joe Murray, originally a journalist with the now-defunct Irish Press and just about to launch out as a PR consultant; Jim Harman and John Leonard, both now deceased, who eventually took over the financial and distribution side of the operation; and myself.

The years after the close of the Second Vatican Council were times of upheaval. St John XXIII had opened the windows of the Church. Much good flowed in and found its way into the actual documents of the Council, hopefully bringing much good into the world. But along with the good also came ideas and openings which disturbed the faithful, not least in the areas of doctrine and morals.

Accordingly during those years much emphasis was placed on ensuring that the Catholic faithful knew thoroughly what had changed and what hadn’t, what could change and what couldn’t. Lectures and classes were the order of the day. This led to the notion to have something more permanent on offer. Hence the idea of a magazine that would present the teachings of the Church in an up-to-date fashion, incorporating what was of perennial value and linking it to the teachings of the Council.

That in the matter of doctrine and morals there were disturbing trends is borne out by the attitude to Blessed Pope Paul VI’s Encyclical, Humanae Vitae, and by the fact that the same pope had to write an Encyclical on the Blessed Eucharist (Mysterium Fidei) and publish the Credo of the People of God.

We started off with little cash but plenty of hope that we could reach a wide public. In those days (before the advent of the computer) we followed the age-old methods: a typesetter produced galley proofs which were read and re-read (did we ever eliminate all the errata?); then an expert ‘pasted’ them up into our original format  (A4 size); then they were sent off to the printer; then we took taking delivery of the papers (and oo-ed and ah-ed over the final version); and lastly we delivered them (by mail and by hand).

It was a real adventure, always just about making ends meet at year’s end, breaking into the UK and USA markets and changing printers whenever we sussed out a better financial deal. With the arrival of the computer (the famous Commodore 64) the scene changed dramatically and more and more editorial work and layout were done by the staff (everyone was pitching in), until eventually only the actual printing was done out-of-house.

Where the original papers carried only one or two articles, subsequent ones were expanded into four or five, without losing sight of the goal which was to have a well-formed laity, who were acquainted with the teaching of the Church and were given positive insights into how they might influence, for the good, the society in which they lived.

Very early on we published the text of a lecture given by Etienne Gilson. I always thought it summarized what we were trying to achieve, namely, Catholics who could take their rightful place in secular society from a position of strength, and who were not apologetic for being Catholic but rather saw in their beliefs what could make a healthy and life-giving contribution to politics, economics, education, family, marriage, etc. 

What he said was: “What I regret is that instead of confessing in all simplicity what we owe to our Church and to our faith, instead of showing what they bring to us and what we would not have without them, we believe it good politics or good tactics, in the interests of the Church itself, to act as if, after all, we distinguish ourselves in no way from others. What is the greatest praise that many among us may hope for? The greatest that the world can give them: he is a Catholic, but he is really very nice; you would never think he was one. Ought not the very contrary be desired? Not indeed Catholics, who would wear their faith as a feather in their hat, but Catholics who would make Catholicism so enter into their everyday lives and work that the unbelieving would come to wonder what secret force animated that work and that life, and that, having discovered it, they would say to themselves, on the contrary: he is a very good man, and now I know why: it is because he is a Catholic.”

We also thought that taking this line was in perfect harmony with the Second Vatican Council and its teaching on the primary role of the laity: “[T]he laity, by their very vocation, seek the kingdom of God by engaging in temporal affairs and by ordering them according to the plan of God. They live in the world, that is, in each and in all of the secular professions and occupations. They live in the ordinary circumstances of family and social life, from which the very web of their existence is woven. They are called there by God that by exercising their proper function and led by the spirit of the Gospel they may work for the sanctification of the world from within as a leaven. In this way they may make Christ known to others, especially by the testimony of a life resplendent in faith, hope and charity. Therefore, since they are tightly bound up in all types of temporal affairs it is their special task to order and to throw light upon these affairs in such a way that they may come into being and then continually increase according to Christ to the praise of the Creator and the Redeemer” (Lumen Gentium 31).

Over the years the magazine has grown, developed and matured. I left it behind some years ago now but each month I look forward to seeing and reading it. There is always something to catch my eye and keep me in touch with what is happening in our Church and our society.