Aussie, Aussie, Aussie....

Last week, I received an e.mail from Stephen Crittenden, religion correspondent for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Astonishingly, it seems Whispers has more than a couple readers Down Under -- surviving the Dregs of Pell has to be a team effort, after all, even if it takes a Yank to lend a hand. Crittenden told me he was banking (hoping, actually) that the Theology of the Body would make like it didn't exist in Deus caritas est.

The encyclical dropped and, well, long may Wojtyla's personal constructs rest in peace.

We had a really good exchange via e.mail, and Crittenden was kind enough to invite me onto his weekly programme on National Radio in Australia, The Religion Report. Canberra called for the interview late last night, which made it onto the broadcast aired there at 8.30am Wednesday, 4.30 pm Tuesday here in Philadelphia.

So, at long last, many of you can hear me -- RealAudio and Windows Media links are available and I appear at about the 16th minute....

Try not to cringe.

Fellow panelists were Charles Curran (you know him -- some of you love him, some of you don't) and the head of Caritas Australia, Jack de Groot. The topic was, of course, the encyclical.

So listen up and enjoy..... And for all those coming as a result this morning's broadcast, G'day and a thousand welcomes.

Thoughts for the panelist? E.mail him.

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