Despite potshots from the left and the right, the Catholic Common Ground Initiative is chugging ahead slowly through unfamiliar seas. The weekend meeting March 7-9 in Mundelein, Ill., involved 20 members of the organizing committee and 19 mostly academic guests in a conference on the interplay between Catholicism and American culture. Discussion was lively and there was plenty of disagreement (always polite), said Archbishop Oscar Lipscomb of Mobile, Ala., Cardinal Bernardin's handpicked chairman of the initiative. A full assessment is difficult because press and other observers were excluded. This triggered a sharp rebuke from the National Catholic Reporter, which suggested that true dialogue must be open and candid. The confidential impression of some participants was that group members are still getting to know one another and are fearful of full-blown debate, especially in the presence of the media. Lipscomb said an effort will be made to "focus the issues more narrowly" for the next conference scheduled for early 1998. The Chicago Tribune headline appeared peeved at the outcome of the conference. "Bernardin initiative finding little common ground," said the headline, adding, "Panel's first meeting since his death makes no breakthrough on problems." What the Tribune seemed to miss was that no "breakthrough" was anticipated, though the very fact that Common Ground is still afloat (after a flotilla of Eastern cardinals attempted to torpedo it last summer before it even left the harbor) is something of a breakthrough in itself.

Efforts to achieve Catholic common ground may fare better at local levels, as when CTA Iowa met for "common ground" conversation with Bishop Joseph Charron Feb. 10 in Des Moines. Msgr. Philip Murnion, CCGI staff director, has announced that materials for activities in parishes and communities are being developed. Contact Murnion at 212 431-7825.