You may not have heard about it, but it was a big deal – big enough to inspire Pope Francis to get involved. The big deal was the under-reported U.S. Regional World Meeting of Popular Movements (WMPM) that recently gathered (Feb. 16-19) in Modesto, Calif. Drawing together hundreds of faith-based and social justice organizers from Read more
We have just emerged from what the media calls ‘the Catholic wrap up’ at the Royal Commission. This three-week hearing culminated in the joint appearance of the five most senior bishops in our Australian Church. They apologised not just for the sins of those church personnel who violated children, the most vulnerable members of our Read more
This traditional way of praying scripture has become popular in a number of Christian churches. I think it began in monasteries, where monks sat at their evening meal, listening to the reading of the day. When a verse or phrase had meaning for a monk, he would leave the table and take the words to Read more
The victims of clergy and religious sexual abuse are not historical cases they are people who, as it were, were abused by God himself. Some of these victims perceive that both humanity and God abandoned them in the formative parts of their lives. Most of those who haven’t committed suicide or died at the end of Read more
A long ago school mate of mine had an older sister called Edith. I wondered why Edith didn’t go to our school; I wondered about other things, too. Worrying things. What was the matter with Edith? ‘Edith doesn’t really look like us,’ I eventually told my mother, who knew the family. ‘No, she doesn’t,’ agreed Read more
Benjamin Netanyahu is about to make an historic visit to Australia. Should he come and how should he be received? Having just guided legislation through the Knesset ‘legalising’ the illegal: settler outposts on private Palestinian land; he has seemingly set in motion an unstoppable movement which, taken to its ultimate conclusion, could deprive Palestinians of Read more
On my desk is a faded page from The London Tablet 18 June 2016. It’s still there because I identified with a Mercy Sister’s concern about a prayer added after each decade of the Rosary: ‘O my Jesus forgive us our sins. Save us from the fires of hell. Lead all souls to Heaven, especially Read more
Here’s a question for you. To what degree do you understand the key principles of the world’s major religions? Judaism. Islam, Christianity, Hinduism and Buddhism? And how did you develop that knowledge? Through school? Your parents? The media? Your church, perhaps? Or maybe through your own research? I’ll put up my hand and say that Read more
The internationally renowned psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl experienced first hand the utter depravity of Auschwitz and Dachau. He knew the immense physical torment, psychological torture and spiritual desolation of those most inhuman of places. They were not called death camps for figurative effect. Suicide was not unknown among those sent there to suffer Read more
Tomorrow Bill English has his first pyjama party with Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull in Queenstown. This style of diplomacy has been going on for a number of years. Whether it’s morning-after kayaking on Sydney harbour or taking in our own Southern Alps, the annual Prime Ministerial sleepover says a lot about the relationship between New Zealand Read more