Writer
Chris Geraghty
Dr Chris Geraghty is a former priest of the archdiocese of Sydney, a retired judge of the District Court of NSW, and the author of a recent publication, Virgins and Jezebels – the Origins of Christian Misogyny.
-
Misogyny at the heart of our Australian parliaments
In the normal course of events, one might expect the Roman Church in Australia to have something to say about the sub-culture within the Liberal and Country Parties in Canberra, and about the treatment of women in our community. After all, this institution used to be the self-appointed guardian of morality and the police official Continue reading »
-
Your graces and my lord bishops of Australia: are you listening?
Ok. That’s it. Time to stand up. The alarm has sounded. Rub the sleep from your eyes, take off your embroidered nightshirts, do a few stretches and let’s get moving. No shilly-shallying. No dilly-dallying. Come on, just do it. Get out of bed. There’s work to be done. And the whole family’s depending on you Continue reading »
-
Most viewed posts 2020: Father Glen Walsh paid a heavy price (Sep 9, 2020)
The revelations never end about priests and brothers, of monsignors and bishops with their secret sexual lives, masturbating, buggerizing, sodomizing and raping boys and girls – protected by an amoral hierarchy and a few corrupt members of the upper-echelons of various police forces. Continue reading »
-
On behalf of victim-survivors: the church has to own this worldwide scandal
Some of Jesus-men have turned from fishing to lives of crime. Continue reading »
-
Father Glen Walsh paid a heavy price
The revelations never end about priests and brothers, of monsignors and bishops with their secret sexual lives, masturbating, buggerizing, sodomizing and raping boys and girls – protected by an amoral hierarchy and a few corrupt members of the upper-echelons of various police forces. Continue reading »
-
CHRIS GERAGHTY. Pell Again
Dear George, More bad news. When will it cease? Continue reading »
-
CHRIS GERAGHTY. The Pell Decision.
Finally the George Pell dilemma has been put to rest by the illustrious High Court of Australia. Or has it? Continue reading »
-
CHRIS GERAGHTY. Faith-based Beliefs or Long-held Prejudices.
The recent “conversation” as to whether faith-based schools should be permitted by law to discriminate against gay boys and girls, or against teachers who belong to the LGBT cohort, has resulted in a magnificent own-goal scored by so-called liberal conservative politicians and their ecclesiastical lobbyists. Another victory to the forces of evil! It’s so embarrassing Continue reading »
-
The Plenary Council
After the Royal Commission in Child Sexual Abuse in Australia, the Irish child abuse commission 2009 on the other side of the world and the resignation of all the bishops in Chile, the Roman Catholic Church as we know it has received the last rites lying in periculo mortis in intensive care and is now Continue reading »
-
CHRIS GERAGHTY. Jesus – The Forgotten Feminist.
I have long been interested in why the officers of the catholic church have been so reluctant to consider involving women in the governance of their institution and in its sacramental ministry. So I decided to write a book about it. Continue reading »
-
CHRIS GERAGHTY. Jesus and CFMEU
It’s not a time for business as usual. It’s a time for outbursts of horror, for open-throated cries for justice – a time for sackcloth and ashes, for fasting and floggings of repentance – a time to cease celebrating, singing, canonizing and collecting money – a time to call a halt to ordinary business, to Continue reading »
-
Chris Geraghty. Appropriate responses to the scandal in Newcastle
After Bishop Bill Wright appeared on television to register his reaction to the findings of the special enquiry into the Church’s and the Police response to the paedophile activities of two priests in the Newcastle diocese, and to express his sorrow for the whole messy scandal, there was an inter-change of emails between two Continue reading »
-
Chris Geraghty. Potiphar’s Wife – The Vatican’s Secret and Child Sex Abuse.
A few weeks ago the Roman Church gathered its heavenly forces, summoned her faithful from around the world to assemble in the eternal city, and in the midst of extravagant Renaissance-style splendor, infallibly declared two of her recent CEOs to have been translated into the presence of Almighty God, amid hosts of angels and Archangels Continue reading »
-
Chris Geraghty. Farewell to Pell
It was sad and painful, and no satisfaction, sitting at home in front of a computer, watching a senior prelate stagger around, wounded and bleeding. I sat glued to the screen, mesmerized, fiercely proud of our legal system, and watched a prince of the Church in humble street-clothes being tormented. George Pell, Cardinal Archbishop, sat Continue reading »
-
Chris Geraghty. The Pell Factor
Sydney is vacant again, and many of the faithful are breathing a huge sigh of relief, though at the back of our minds lurks a suspicion mixed with fear that we will be saddled, for a long time to come, with a little repellent clone of the great man. George is off to Rome – Continue reading »
-
Chris Geraghty. The ABC and Scott Morrison
The ABC has been much criticised, by our Prime Minister no less, and by the silly bullies on some commercial radio stations, for not being patriotic enough, for not barracking for the home team. Disloyal journalists published a story that some wounded, unwelcome refugees who had been intercepted on the high seas by our navy Continue reading »
-
What a good effort. Guest blogger: Chris Geraghty
This is the best effort at an apology so far and “the leaders of the Catholic Church in Australia” are to be congratulated, finally. They have been dragged, fighting and squealing, to their knees, no, to their bellies, but eventually a thorough and unqualified commitment statement has been published and read to the faithful at Continue reading »
-
In Bob we Trust. Guest blogger Chris Geraghty
In Bob We Trust begins with Father Bob’s potted version of the history of the Roman Catholic Church. Five minutes of fun and irreverent theology. Over two thousand years passing in the blink of an eye. Then Father Bob, assisted by his sinister chess opponent, John Safron in the guise of the Devil, gets down Continue reading »
-
Our Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, deserves respect. Guest blogger: Chris Geraghty
The leader of the opposition addressing a protest crowd in Canberra and a team of colleagues all standing in front of a large sign – “DITCH THE WITCH” Anthony Abbott continuing to grace the commercial radio station and be softly questioned by the commentator who refers to our prime minister as “JU-LIAR”, or who opined Continue reading »
-
Pell before the Parliamentary Enquiry. Guest blogger: Chris Geraghty
I watched Cardinal George Pell give his evidence to the Victorian Parliamentary Committee on Monday and thought that he was fortunate to be questioned across the polished table by a team of amateur interrogators. The members of the committee were, for my taste, too respectful, and far too thankful for the inadequate information he was Continue reading »
-
Mea Maxima Culpa. Guest blogger Chris Geraghty
If you are a pious, conservative member of the Catholic Church, stay away from any movie theatre showing the documentary Mea Maxima Culpa. You will be exposed to scenes of diabolical evil, revolting details of lives destroyed, to corruption, institutional ineptitude, chronic, sinful delay, ignorance, injustice and a disturbing misuse, no, an abuse of power Continue reading »
-
Habemus Papam. Guest blogger Chris Geraghty
The signs are hopeful, but the challenges are herculean. Jorge Mario Bergoglio is a good, simple man. As Cardinal Archbishop of Buenos Aires he used to cook his own meals and catch the bus to work with the other workers. These are good signs. His feet are on the ground, his toes in the dirt Continue reading »
-
The Candidate. Guest blogger Chris Geraghty
It’s frightening, isn’t it? I saw Cardinal George Pell on television recently claiming that his election to the top job was not impossible. He explained that because he’s a Catholic, a bishop, and a member of the College of Cardinals, he was a chance. Is that all one needs to be pope? The applicants for Continue reading »
