Religion and Faith
-
Christmas: war and peace
As we end 2022, we seem besotted with rumours of war. In contrast, the central message of Christmas is God’s gift in Christ of peace, justice, humility and joy. Continue reading »
-
Gathering for Christmas
The shopping centre carpark opposite was empty. It was lunchtime Christmas Day. Most people were at home or elsewhere with loved ones. Christmas Day is different. Continue reading »
-
John Menadue. Why I am still a Catholic: A repost from July 7, 2017
Cardinal John Henry Newman once said that there is nothing as ugly as the Catholic Church yet nothing as beautiful. It is hard to see that beauty at this moment. With sexual abuse it is time for sackcloth and ashes. Mysogyny is wall to wall. But I will hang on. Continue reading »
-
A 2022 Christmas reflection
I’ve just spent a week in Assisi – the home of Christmas cribs. At every turn there was a nativity scene – large and small, tasteful and kitsch, prayerful and gauche. By night, church facades were lit with truly spectacular scenes of Mary and the angel at the Annunciation and of the manger with Joseph, Continue reading »
-
A Christmas Homily
On September 16th, 1919, the already world-famous physicist, Albert Einstein, was conducting a seminar with graduate students at Princeton University in the United States. Continue reading »
-
True love never coerces: a meditation for Christmas 2022
Imagine if we did not need to pray for those who die today, violently and unprepared. Imagine if the United Nations members convened in deep silence and resolved to rid the planet of all weapons of mass destruction and to prevent catastrophic climate change. Imagine if the cruelty being inflicted on the people of Ukraine, Continue reading »
-
Christmas: the uncherished gift
In the irreverent Monty Python film: the Life of Brian, the crowd is listening to Jesus speaking, but because of the hubbub mishear what he says. Instead of “blessed are the peace makers“ they hear “blessed are the cheese makers“. The crowd wonders what this means; the phrase is symbolic says one, “it involves all Continue reading »
-
30 years on, Keating’s Redfern speech demands we back the Voice: Watch it here
On the 30th anniversary of former Prime Minister Paul Keating’s historic Redfern Speech, First Nations Australians are still waiting for the vision it articulated to be realised. Continue reading »
-
Dr Paul Collins and population ethics
A new discussion paper on population ethics written by Catholic historian Paul Collins on behalf of Sustainable Population Australia is as radical as it is worthy. Continue reading »
-
Why is the Catholic Church still investigating itself?
For those still interested, the erosion of episcopal authority from the clerical sex abuse scandal continues at pace. Continue reading »
-
NSW, ACT Baptists in vote to prevent celebrations of love between LGBTQIA+ people
The NSW and ACT branches of the Baptist church have narrowly passed a resolution which prevents Baptist Christians who want to show hospitality to gay and lesbian people, and allow them, what we claim for ourselves, to celebrate their love for each other in a lifelong faithful union. Continue reading »
-
You shall not kill
Amidst wars and rumours of wars, can people of faith help the human family hear afresh what the creator is saying to us? “You shall not kill”. Continue reading »
-
Zionist violence against Palestinians is the antithesis of Judaism
The wish by Israeli leaders for Palestinians to be eliminated from their ancient homelands is the very antithesis of Isaiah’s original Zionist vision. Continue reading »
-
Give thanks and rejoice: reflections for ST Therese’s Parish centenary mass
Last weekend’s Faith column in The Sunday Age provided a nostalgic reflection on what might be called ‘Old Time Catholicism’ and ‘Catholic Culture’, which I well remember, looking back on growing up in St James’s Parish Gardenvale, in the 1950’s and 60’s. Continue reading »
-
Two meetings: Frascati and the Vatican
Catholics who are hoping for a more inclusive, less dogmatic and open Church will have been heartened by reports of two recent meetings. Continue reading »
-
A harmonious future: In loving our faith, appreciating others
The number of conflicts finding a basis in religion is unfortunately long, with these conflicts bringing much suffering to our world. Continue reading »
-
Of Shahid and Ghazees – Spin and the “explaining” of Islam
Spin in all its forms is dangerous. Spin linking Islam with terrorism has become a part of everyday life for us – and it is difficult to recognise it as spin precisely because of that fact. Continue reading »
-
Sex, drugs and confusion: Sharia law in Bali?
Bali tourism is slowly picking up as Covid apparently retreats. The new threats are laws on drugs, religion and sex. Continue reading »
-
Australia re-joins majority international position on the status of Jerusalem
In reversing the recognition of West Jerusalem as Israel’s capital the Albanese government has re-joined the majority international position which insists the status of Jerusalem can only be resolved in a final peace agreement between the two parties. Continue reading »
-
Is opposition to abortion and homosexuality really a ‘religious view’?
Recent events surrounding the on-and-off again CEO of the Essendon Football Club have highlighted the question of what rights should be accorded to religious beliefs. Continue reading »
-
Repatriation of Muslim families from Syrian camp
What? Let those terrorists’ spawn and their sly “Australian” mothers sneak out of that Syrian camp, and into our country? Never! Continue reading »
-
Western anti-China rhetoric reeks of hypocrisy
The direction from whence comes most of the anti-China rhetoric in the world today is hardly surprising. It reeks of hypocrisy. Continue reading »
-
How Israel practices apartheid
Between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, Israel has built and reinforced a single regime of rule to ensure Jewish Israeli supremacy and domination over the indigenous Palestinian people, who are politically and geographically fragmented into different categories in which they have lesser, little, or no rights in comparison to Israeli Jews depending on Continue reading »
-
Liberal candidate supports US-style abortion ban ahead of state poll
The parties of the right in Australia are changing faster than their voters might recognise. It is increasingly the case that a vote for the “conservatives” is a vote for the radical or religious right. Continue reading »
-
Anointed not appointed: reign not rule
It is somewhat disappointing that in the wall-to-wall coverage of the death of Queen Elizabeth ll, there has been so little analysis of her faith which became the cornerstone for qualities that have been universally admired. Continue reading »
-
The Defence Strategic Review as strategic theology
Even though the Defence Strategic Review is not scheduled to be delivered until March next year the circumstances in which it is embedded suggest that it is already a compromised document. If the intelligence and strategic assessments which inform it are not made public – and the indications are that this will be the case Continue reading »
-
One established church is enough
Just now we all need a rest from royalty. But what’s gone unnoticed in media is how intimately connected the monarchy is to the Church of England. Continue reading »
-
How to become a Catholic bishop
The fundamental crisis of Australian Catholicism is one of leadership and bishops are at the heart of this crisis. Continue reading »
-
Catholic Plenary outcomes compromised by process
The outcomes of the Catholic church’s recent Plenary Council (PC) can fairly be described as modest and qualified. The process however was a disgrace and unworthy of a Pope Francis inspired synodal church. Continue reading »
-
Catholics for renewal: August 10th, 2022
In early December, 1998, John Bathersby, then Archbishop of Brisbane, addressed the priests of the Archdiocese at their annual meeting at the local seminary. He had just returned from Rome where, with fourteen of his Australian episcopal colleagues, he had completed his ad limina visit to the Vatican. He said that the meetings between the Continue reading »
Top 5 most read
- The inconvenient truths in the rise of China
In charting the way ahead for Australia-China relations, Canberra needs… - Here’s why I can no longer be a Labor Party member
I am the child of holocaust survivors. I cannot remain… - How psy-ops warriors fooled me about Tiananmen…
The myth of the “Tiananmen Square massacre” is arguably the… - Australia, little country lost
You could hear, when Biden squibbed the Quad, the Austral-Americans… - Why AUKUS does not make sense
AUKUS relies on the dubious proposition that nuclear propulsion will…
