Ruling institutions — the state, the press, the church, the courts, universities — mouth the language of morality, but they serve the structures of power, no matter how venal, which provide them with money, status and authority. This is a sermon the author gave Sunday, April 28 at a service held at the encampment for Continue reading »
Religion and Faith
The regimes in Israel and Palestine both claim to be victims in the violence that engulfs them. Interpreting the situation through “victimhood” assists in understanding the human forces that arise from age-old conflicts and that continue to cause so much horrific suffering. Pope Francis is calling on people of goodwill to raise their voices for Continue reading »
In the end as at the beginning all that really matters is how we treat one another. This song of knowing is in our hearts and of our hearts. It whispers of better times. A daily life that can be calmer. Kinder, not something to worry about. Where the healing of memories is subtle but Continue reading »
The neo-traditionalists have been sent a clear message by Pope Francis that their dismissal of synodality, and their disruptive behaviour do violence to the very nature of the Church itself and thereby damage the Reign of God. For Pope Francis, synodality is ‘one of the most precious legacies of the Second Vatican Council’ and the Continue reading »
Australian leadership is no longer an embarrassment at UNFCCC COPs. Nonetheless, Australia’s participation in the fossil fuel industry, including through new projects, is not putting us on the fastest path to net zero. Will we miss our “brief and rapidly closing window” to secure a liveable future? The UNFCCC COPs reflect the ‘international rules-based order’ Continue reading »
There are five major and hundreds of minor religions in the world. But don’t worry – yours is the right one. – Anon After Christianity the second biggest global faith is Islam. The nation next door has a quarter of a billion followers; that’s more than any other international state. This fact sets Australia’s xenophobic Continue reading »
In a recent official Declaration on Human Dignity, Dignitas Infinita, the Pope has endorsed a document that effectively outlaws sex change for transgender Catholics. The Declaration is both harsh and unrelenting in its tone, dismissive of new science and judgemental of those Catholics who in good faith make life choices contrary to the edicts of Continue reading »
Has there ever been a more important time for peacemaking with a universal consciousness? In Interior Castle St. Teresa of Avila writes from her prayers about the different ways the divine speaks to us. She differentiates three ways: Firstly, those times when the divine is perceived through our senses – what we might see and Continue reading »
The whole world is experiencing an “escalation to extremes” because we imitate each other to a profound degree. We should choose our models more carefully. There are over 100 million people who have been forcibly displaced from their homes and over 36 million of these are seeking refuge in other countries. We are in the Continue reading »
In him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not overcome it. This weekend we celebrate the Christian festival of Easter and proclaim once more that life is always on offer. What sets sentient human beings apart is choice, we can Continue reading »