Addresses and Statements

After the horrors of the Second World War, in which more systematic perpetration of evil conceived by human minds and crueller things were done to human bodies than at any time in history, it took a great act of faith and hope in humanity

Let me begin by wishing you all a very happy and holy Feast of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop, our home-grown saint, Patron of the Catholic School System here in Australia, and a special favourite in this Joey school and parish.

When I was a young ‘seminarian’ and then priest in Melbourne Gerard was a rising star in the educational scene. When I was director of the John Paul II Institute for Marriage and the Family he was one of the first students, eventually ‘doctored’ and one of the lecturers there. When I came back home to Sydney and got involved with UNDA, he was soon contributing here too, now as Associate Professor …

When I was a young ‘seminarian’ and then priest in Melbourne Gerard was a rising star in the educational scene. When I was director of the John Paul II Institute for Marriage and the Family he was one of the first students, eventually ‘doctored’ and one of the lecturers there. When I came back home to Sydney and got involved with UNDA, he was soon contributing here too, now as Associate Professor …

Thank you all for joining us on this annual Walk With Christ procession on the Feast of Corpus Christi, especially in the 200th anniversary year of the Reservation of the Blessed Sacrament here in Sydney. I acknowledge today the presence of the auxiliary bishops, clergy, religious and lay faithful who helped organise or assisted in today’s procession.

AUSTRALIAN CATHOLIC STUDENTS ASSOCIATION NEWMAN DINNER “A PERSON CONVERTING” St. John’s College, University Of Sydney Many of you will have seen James Cameron’s 1997 film Titanic – at the very least, you’ll know the story. But one part of the events that night is often left out: the ship hit an iceberg just as a […]

STATEMENT FROM MOST REV. ANTHONY FISHER OP ARCHBISHOP OF SYDNEY The Catholic Archbishop of Sydney, Most Rev Anthony Fisher OP, welcomed today’s announcement by the NSW Government to join the Federal Government’s National Redress Scheme for victims of abuse. “I welcome the news by Premier Gladys Berejiklian that the NSW government will join the National […]

“BUSINESS ETHICS 101 IN THE AGE OF THE CORPORATE TAX CUT” Sydney Catholic Business Network Lunch, Hyatt Regency Hotel, Sydney Thank you Lisa. Your Excellency, Archbishop Angelo Zani, Secretary of the Congregation for Catholic Education, my Lords Bishop Terry Brady, Richard Umbers, Monsignor Guy-Real Thivierge, ACU Pro-Chancellor Julien O’Connell and Vice-Chancellor Greg Craven, Mr Luke […]

POST-ROYAL COMMISSION SERVICE OF PRAYER OF FORGIVENESS AND REPARATION FOR ALL PEOPLE AFFECTED BY ABUSE WITHIN THE CHURCH St. Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney Introduction Welcome to tonight’s service marking the end of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. It has been a gruelling time for everyone concerned. For the Commissioners, those who […]

THE CHALLENGES OF THE TIMES St. Bernadette’s Parish, Carlton When my predecessor Sir Norman Thomas Cardinal Gilroy returned from one of the sessions of the Second Vatican Council, he was asked by a breathless reporter what he thought was the greatest challenged faced by the Church and society today. No doubt he was expected to […]