Addresses and Statements

Let me begin by commending the leadership and tireless work of the Archdiocesan Anti-Slavery Taskforce and now the Australian Catholic Anti-Slavery Network (ACAN), headed by John (“Wilberforce”) McCarthy and his dedicated team. Their engagement with various Catholic groups …

Papal arrivals are big occasions. We’ve had four in Australian history, but by far the most dramatic was the arrival of Pope Benedict XVI on the Sydney 2000, rebadged Das Papstesboot, on 17 July 2008. Accompanied by Cardinals Bertone, Rylko and Pell, and the bishops of Australia, as well as excited young people from every continent and nation, the Holy Father was escorted by thousands …

Pope St John Paul II wrote that God has placed in our hearts a desire to know the truth, and that faith and reason are the two wings by which we reach it in contemplation.[1] In the 2012 superhero film, The Avengers, Black Widow (played by Scarlett Johansson) says “These guys come from legend, Captain. They’re basically gods.” To which Captain America (played by Chris Evans) responds, “There’s only one God ma’am, and I’m pretty sure …

It is truly a dark day for New South Wales. I am deeply saddened that the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill 2021 has passed the NSW Parliament. The disturbing nature of this legislation is compounded by the way the debate over amendments was conducted. All amendments put forward by those who would seek to make this deadly regime …

I welcome you all to Cathedral House this evening to celebrate our twelfth annual Iftar dinner. Can I say how pleasing it is for us all to be together, as representatives of our respective faiths, for a night of food, faith and friendship. I salute Dr Lisa Buxton, representing First Australians and directing our Aboriginal Catholic Ministry. With her I acknowledge the elders past and present of the Cadigal clan of the Eora nation …

Very Rev. Archpresbyter Simon Ckuj, Vicar-General of His Excellency the Most Rev. Eparchial Bishop Mykola Bychok CSsR and Parish Priest of St Andrew’s; my brother priests; distinguished guests including Hon. Tony Burke MP, the Mayor and Deputy Mayor, and others; dear parishioners and friends of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church and the Ukrainian community:

Where do Christmas carols come from? Our word carol derives from the medieval Latin word choraula and medieval French word carole, a secular circle-dance accompanied by one or more singing minstrels.

Thank you for the opportunity to address the Committee this morning. I appear on behalf of the Catholic Bishops of NSW and the Bishops of the Australasian‐Middle East Christian Apostolic Churches. The faithful of our communities make up a quarter of the population of this state.

Your Eminence Archbishop Makarios Griniezakis, Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church of Australia,

Dear friends in Christ, Announcements have been made today about Sydney beginning to reopen once 70% of the adult population has had two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, and foreshadowing further easing once we reach 80%.