In the 1987 humorous detective novel, Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency, the eponymous detective declares that “if it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, we have at least to consider the possibility
04
Jun
2019
04
Jun
2019
BLESSING AND OPENING OF NEW BUILDINGS
Salt is rather out of fashion these days, being blamed for high blood pressure, fluid retention, heart disease, stomach cancer, you name it. While a little sodium is a necessary element in any diet, Australians, we are told, consume twice as much salt
01
Jun
2019
HOMILY FOR MASS AT ORDER OF MALTA AUSTRALIA CONFERENCE
Though today is the feast of St Justin Martyr and this evening the Vigil of the Solemnity of the Ascension, our Order seems to stand outside ordinary time and space.
31
May
2019
Opening Address for the Biennial Conference of the Australian Association of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St John of Jerusalem, Rhodes and Malta, “Embracing the Challenge”
Despite his many accolades, the Canadian poet-singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen is perhaps best known for his hit song Hallelujah.
30
May
2019
HOMILY FOR THURSDAY OF THE 6TH WEEK OF EASTER C
It’s a hard time to be a priest. First the Royal Commission, then the conviction of Cardinal Pell; the media are getting ready for further excitement around that latter in the weeks ahead. At his request I’ve said very little publicly,
29
May
2019
IFTAR DINNER 2019
Welcome to the tenth Iftar breakfast hosted by the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney. It is with great joy that tonight I acknowledge our Muslim guests: His Eminence Dr. Ibrahim Abu Mohammed, Grand Mufti of Australia and President of the Council of Imams NSW;
26
May
2019
HOMILY FOR MASS FOR 26TH SUNDAY OF EASTER C + 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FIRST MASS AT ST. JOSEPH’S NEWTOWN
שָׁלוֹם עֲלֵיכֶם Shalom Aleikhem (Peace be with you) is how Jews says hello and goodbye to each other.
24
May
2019
HOMILY FOR MASS FOR THE SOLEMNITY OF OUR LADY, HELP OF CHRISTIANS
Jesus loved his Mum, loved her lots. We see Jesus with her on many occasions in the Gospels: his birth, presentation, flight into Egypt, finding in the Temple,
23
May
2019
HOMILY FOR MASS FOR THURSDAY OF THE 5TH WEEK OF EASTER
The dispute had been brewing for some time. Luke’s rather tactful description was that in Antioch and elsewhere there had been ook oligis οὐκ ὀλίγης ‘no small’
22
May
2019
HOMILY FOR MASS FOR AUSTRALIAN CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY CONFERENCE
We’re all familiar with crosses. They mark churches and hospitals, pharmacies and ambulances, firetrucks, blood banks, graves and more.