Consider the names in the Roman Canon – a fraction of the saints only, but a kind of roll-call of stand-out figures in the early Church: apostles, popes, virgins, men and women saints, mostly martyrs, some gruesomely so.
01
Dec
2017
27
Nov
2017
HOMILY FOR MASS FOR THE SILVER JUBLIEE OF FR DON RICHARDSON’S ORDINATION – St. Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney
Graham Greene’s 1940 novel The Power and the Glory was the first literary treatment of the priesthood that I can recall reading in my school days.
26
Nov
2017
HOMILY FOR MASS OF THE SOLEMNITY OF CHRIST THE KING- St. Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney
It was only in the totalitarian twentieth century, in which crueller things were done by the rulers of the earth, on a larger scale and with more devilish refinement, than ever before in human history, that Pope Pius XI instituted the Feast of Christ the King.
22
Nov
2017
HOMILY FOR MASS OF ORDINATION TO THE DIACONATE OF CONSTANTINE RODRIGUES, JOHN TING & GREGORY ALESSI – St. Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney
“So, what do you do?” It’s the great conversation starter, especially with a stranger whose temperament and history is unknown, indeed when you’re not even sure if you’re sitting beside a terrorist.
08
Nov
2017
HOMILY FOR SYDNEY CATHOLIC YOUTH MASS AND LAUNCH – All Saints Church, Liverpool
A 17-month-old baby, a dozen children, a pregnant woman and mother of five, and three generations from one family, were among the 26 killed in a shooting spree at a Texas church this week.
07
Nov
2017
ADDRESS TO STUDENT LEADERS, SYDNEY CATHOLIC SCHOOLS – St Mary's Cathedral Hall, Sydney
A very warm welcome to our forum for the student leaders in the systemic and congregational schools. I thank Dr Dan White, Mr Anthony Cleary, other education leaders and staff for this initiative.
29
Oct
2017
HOMILY FOR MASS FOR 30TH SUNDAY ORDINARY TIME YEAR A + INSTALLATION OF FR GREG COONEY CM AS PARISH PRIEST OF MARSFIELD
One of the most recognisable songs in the cult-classic movie Back to the Future is ‘The Power of Love’, by Huey Lewis and the News. It reached No. 1 in the charts here in Australia in 1985. I’m not sure if it’s on today’s hymn list…
29
Oct
2017
HOMILY FOR MASS FOR 30TH SUNDAY ORDINARY TIME YEAR A + INSTALLATION OF FR GREG COONEY CM AS PARISH PRIEST OF MARSFIELD – St. Anthony’s Church, Marsfield
One of the most recognisable songs in the cult-classic movie Back to the Future is “The Power of Love”, by Huey Lewis and the News.
26
Oct
2017
BOOK LAUNCH FOR NORMAN THOMAS GILROY: AN OBEDIENT LIFE BY JOHN LUTTRELL FMS
Like Brother John Luttrell, I never met Cardinal Gilroy. As a child growing up in Lakemba and Lane Cove I knew of him simply as “the Cardinal”.
22
Oct
2017
HOMILY FOR MASS OF 29TH SUNDAY ORDINARY TIME YEAR A + 10th ANNIVERSARY OF DEDICATION OF HOLY SPIRIT CHURCH – Holy Spirit, Carnes Hill
Our epistle this morning (1Thess 1:1-5) may have seemed little more than a formal g’day and list of acknowledgments like my greeting at the start of Mass. Yet these were in fact the very first words ever written for the New Testament.
21
Oct
2017
HOMILY FOR MASS FOR RIVERVIEW 40 YEAR REUNION – St Mary’s Cathedral Crypt, Sydney
Jesuits make great martyrs and Martin Scorsese’s long-awaited and recently-released film, Silence, is a confronting glimpse of one period of Jesuit heroism and betrayal.
18
Oct
2017
HOMILY FOR MASS FOR THE FEAST OF ST. LUKE THE EVANGELIST – Warrane College Chapel, University of New South Wales
Most of what we know about St Luke comes from the New Testament. He was a Greek-speaking disciple of St Paul and his companion in mission: in fact, he was one of the few people who could long abide Paul’s rather difficult personality.
15
Oct
2017
HOMILY FOR MASS OF THE 28TH SUNDAY ORDINARY TIME YEAR A – St. Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney
My favourite film this year has been Mel Gibson’s Hacksaw Ridge. Andrew Garfield brilliantly plays Desmond Doss, a medic who was the first conscientious objector to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor.
11
Oct
2017
OPENING REMARKS AT 500TH ANNIVERSARY OF REFORMATION COMMEMORATION – Chapter Hall, St. Mary's Cathedral
On 22 June 1535, my great-great (to the power of twenty) grand-uncle, Cardinal John Fisher ascended the scaffold, just as his friend Thomas More would do three weeks later.
10
Sep
2017
HOMILY FOR THE CONSECRATION OF THE CHURCH + 150th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION – St. Bede’s Church, Pyrmont
Every great religion has had its sacred sites where people felt closest to God. Our Jewish ancestors counted the Jerusalem Temple their holiest place, where God’s shalom dwelt, and the prayers and sacrifices of the cult were offered.