Category: Homilies

01 Mar 2026
HOMILY FOR MASS OF THE 2ND SUNDAY OF LENT, YEAR A +LAUNCH OF NATIONAL YEAR OF PRAYER FOR EUCHARIST28

HOMILY FOR MASS OF THE 2ND SUNDAY OF LENT, YEAR A +LAUNCH OF NATIONAL YEAR OF PRAYER FOR EUCHARIST28

ST MARY’S CATHEDRAL, SYDNEY, 1 MARCH 2026 A few weeks ago, a 15 second video clip went viral showing Hollywood action stars Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise locked in an elaborate fight on a crumbling rooftop. There were sweeping camera angles, stunt choreography, crisp sound effects, everything we’d expect of a multi-million-dollar blockbuster. Except that […]

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22 Feb 2026
HOMILY FOR THE RITE OF ELECTION OF CATECHUMENS AND CANDIDATES

HOMILY FOR THE RITE OF ELECTION OF CATECHUMENS AND CANDIDATES

ST MARY’S CATHEDRAL, SYDNEY, 22 FEBRUARY 2026 “Always check the terms and conditions.” It’s sage advice that hardly anyone follows. Our world is riddled with fine print, endless scrolls of legalese that, if you are anything like me, get accepted without a second glance every time we download an app, sign up for a streaming […]

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21 Feb 2026
INTRODUCTION TO MASS FOR CHINESE NEW YEAR 2026

INTRODUCTION TO MASS FOR CHINESE NEW YEAR 2026

ST MARY’S CATHEDRAL, SYDNEY, 21 FEBRUARY 2026 WYan foo, cup jee, cup sing sun jee ming (In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit) Juk lay ping mon (Peace be with you) [Cantonese] Chan-oy dik hing-dai jeh-mooy moon, foon-ying daai-gah loy chahm-gah gum-mahn hing-jook noong-lik sun-neen dik may-saht. […]

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26 Jan 2026
HOMILY FOR THE MASS OF AUSTRALIA DAY

HOMILY FOR THE MASS OF AUSTRALIA DAY

CHAPEL OF OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY, DOMUS AUSTRALIA, 26 JANUARY 2026 The Australian national anthem, Advance Australia Fair, was written by Scotsman Peter Dodds McCormick under the pen name Amicus. First performed by the Highland Society on St Andrew’s Day 1878, it was instantly a hit. 23 years later it was sung by a […]

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28 Dec 2025
HOMILY FOR SOLEMN MASS FOR THE FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY OF JESUS, MARY AND JOSEPH (YEAR A) AND CLOSE OF THE JUBILEE YEAR 2025

HOMILY FOR SOLEMN MASS FOR THE FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY OF JESUS, MARY AND JOSEPH (YEAR A) AND CLOSE OF THE JUBILEE YEAR 2025

ST MARY’S CATHEDRAL, SYDNEY, 28 DECEMBER 2025 In Rembrandt’s painting of the Holy Family with Angels (1645), now in the Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg, we witness a thoroughly domestic scene.[1] The context is not in the Bethlehem stable but Joseph’s workshop, where the carpenter is bent over his bench, surrounded by his tools, and […]

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25 Dec 2025
HOMILY FOR THE MORNING MASS OF THE NATIVITY OF THE LORD

HOMILY FOR THE MORNING MASS OF THE NATIVITY OF THE LORD

St Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney, 25 December 2025 “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” We all know the biblical story of creation (Gen chs 1 & 2), in which God made this magnificent universe for us, and made us in His own image, free, intelligent and loving, so we might flourish according […]

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07 Dec 2025
HOMILY FOR MASS OF THE SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT (YEAR A)

HOMILY FOR MASS OF THE SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT (YEAR A)

ST MARY’S CATHEDRAL, SYDNEY, 7 DECEMBER 2025 During the week before Christmas, as we celebrate with the Christmas at the Cathedral each night in Sydney, the Church sings a series of ancient Advent acclamations known as “The O antiphons.” At Vespers each night the Church prays to Christ to come, hailing Him with a different […]

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06 Dec 2025
HOMILY FOR THE LOURDES DAY MASS FOR THE ORDER OF MALTA

HOMILY FOR THE LOURDES DAY MASS FOR THE ORDER OF MALTA

ST. MARY’S CATHEDRAL, SYDNEY, 6 DECEMBER 2025 (MOST REV.) ANTHONY FISHER OP, CHIEF CHAPLAIN OF THE ORDER OF MALTA IN AUSTRALIA A recent McCrindle report offers a fascinating snapshot of trends in naming our bubs. For over a decade now, Oliver has reigned supreme for the Aussie boys, while Charlotte and Isla have been jostling […]

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05 Dec 2025
HOMILY FOR THE MASS OF ORDINATION TO THE PRIESTHOOD OF REV. GIOVANNI JULIO AND REV. JORGE MAIRENA

HOMILY FOR THE MASS OF ORDINATION TO THE PRIESTHOOD OF REV. GIOVANNI JULIO AND REV. JORGE MAIRENA

ST MARY’S CATHEDRAL, SYDNEY, 5 DECEMBER 2025 Coffee: humanity’s love affair with it is remarkable. It’s estimated we consume over two and a quarter billion cups every day or 26,000 cups per second![1] After water, it’s the most consumed beverage on earth by a long shot. Coffee is, in fact, humanity’s principal addiction. Many of […]

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04 Dec 2025
HOMILY FOR MASS OF THURSDAY OF THE 1ST WEEK OF ADVENT + VISIT OF THE WORLD YOUTH DAY CROSS AND ICON

HOMILY FOR MASS OF THURSDAY OF THE 1ST WEEK OF ADVENT + VISIT OF THE WORLD YOUTH DAY CROSS AND ICON

ST MARY’S CATHEDRAL, SYDNEY, 4 DECEMBER 2025 The slang name for diamonds is ‘rocks’ as when someone remarks on ‘the size of the rock’ on someone’s finger. It’s an ironic name, given that rocks are cheap and ordinary, and that, strictly speaking, diamonds are not rocks at all: rocks are composites of several minerals while […]

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