Listening has been a particular theme of Pope Francis’ pontificate. Amidst the information overload and polarisations of modernity, and while promoting a more synodal Church, the Holy Father has regularly called us to listen more closely to what God and His people are saying. He begins his message for next month’s World Communications Day[ii] with the deep human need to be heard …
Not too far from the Colosseum and Forum, at the summit of the ancient Via Sacra or Holy Street in Rome, stands a 15-metre-high arch. Â The marble monument was constructed in 71 AD by the Emperor Domitian to commemorate a victory, the year before, of his older brother …
One of the best-selling non-fiction books of recent years has been Jordan Peterson’s 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote for Chaos. Since its release in 2018, 12 Rules has sold over 5 million copies world-wide and propelled its author to pop-star status amongst cultural influencers and life coaches.
Old guys like me tend to ask younger people the same question. Not: do you prefer the Marvel universe or DC? Not: what’s your favourite team / fast food / dating app? Not: what’s your university, Netflix or Stan? Not even: what’s your religion, Apple or Android?
In 1971 Japanese salesman Goro Hasegawa rebooted a popular nineteenth century board-game with the new name Othello, in homage to its black-and-white discs. Two players take turns laying down their counters on an 8×8 squared board; when one surrounds the other’s disc it is ‘captured’ by being turned over as the other colour …
St. Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney, 20 March 2022 At a recent meeting with some very impressive young school leaders I was
Late last year Netflix aired a documentary, 14 Peaks: Nothing is Impossible, that told the story of Nirmal Purja, known to his friends as ‘Nims’. A former Gurkha turned mountaineer, on 23 April 2019 he climbed Annapurna, the deadliest mountain in the world.
Part of being human is experiencing fear and anxiety. From a very early age, we recognise that some things are a threat to us and even the thought of them can make us tremble. When fears become phobias they can be quite irrational and controlling.
In 1988 two brothers, Thomas and John Knoll, created a computer programme that would be so widely used that thirty-plus years later the noun has become a verb and describes an activity no matter what app is used. Photoshop was originally intended for graphic designers, but it’s now well and truly mainstream.
St Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney, 27 February 2022 Archdiocese of Sydney · Homily for Solemn Pontifical Mass of the 8th Sunday
Born in Darfur, Sudan, around 1869, a girl was kidnapped when aged 7 or 8 by Arab slave traders. She was made to walk barefoot 1,000 km to El-Obeid, forced to convert to Islam, and given the Arab name ‘Bakhita’ meaning lucky. Sold as a slave five times in all, she suffered repeated abuse, including elaborate scarification of her breasts, belly and arms, and being repeated lashed.
While having a bath, baby Tommy refused to part with a piece of parchment with the words ‘Ave Maria’ on it, and instead put it in his mouth and swallowed it.
